Category Archives: Data and Analytics

The Emergence of “Big Data” in the NHL: A Practical Example

Posted on March 13, 2020 by

Photo: NHL When most hockey fans hear about the new player and puck tracking system set to be deployed by the NHL, they most likely have an instant vision of the old “FoxTrax” system implemented by Fox Sports in the … Continue reading →

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Blueline Blueprint: Do the Capitals Have Optimal Defensive Pairings?

Posted on March 10, 2020 by

Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images Following the acquisition of Brenden Dillon from the San Jose Sharks on February 18, Washington Capitals Head Coach Todd Reirden has been tinkering with different combinations of defensive pairings. This is often a challenging undertaking, … Continue reading →

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Dragging Since December: The Analytics Behind the Washington Capitals’ Prolonged Rut

Posted on March 6, 2020 by

December 8, 2019. The Washington Capitals are 22-4-5, good for 49 standings points, and sit three points clear of the Boston Bruins as the best team in the NHL. The Capitals have a nine-point lead in the Metropolitan Division. Many … Continue reading →

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NHL to Start Using New Puck, White Player Tags For Tracking Speed & Data; Will Debut in Playoffs and Beyond as Part of Digital Broadcasting Additions

Posted on March 3, 2020 by

Photo: @EricFrancis According to Sportsnet analyst Eric Francis, the NHL will start using a new puck and white player tags for tracking speed and additional player data. These enhancements will debut during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin April … Continue reading →

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The Approaching NHL Data Divide: Next-Gen NHL Data Will Likely Be A Case Of the “Haves” and “Have Nots”

Posted on February 29, 2020 by

Graphic: Nastel It’s no secret that the NHL is in the process of making a generational leap in data sourcing, aggregation and analysis that will redefine the way the game is analyzed. Hockey “big data” is essentially making the leap … Continue reading →

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Washington Capitals Third Quarter Review: 2019-20 Season

Posted on February 24, 2020 by

Photo: NHL Via Getty Images With the Washington Capitals now having played 62 games in the 2019-2020 season, it’s time for our annual quarterly assessment of the team. In this piece, NoVa Caps’ Diane Doyle looks at the third quarter … Continue reading →

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A Deeper Dive on Brenden Dillon

Posted on February 20, 2020 by

Photo: @Capitals On Tuesday, February 18th, the Capitals traded the 2020 second round selection from Colorado, and a conditional third round pick to the San Jose Sharks for defenseman Brenden Dillon. The fact that MacLellan went after a defenseman near … Continue reading →

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Held Together By Holtby – Are the Last Four Games an Indication That Braden Holtby is “Back” ?

Posted on February 18, 2020 by

Photo: Zak Krill/NHLI via Getty Images It’s been no secret that the Washington Capitals have struggled over the past few months, stumbling to a 10-10-0 record over their last 20 games. While the Caps as a team are still slumping, … Continue reading →

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Eller Elevated: How Lars Eller Has Made an Impact While in a Top-Six Role

Posted on February 16, 2020 by

As Evgeny Kuznetsov recovers from his upper body injury sustained against the New York Islanders on February 10th, Lars Eller has been slotted into his vacancy on the second line with TJ Oshie and Jakub Vrana. Earlier this season, Eller … Continue reading →

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A Tale of Two Teams: The Capitals’ Drastic Regression Started Earlier Than One Might Think

Posted on February 12, 2020 by

Patrick Smith/Getty Images For the past seven games, since they returned from the NHL All-Star bye week, the Capitals have struggled to rekindle the momentum the team had earlier in the season, going 3-4-0 since coming off the week-long break. … Continue reading →

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