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Want more analytical coverage at Second City Hockey?

Posted on by Matt Lucas

The NHL is evolving. Ten years ago, fans would be heavily invested in seeing a scrap or two, open ice hits, and shoving matches in front of the net. In today’s NHL, speed, skill, fancy stick-handling, power plays and young talent entice fans to buy tickets.

Instead of a fight or a huge hit being the most exciting highlight of a NHL game, gorgeous passing plays are what TV networks focus on during their highlight sessions.

Trading for enforcers, and signing or drafting big bodies for the sole purpose to protect your star player is no longer a high priority for front offices. Alternatively, today’s scouts are looking for a speedy, skilled and possession-driven player to get the puck to the team’s sniper or star player.

For instance, one of the primary reasons the Blackhawks invested in Dominik Kahun and placed him on the first line with Jonathan Toews is that his puck possession and playmaking ability stood out in this year’s World Championships and for Red Bull München (RBM) in Germany’s top league.

Matt McIlvane, an Illinois native and assistant coach for RBM, had some high praise for Kahun after Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman signed him to a two-year deal during the 2018 offseason. He spoke about Kahun’s elite vision and ability to find ways out of scrums in the corner with the puck. During Kahun’s development, McIlvane noticed how quickly he increased his hockey IQ and enhanced his passing skillset. He could predict where players were going to be before they even called for the puck like he had eyes in the back of his head. Then on breakouts he was always in the right spot, supported the defenseman with low regroups, and turned on the jets with technically sound crossovers and lateral movements when he received the puck.

So far, Kahun has been successful in Chicago. He is driving possession, getting the puck to Toews and Alex DeBrincat, and winning battles along the boards in all three zones of the ice. Kahun is just one example of what today’s NHL scouts and GMs are looking for in players.

All across the NHL, teams are not signing players solely based on size or because they pass the “eye test.” Instead, teams are starting to utilize advanced metrics to rate prospects, build player reports, make lineup changes and to predict player development. Since the NHL partnered with SAP in 2015, advanced metrics are readily available. Former Blues coach Ken Hitchcock stated that “the information that took days, weeks, months, now is done on a game-by-game, period-by-period, shift-by-shift basis.” Consequently, owners of NHL teams are starting to realize that if they do not adapt to the statistical revolution, they will be left in the dust by those who value it. Toronto is a prime example. They hired an analytics genius in Kyle Dubas in the 2014 offseason to transform the way Toronto executives thought about hockey. Four years later, he was named the Maple Leafs GM and the team is expected to contend for the Stanley Cup this season.

Similarly, teams across the NHL are starting to hire data analytic masterminds to assist in hockey operations. All one has to do is to skim over a team’s front office directory, and there will be a handful of employees dedicated to analytics.

Tuesday marked a bittersweet day for the Blackhawks organization. Rocky Wirtz and other members of the Hawks front office fired Joel Quenneville and his two assistants, Ulf Samuelsson and Kevin Dineen. In Quenneville’s place, Jeremy Colliton, was named the new head coach. As fans mourn the loss of a legend and future hall of fame coach, there is still reason for hope and excitement.

Colliton carries with him a fresh mindset focused on increasing the energy level of the team, leading by example for younger players who might let emotions get the best of them, finding time to sit down with each individual player to talk hockey, life and act as mentor, as well as, to increase the utilization of analytics within the organization.

Colliton spoke with Scott Powers of The Athletic last December in Rockford about analytics and his increased use of them. Colliton said analytics bring direct evidence and attention to certain areas of a player or a team’s game that coaches have been wanting to address. Analytics can confirm what coaches are suspecting, and give them reason to sit down 1-on-1 with a player or group of players and talk about their recent trend in play with statistical evidence to back up them up. It can also draw attention to a negative trend a little bit early, which can save time later on in practice or video sessions. He went on to say he really enjoys analytics and thinks they can be a significantly valuable resource to a team’s short and long term success. There is a lot of information available, so why not use it to the team’s advantage.

He may not be an analytical mastermind like Dubas, but Colliton understands the role analytics play in winning shifts, periods, games and ultimately championships. As the Hawks are adapting to the statistical revolution occurring in the NHL, the Second City Hockey team would like to ask the reader if you would like to see more advanced metrics and figures to depict player and team performance like the one here:

As you can see, there are a handful of Hawks players in the ‘fun’ zone of the chart. What this means is that these players generate a significant number of shots for their team during 5-on-5 play (CF60), but also can give up tons of shot against (CA60). They are offensive powerhouses most shifts, but can give the coach a good scare on the bench during a couple shifts every game. The players in the ‘good’ zone generate more offensive zone time and shots for their team rather than spending 5-on-5 play running around, stuck in their own zone, getting pestered with shots.

The ‘good’ zone players are vital cogs in a team’s lineup. The players in the ‘bad” zone of the chart barely create any offensive pressure and shots on net, and spend most of their time defending opponent shots in their own zone. Lastly, the players in the ‘dull’ zone of the chart create a bit of offensive pressure in 5-on-5 play, but that offensive zone time is more often than not outmatched by the opponent’s shots on net and zone time. This is just one example of advanced metrics figures readily available for use at SCH. There are many more to follow if you would like to see it.

It is a new and exciting era for Blackhawks hockey. Let’s give Colliton a chance to right the ship.

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