OHL Analytics

AnalyticsLover89

Registered User
Sep 14, 2018
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What is the state of analytics in the ohl? What teams are known for using analytics? Who has the best analytics programs?

When Dubas was in Saulte Ste. Marie I bet he had a good analytics program but do any other teams? Did his team keep the analytics?
 

AttackSound

Junior Hockey Fan Since Birth
Aug 25, 2016
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Owen Sound, Ontario
What is the state of analytics in the ohl? What teams are known for using analytics? Who has the best analytics programs?

When Dubas was in Saulte Ste. Marie I bet he had a good analytics program but do any other teams? Did his team keep the analytics?

To answer the question your asking every team to some degree has some form of analytic member of their club.

Where it differs is what area each team thinks they need to focus there efforts on. You can have analytics on pretty much any portion of a game in this league from faceoffs where you can track what centers have a better faceoff percentage in each zone to shots taken to shifts played.

To answer your question more directly there truly isn't a position on analytics that any specific team I can say exists because of the simple fact you'd need a whole team of analysts to document each area and for the most part you'd never have time to compile the information accurately.

There are statsitions that are sort of analysts who track players (+/-) goals assists and games played throughout the season but to answer more directly to what your asking there really isn't one person who oversees that area of the game
 
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AnalyticsLover89

Registered User
Sep 14, 2018
5
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To answer the question your asking every team to some degree has some form of analytic member of their club.

Where it differs is what area each team thinks they need to focus there efforts on. You can have analytics on pretty much any portion of a game in this league from faceoffs where you can track what centers have a better faceoff percentage in each zone to shots taken to shifts played.

To answer your question more directly there truly isn't a position on analytics that any specific team I can say exists because of the simple fact you'd need a whole team of analysts to document each area and for the most part you'd never have time to compile the information accurately.

There are statsitions that are sort of analysts who track players (+/-) goals assists and games played throughout the season but to answer more directly to what your asking there really isn't one person who oversees that area of the game

No teams have staff dedicated to collecting stats? Why not? Every team should try to get an edge everywhere they can...What team has the biggest analytics staff?
 

AttackSound

Junior Hockey Fan Since Birth
Aug 25, 2016
2,256
977
Owen Sound, Ontario
London would be maybe one of only few teams that do have someone in that type of role but like I said there statsitions that are capable and do that type of role now for teams, so why would you need 2 people doing a similar type role.

Owen Sound has had a stats guy that has done that role for years and I've seen teams have players who are not in gameday lineups do that type of role from the stands. But for some OHL teams that's and extra expense that I think you'd see a lot of teams not have to add to their payroll.
 

bobber

Registered User
Jan 21, 2013
8,212
5,526
Kitchener Ontario
To answer the question your asking every team to some degree has some form of analytic member of their club.

Where it differs is what area each team thinks they need to focus there efforts on. You can have analytics on pretty much any portion of a game in this league from faceoffs where you can track what centers have a better faceoff percentage in each zone to shots taken to shifts played.

To answer your question more directly there truly isn't a position on analytics that any specific team I can say exists because of the simple fact you'd need a whole team of analysts to document each area and for the most part you'd never have time to compile the information accurately.

There are statsitions that are sort of analysts who track players (+/-) goals assists and games played throughout the season but to answer more directly to what your asking there really isn't one person who oversees that area of the game
Michael Zsoldt is the Director of Analytics and Stats along with being Hockey Operations Assistant with the Kitchener Rangers.
 

Steel Fishbowl

Registered User
Jan 22, 2018
232
284
No teams have staff dedicated to collecting stats? Why not? Every team should try to get an edge everywhere they can...What team has the biggest analytics staff?

More teams use analytics than what might appear at first glace. You're right that every team should be looking for every advantage, but in that same sense, why would they ever tell other teams and the public what they are doing?...
 
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Fischhaber

Registered User
Sep 3, 2014
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More teams use analytics than what might appear at first glace. You're right that every team should be looking for every advantage, but in that same sense, why would they ever tell other teams and the public what they are doing?...

You're absolutely right. The Greyhounds pioneered analytics in the OHL, but they haven't been overt about it. That kind of stuff stays in house.
 
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grind your soul

Belak forever
Jul 1, 2006
1,527
1
Toronto
So they have 26 staff, 4 of which are involved in analytics.

As for that long list of data trackers, I suspect that they are just random fans that do some TOI info and not actually full time staff. If you have alternative information then please share.

just wondering how this makes the point any less valid? the analytics department may only have one or two true "employees" but it doesn't make the data collected by the small army of "random fans" any less legitimate.

anyway, many teams have at least one or two people recording non-boxscore stats. windsor has been recording on-ice corsi for at least three years (and probably a lot more). some teams may only record faceoffs or time on ice. others may go much, MUCH deeper into what is tracked.

hamilton had domenic galamini working with them (not sure he still does). kitchener has mike zsolt. niagara's assistant gm does some tracking work. oshawa, flint, and others are invested in various different analytics/tracking services. there are a lot of different ways to go about it.

as for the "best" analytics program, it is all subjective. you could have the best, brightest minds giving you great, useful data and a coaching staff that refuses to use it, or an analytics staff that chooses to track stats that ultimately don't matter or aren't really coachable metrics. what works for some may not work for others.
 
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Fischhaber

Registered User
Sep 3, 2014
3,031
1,622
just wondering how this makes the point any less valid? the analytics department may only have one or two true "employees" but it doesn't make the data collected by the small army of "random fans" any less legitimate.

anyway, many teams have at least one or two people recording non-boxscore stats. windsor has been recording on-ice corsi for at least three years (and probably a lot more). some teams may only record faceoffs or time on ice. others may go much, MUCH deeper into what is tracked.

hamilton had domenic galamini working with them (not sure he still does). kitchener has mike zsolt. niagara's assistant gm does some tracking work. oshawa, flint, and others are invested in various different analytics/tracking services. there are a lot of different ways to go about it.

as for the "best" analytics program, it is all subjective. you could have the best, brightest minds giving you great, useful data and a coaching staff that refuses to use it, or an analytics staff that chooses to track stats that ultimately don't matter or aren't really coachable metrics. what works for some may not work for others.

I didn't mean to say that data collection isn't a valid occupation. It's just misleading to say that they have 40 staff working on analytics. I doubt that is really the case.

There was a time when only one or two teams were using analytics. I remember chatting with Kyle Dubas years ago and he said they were basically the only team doing it.

Now all teams have followed suit and have some sort of department. I doubt there's as much of a disparity as there used to be.
 

Otto

Lynch Syndrome. Know your families cancer history
I didn't mean to say that data collection isn't a valid occupation. It's just misleading to say that they have 40 staff working on analytics. I doubt that is really the case.

Since you want to be nit-picky about it, the poster didn't say 40 staff... they said 40 people.... big difference. And I agree, with the previous poster, doesn't matter if they are on the payroll or not, or listed on the team site, they could be interns. It doesn't make the information any less valid.
 
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