Oilers, Leafs, Flames near the bottom, Sens near the top - Analytics report

Master_Of_Districts

Registered User
Apr 9, 2007
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Black Ruthenia
So, basically, despite copious hand waving your answer is "no". You can't really argue:

A) that an r^2 value of .3 shows a strong relationship between two variables.
B) Fenwick shows a strong relationship to regulation points in a single season.
C) Fenwick is a good way to predict future regulation points either within a season or season-to-season.

0.5 is not a strong relationship. You may find that a stat allowing one to predict less than half of future results is "relatively impressive", but I'm not so easily sold.

It is relatively impressive - when appropriately contextualized. 47% of the variance in team results over a half season sample is explained by randomness. So there's a fairly sharp theoretical limit on how well any particular metric can predict results from one half of the season to the other.

It's not exceptionally impressive. More nuanced models - like the one MacDonald created - do a better job. Which is what we would expect. If I were predicting future results, I would use a model like MacDonald's. Or a model based on Bayesian inference.

But it is relatively impressive. Most people regard a team's record as a reasonably good proxy for its underlying ability. So for a metric to predict future results better than actual record - especially a very simple one like Fenwick - is relatively impressive.
 
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Master_Of_Districts

Registered User
Apr 9, 2007
1,744
4
Black Ruthenia
The problem is that if the Leafs aren't in the playoffs confirmation bias will be rampant while the predictive validity of Fenwick remains weak. In fact, at least an equal proportion of any team's success or lack thereof will be accounted for by some other factor or combination of factors and The Whims of the Man in the Moon...ahem..."random variance" or whatever Bafflegab translation for "we don't have a clue how that happens" is fashionable at that point. But they'll still say, "we told you so".

For clarity, the random variation component of team results is literally that - random variation. It's not a label for the proportion of variation that can't be explained.
 

AuraSphere

Registered User
Jun 27, 2012
4,184
2,242
I'd be tremendously happy if the leafs tank the 2014-2015 season and come last place.
 

habsfanatics*

Registered User
May 20, 2012
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1
I agree 100% with the analysis, I expect those 4 teams to be around lottery positions, there will be a few other teams in the running, but neither of the oilers, flames, leafs or sabres will make the playoffs this year IMO.
 

habsfanatics*

Registered User
May 20, 2012
5,051
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Bingo.

Even if the personnel didn't change, they have all aged a year and practiced another year etc.

It seems most of hard time understanding probability, what is meant by these articles is that if the play continues the way it has for the past 48 games then results will most likely be this. There's always a possibility that leafs, flames, oilers, sabres improve their possession games, but if they don't, this is the closest educated guess you can make.

If everything stays the same, or even close to the same as far as possession, he'll be close to bang on IMO.

If the newly acquired players do nothing to improve the teams underlying metrics, ie increase possession, then they'll have little or nothing to do with the prediction.
 

Dr Quincy

Registered User
Jun 19, 2005
28,684
10,516
It seems most of hard time understanding probability, what is meant by these articles is that if the play continues the way it has for the past 48 games then results will most likely be this. There's always a possibility that leafs, flames, oilers, sabres improve their possession games, but if they don't, this is the closest educated guess you can make.

If everything stays the same, or even close to the same as far as possession, he'll be close to bang on IMO.

If the newly acquired players do nothing to improve the teams underlying metrics, ie increase possession, then they'll have little or nothing to do with the prediction.

The problem is, the prediction would have said the same thing after 20 games last year, and 30 and 40, and if after another 30 games this year, if those teams still are being "lucky" and winning more than this prediction expects, the prediction will expect them to start losing. When the prediction is wrong it's just "Oh that's random variance or luck, and the team will regress to the mean" and that can be said at any point in time. Yes as soon as one of those teams has a bad record I'm sure some proponents will say, "See, the model is right!"

It would be great if every time I looked like I was wrong I could just say, "Yeah but eventually I'll be right." And then at any moment I look like I'm right I can just say, "Yup, I'm right."

I'm not saying all or most people espousing advanced stats do this (and I'm not even against the advanced stats) but it's something I have seen by some people who have become slaves to certain statistics.
 

Samsquanch

Raging Bull Squatch
Nov 28, 2008
8,224
4,965
Sudbury
I'd be tremendously happy if the leafs tank the 2014-2015 season and come last place.

:laugh: You do realize that this article is about the upcoming 2013-2014 season, right? Or myabe you do, and just like stating random facts, as Im sure all teams would love to get McDavid.
 

TheDevilMadeMe

Registered User
Aug 28, 2006
52,271
6,980
Brooklyn
It seems most of hard time understanding probability, what is meant by these articles is that if the play continues the way it has for the past 48 games then results will most likely be this. There's always a possibility that leafs, flames, oilers, sabres improve their possession games, but if they don't, this is the closest educated guess you can make.

If everything stays the same, or even close to the same as far as possession, he'll be close to bang on IMO.

If the newly acquired players do nothing to improve the teams underlying metrics, ie increase possession, then they'll have little or nothing to do with the prediction.

Well, the Leafs just got David Clarkson, one of the best players in the league at getting weak shots on goal, so that should improve their Corsi/Fenwick metrics quite a bit. :p:
 

habsfanatics*

Registered User
May 20, 2012
5,051
1
Well, the Leafs just got David Clarkson, one of the best players in the league at getting weak shots on goal, so that should improve their Corsi/Fenwick metrics quite a bit. :p:

Entirely subjective that David clarkson generates substantially more weak shots than any1 else. He does generate shots, but nowhere close to enough to make them go from atrocious to good.
 

BraveCanadian

Registered User
Jun 30, 2010
14,521
3,357
If the newly acquired players do nothing to improve the teams underlying metrics, ie increase possession, then they'll have little or nothing to do with the prediction.


So if we totally ignore my point that it is in fact a different team playing this year, and then assume everything stays the same, then the prediction will be more likely to be true?

I'm glad we have you around to tell us about these things.
 
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Kershaw

Guest
If the Sens continue at a .935 sv% pace, which I believe is attainable due to their ability to control possession, I suspect they'll challenge for the President's Trophy.
 

habsfanatics*

Registered User
May 20, 2012
5,051
1
So if we totally ignore my point that it is in fact a different team playing this year, and then assume everything stays the same, then the prediction will be more likely to be true?

I'm glad we have you around to tell us about these things.

The majority of the core players are the same. Not much should be expected to change. Had they continued their play last year for a full 82 games they most likely would have missed the playoffs again.
 

Space Coyote

Registered User
Oct 29, 2010
5,894
2,701
These predictions are meaningless. A lot happens through out the season; injuries, players with hot/cold streaks, trades whether its a shorten one or a full 82 games. Last year the difference between 5th in the east and 9th was only 6 points. Likewise in the west the difference between 5 and 9th was merely 4 points. The only teams you can bet as locks are probably the Penguins, Bruins, Blackhawks and probably the Canucks. Besides now with the realignment the standings would be a lot different to previous seasons anyway.
 
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sharks9

Registered User
Jan 16, 2012
16,444
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Canada
If the Sens continue at a .935 sv% pace, which I believe is attainable due to their ability to control possession, I suspect they'll challenge for the President's Trophy.

There is no chance they continue at a .935 SV% pace
 

Samsquanch

Raging Bull Squatch
Nov 28, 2008
8,224
4,965
Sudbury
If the Sens continue at a .935 sv% pace, which I believe is attainable due to their ability to control possession, I suspect they'll challenge for the President's Trophy.

Its encouraging to hear that kind of praise coming from other fan bases :cheers:

While I dont feel this is a presidents trophy caliber team yet, there is very good reason for optimism among Sens fans. An incredible amount of things went wrong for them last year, but the upside to that was that there was a chance for rookies to solidify themselves as NHLers, and for the most part there was tremendous growth across the board from just about everyone. Not to mention we added the top line winger we've been on for years this offseason.

((Growth) + (health) + (good offseason additions))*(better luck) = an excited Sens fan base. :teach:
 

Kershaw

Guest
There is no chance they continue at a .935 SV% pace

Probably not, but I think Anderson is a borderline elite tender. The Sens SA/G will drastically go down if they aren't decimated with injuries like they were last season.
 

DayTripper

Registered User
Jul 9, 2013
694
0
DPR of HF
lol, analytics is not the same as analysts.

Hmmm, indeed...I just checked, and the advanced stats guys predicted the Leafs finishing 11th in the league last season, not anywhere close to 30th/lottery territory. But apparently they were wrong anyway, since the Leafs only got there by luck, apparently, and would have been a lottery team if not for that. :p
 
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