While I do support the use of advanced stats as another tool in contruction of a team,

To deny the significance of possession stats in hockey is to be on the wrong side of history.

might be putting the cart before the horse a little bit. What was the first NHL team that was constructed completely through the use of advanced staticstics and how many Cups did they win. Is there actually ANY proof that advanced statistics are predictive instead of correlative?
  While I think this is a good move, I would like to see a little proof before I agree advanced stats are the best thing since sex. (He obviously believes they are better than sliced bread.)

Posted by teldar on 07/22/14 at 12:08 PM ET

I agree on advanced stats. I believe they’re very useful but they have plenty of time to evolve in their usage in hockey and overall, to increase in effectiveness. I expect they will continue to be important in developing teams and rosters. I expect that some day, these types of stats can be used to make in-game decisions when the technology gets there.

Posted by VitoLambruski on 07/22/14 at 12:20 PM ET

See, I think that may be carrying it a little too far. Yearly statistics are probably better for deciding things like pairings and line assignments, but I have a hard time with them being predictive enough to use in a particular game. I would HOPE the coach would be able to tell which players were his most useful from period to period. But they are definitely something a GM should be looking at to help winnow free agents.

Posted by teldar on 07/22/14 at 12:41 PM ET

Can’t wait for Steve Simmons’s head to explode over this.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 07/23/14 at 08:32 AM ET

Nathan, as just about every hockey guy in Toronto, Simmons did write about it…

Now, the Leafs look at it differently: They have a hockey man in whom they believe who is also a stats man. And they have a stats man who is a hockey man. And the disconnect that exists on some of the best teams in the game shouldn’t necessarily be a disconnect here.

One thing to understand, though: No team wins a Stanley Cup and attributes victory to an assistant GM. It still comes down to the men at the top: Shanahan, Nonis and Carlyle.

Assuming, of course, the latter two are still around for the not-too-distant future.

more

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 07/23/14 at 08:34 AM ET