Birth date and birth place effects in National Hockey League draftees 2000-2005: comments on Baker and Logan (2007).

Researchers who study the relative age effect (RAE) have stated that, within a given cohort, individuals who are relatively older tend to be over-represented at elite levels within sport. This RAE has been illustrated in hockey, soccer, and baseball, to name a few. Recently, Baker and Logan conducted an analysis on the birth dates of players drafted to the National Hockey League (NHL) between 2000 and 2005. The results led them to conclude that a RAE existed, as relatively older players were over-represented in the NHL drafts. After appraising their contribution, we feel that there are three key points to be reconsidered. These considerations do not disqualify the notion that a RAE exists in NHL draftees; however, they compel one to re-examine study design issues and the interpretation of results.