Background: Shooting velocity is a critical determinant of competitive success in ice hockey, yet evidence for the use of weighted-implement training in high-level junior players is limited and the long-term retention of such adaptations has not been documented. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of off-ice shooting training performed with a heavy (260 g) versus a regular (170 g) puck on on-ice shooting velocity, accuracy and handgrip strength in junior players, and to examine the retention of these changes. Methods: Twenty male junior ice hockey players (18–19 years) were randomly allocated to a Heavy-puck group (n = 10) or a Regular-puck group (n = 10) and completed an identical six-week off-ice shooting programme (18 sessions, 100 shots per session) with their respective pucks. On-ice wrist-shot and snap-shot speed (radar; standard 170 g puck for both groups), on-ice shooting accuracy and bilateral handgrip strength were assessed before the intervention (pre-test), immediately after six weeks (post 6 weeks) and after a six-week retention period of normal on-ice training (post 12 weeks). Data were analysed with 2 × 3 mixed-model ANOVA with Bonferroni-corrected post hoc comparisons. Results: A significant Group × Time interaction was found for wrist-shot speed (ηp² = 0.61), snap-shot speed (ηp² = 0.78), left-hand handgrip strength (ηp² = 0.30) and shooting accuracy (ηp² = 0.24). The Heavy-puck group displayed substantially larger velocity gains at both post 6 weeks (wrist shot d = 2.97; snap shot d = 4.73) and post 12 weeks (d = 2.56 and d = 3.21, respectively). Left-hand handgrip strength gain was also greater in the Heavy-puck group at post 12 weeks (d = 1.40). A short-term cost on accuracy was observed in the Heavy-puck group at post 6 weeks (d = −1.21), which was fully recovered at post 12 weeks. Conclusions: Heavy-puck off-ice training produced large and durable improvements in on-ice puck velocity, with a transient and recoverable cost on accuracy, supporting its inclusion in the off-ice preparation of junior ice hockey players.

Background/Objectives: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is frequently accompanied by cognitive impairment, yet the neurobiological mechanisms underlying cognitive heterogeneity remain incompletely understood. The choroid plexus (CP), a blood–CSF barrier structure involved in cerebrospinal fluid production and neuroimmune signaling, has recently emerged as a potential MRI marker of inflammatory and neurodegenerative activity in MS. This scoping review mapped evidence on associations between CP features and cognitive functions in adults with MS. Methods: A broad search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, and the Cochrane Library identified 1163 records; after deduplication, screening, and full-text assessment, seven studies were included. Results: CP volume or normalized CP volume was assessed in all seven studies, and one study additionally examined the CP T1/T2 ratio. The Symbol Digit Modalities Test was used in six studies, while five applied multidomain cognitive assessment. Larger CP volume was associated in several studies with poorer baseline information-processing speed, visuospatial memory, or multidomain cognition, but longitudinal findings did not show consistent predictive value for CP volume. One study reported that a higher CP T1/T2 ratio predicted faster visuospatial-memory decline. Conclusions: CP-related measures may reflect broader neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative processes relevant to cognition in MS, but the evidence remains limited and methodologically heterogeneous. Standardized acquisition and segmentation, harmonized cognitive assessment, and adequately powered longitudinal studies are needed to establish their independent and predictive value.