Statistics are important, regardless of what anyone else says of them. There truly is nothing in the sports world that can’t, in some way, be quantified, and if it can be quantified, it’s a statistic that can be gauged and analyzed. Ignoring statistics that blatantly show errors or quirks in conventional ways of looking at sports can be disastrous; making use of stats and staying true to them in the face of adversity via conventional analysis can be just as beneficial for a team. The saying numbers never lie is not without merit; though there will always be variance when looking at stats, there will always (ALWAYS) be progression or regression back towards the mean (ALWAYS). It’s not rocket science; over a small sample of games, like a seven game playoff series, it’s possible to perform differently from the average, but over a large sample, say two to three seasons, there isn’t much variance or change from the expected result. Knowing this, and applying it to your advantage, truly is one of the best ways to make a team successful.
STATISTICS
- The Phoenix Coyotes are the NHL’s version of the Oakland Athletics and the term “moneyball.”
- Stan Bowman applies the theories of statistics to near perfection in Chicago. They’ve been the most successful franchise in the NHL over the past 10 years. Chicago is the perfect example of “moneyball” applied to a team that has the funds to get whoever they want.
PANTHERS NEWS
- A topic of discussion lately, Kevin Hayes weighs in on potential NHL signing locations.
- There’s a logjam at center, who moves to wing for the Cats?
- Erik Gudbranson is a player that truly cares about the community here in South Florida.
- Speaking of Gudbranson, he’s been showing some really important leadership qualities lately.
- Will Rocco Grimaldi make the jump to the professional level this year?
- Dale Tallon looks to make a splash come this year’s draft day.
AROUND THE NHL
- Has “The Kid” forgotten how to light the lamp? A look at Sidney Crosby’s recent goal-scoring woes.
- The Hartford Whalers were an important source of inspiration for Chicago’s Ben Smith, who is filling a key role this postseason.
- Is Las Vegas positioning itself for the next wave of NHL expansion?
- As was widely expected, new Carolina overlord Ron Francis has fired head coach Kirk Muller.