Kings thrive on right mix of analytics, attitude

[Bear of Bad News]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=721938

Click to read more...

 

[Freudian]

A bit misleading title. The article says nothing about Kings using analytics at all. Just that they are a team that have good possession stats but the article only discuss team chemistry. It seems like the author tried to work advanced into the article because it's fashionable right now.

I'm not sure how Kings "thrive on analytics". Nothing in the article suggest they are.

 

[charlie1]

I cringe at the amount of adaptive storytelling in sports.

Anyhow, does anyone know of an article that elaborates on this statement:

"...and the Kings are among the clubs at the forefront of using other analytics to squeeze out tiny advantages. That is definable."

I'd be interested to hear how they're using advanced stats.

 

[Hammer Time]

One of the basic principles in hockey analytics nowadays is that puck possession (which can be measured by shot attempts for and against) is the surest route to success. The only alternative is to have great goaltending in order to "cheat" poor possession numbers (e.g. Maple Leafs). Darryl Sutter agrees completely.

http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2014/03/09/gaborik-is-the-gun-the-la-kings-need-in-their-holster/

Last playoffs, Bill Ranford (Kings assistant coach) told a TSN reporter that nothing was more upsetting than having a poor Corsi, because it's a strong indicator that a team is losing a ton of puck battles.

http://nhlnumbers.com/2013/5/21/kings-assistant-bill-ranford-cites-corsi-to-tsns-ryan-rishaug

Dean Lombardi, who was the Sharks GM at the time when Billy Beane and the Oakland A's had their major analytics breakthrough, said upon assuming the job in LA that he wanted to explore doing something similar in hockey.

http://lakingsnews.com/surly-scribe-features/the-quotable-lombardi/

Many of his trades (e.g. the ones for Williams and Carter) have been slam dunks from a possession metric perspective.

The LA Kings organization right now has a lot of staff who either value possession stats, or at least have come to the same conclusions as stats analysts.

 

[charlie1]

Thanks!

 

[ITM]

One of the basic principles in hockey analytics nowadays is that puck possession (which can be measured by shot attempts for and against) is the surest route to success. The only alternative is to have great goaltending in order to "cheat" poor possession numbers (e.g. Maple Leafs). Darryl Sutter agrees completely.

http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2014/03/09/gaborik-is-the-gun-the-la-kings-need-in-their-holster/

Last playoffs, Bill Ranford (Kings assistant coach) told a TSN reporter that nothing was more upsetting than having a poor Corsi, because it's a strong indicator that a team is losing a ton of puck battles.

http://nhlnumbers.com/2013/5/21/kings-assistant-bill-ranford-cites-corsi-to-tsns-ryan-rishaug

Dean Lombardi, who was the Sharks GM at the time when Billy Beane and the Oakland A's had their major analytics breakthrough, said upon assuming the job in LA that he wanted to explore doing something similar in hockey.

http://lakingsnews.com/surly-scribe-features/the-quotable-lombardi/

Many of his trades (e.g. the ones for Williams and Carter) have been slam dunks from a possession metric perspective.

The LA Kings organization right now has a lot of staff who either value possession stats, or at least have come to the same conclusions as stats analysts.

Very interesting. Good post.