Tanner we agree on Pierre. I bet a lot of posters here are taking a look in the mirror as this kid is now the General Manger of an NHL team at 26. He would still be young if he were a player on the team. Unreal. The guy must be a franking genius. Also, I will cheer for the Yotes if they go back to the old Coyote Aztec Goalie jersey. Those were great, and the current jerseys are

Well, the Penguins did the same to bolster their bottom-6 and it's been much better this year.

But having 2 top-5 centers, 2 good goalies, he emergence of several young guys (Rust, Sheary, etc.), and a the willingness to spend to the ceiling helps. Not sure how it would work starting from more or less scratch minus prospects and OEL.
- jmatchett383

You can possess the puck all game long, but if you don't have players with a shooting mentality or players that can legitimately score goals what good is it?

You can possess the puck all game long, but if you don't have players with a shooting mentality or players that can legitimately score goals what good is it?
- mnhockeyguy

Yep. I'd rather get outshot 33-18 if 4 of mine go in and only 2 of the other team's shots go in. All things equal, more shots are better, but things are never equal.

I really don't get why you need an analytic guy to be the GM, it just doesn't make sense. I think that every GM should have one of these nerds calculating things and feeding them the info...but to actually have one as a GM is insane and I don't see the benefit. I am pretty sure this is just the Coyotes being SUPER cheap...probably paying the kid in Pop Tarts and Pizza Pops.

Serious question.....can someone be better at analytics than someone else? I feel like it's a hard field for one guy to be far superior to another once you reach a certain point.

Terrible news. You deserved that job
- twiztedmike

I wish James would have got the job. We could have traded him Kadri for Domi, Strome and Arizona's first round draft choice.

I really don't get why you need an analytic guy to be the GM, it just doesn't make sense. I think that every GM should have one of these nerds calculating things and feeding them the info...but to actually have one as a GM is insane and I don't see the benefit. I am pretty sure this is just the Coyotes being SUPER cheap...probably paying the kid in Pop Tarts and Pizza Pops.

Serious question.....can someone be better at analytics than someone else? I feel like it's a hard field for one guy to be far superior to another once you reach a certain point.
- The-O-G

No, its all how someone manipulates and presents raw data to satisfy the narrative they are trying to present.

I really don't get why you need an analytic guy to be the GM, it just doesn't make sense. I think that every GM should have one of these nerds calculating things and feeding them the info...but to actually have one as a GM is insane and I don't see the benefit. I am pretty sure this is just the Coyotes being SUPER cheap...probably paying the kid in Pop Tarts and Pizza Pops.

Serious question.....can someone be better at analytics than someone else? I feel like it's a hard field for one guy to be far superior to another once you reach a certain point.
- The-O-G

Stats can be interpreted in different ways and people can extrapolate out different emerging patterns based on the same statistics, think global warming for instance. That being said a lot more goes into being a GM than merely relying on statistics. That's probably why Tippett has been given an expanded role. There's the cap to juggle along with understanding the legal side of contracts, negotiating, and also being to understand how different personalities affect the team dynamic. Only time will tell if this was a smart move... I'm leaning towards it being a failed experiment. But we will see?

No, its all how someone manipulates and presents raw data to satisfy the narrative they are trying to present.
- DDM-Coga

Yeah that's the (frank)ed up thing....this is a joke

Yeah that's the (frank)ed up thing....this is a joke
- The-O-G

someone can exclude, include a variable...generate a whole new argument based on situational data.

Oh this guy sucks...well lets change it to all situations, and see what happens when he isnt on the ice with another poopty guy.

Look he isnt as poopty, so clearly he doesnt suck. And the circle jerk of numbers continue

someone can exclude, include a variable...generate a whole new argument based on situational data.

Oh this guy sucks...well lets change it to all situations, and see what happens when he isnt on the ice with another poopty guy.

Look he isnt as poopty, so clearly he doesnt suck. And the circle jerk of numbers continue
- DDM-Coga

Man, just how many mountains of evidence that you are wrong are needed? This concept has now be codified into one of them actually having an NHL job.

Then again, someone might hire Randy Carlyle again, so it's not like everyone suddenly got smart.

Man, just how many mountains of evidence that you are wrong are needed? This concept has now be codified into one of them actually having an NHL job.

Then again, someone might hire Randy Carlyle again, so it's not like everyone suddenly got smart.
- James_Tanner

T-T-T-Today JUNIOR!!!!

Man, just how many mountains of evidence that you are wrong are needed? This concept has now be codified into one of them actually having an NHL job.

Then again, someone might hire Randy Carlyle again, so it's not like everyone suddenly got smart.
- James_Tanner

Oh Jimmy, you know more than anyone else that people like to toss out 5v5 or all situation numbers to try and curve their argument. Its raw data, people can shape it and manipulate it if they want.

I did it in a very generic simplistic explanation but there are many number nerds out there that just do that.

Its ok to agree with someone one time.

Yeah, I'd have given him more of an advisory role than the reins. It's an interesting approach, though.
- jmatchett383

That's what i would have thought too.

Only thing, if there is a team in the league that should take a chance like this, it is the yotes.

james if the new GM resigns grossman will your thoughts on him change? What would that tell you?

Based on Jimmy's analysis, this guy will be the best GM ever....anything less will prove the theory of analytics wrong.

Honestly, you have to wonder how much of this falls on the Coyotes being dead broke

I will say I am sure this guy is very smart and ahead of his age, but 26?

This guy clearly cannot have enough front office or hockey operations experience to successfully navigate an NHL franchise.

The way I look at it is they are giving a smart kid a shot since the franchise is as bad as it gets right now and they cant do worse, so he can only go up from here. On the plus side, hiring such a young kid with limited resume comes REAL CHEAP on the competitive pay scale

I wouldnt be surprise if this is a cost cutting move to hire an expensive executive position well under market value as opposed to hiring a well known, qualified name to right the ship

This guy is a pure hockey analytics nerd. So basically anyone sitting here who rifles through hockey stats in excel can be GM in 5-6 years. Major risk hiring a kid from behind a computer and video room into a front office vs guys who have played/coached/directed at the major hockey level, hell, even major junior level

Honestly, you have to wonder how much of this falls on the Coyotes being dead broke

I will say I am sure this guy is very smart and ahead of his age, but 26?

This guy clearly cannot have enough front office or hockey operations experience to successfully navigate an NHL franchise.

The way I look at it is they are giving a smart kid a shot since the franchise is as bad as it gets right now and they cant do worse, so he can only go up from here. On the plus side, hiring such a young kid with limited resume comes REAL CHEAP on the competitive pay scale

I wouldnt be surprise if this is a cost cutting move to hire an expensive executive position well under market value as opposed to hiring a well known, qualified name to right the ship

This guy is a pure hockey analytics nerd. So basically anyone sitting here who rifles through hockey stats in excel can be GM in 5-6 years. Major risk hiring a kid from behind a computer and video room into a front office vs guys who have played/coached/directed at the major hockey level, hell, even major junior level
- hawkeytalkman

BINGO

james if the new GM resigns grossman will your thoughts on him change? What would that tell you?
- rinaldo

honestly, grossman should be out of the leauge. he was terrible to watch last year.

no issue with hiring an analytics guy. Just one with no experience running a team is way to risky. Guy hasn't even got his feet wet. Only a matter of time before he and the coach clash imo. he better hire a great support staff.

phoenix as nothing to lose really. they are an irrelevant franchise in the grand scheme of things. they will looks like geniuses or fail (which they are used to and no one will blink an eye).

Stats can be interpreted in different ways and people can extrapolate out different emerging patterns based on the same statistics, think global warming for instance. That being said a lot more goes into being a GM than merely relying on statistics. That's probably why Tippett has been given an expanded role. There's the cap to juggle along with understanding the legal side of contracts, negotiating, and also being to understand how different personalities affect the team dynamic. Only time will tell if this was a smart move... I'm leaning towards it being a failed experiment. But we will see?
- mnhockeyguy

Go to a baseball game and see the outrageously stupid stats they put on the video board:

Hitting .315 on day games, in april, vs lefties, on the road, after the 6th inning

I really don't get why you need an analytic guy to be the GM, it just doesn't make sense. I think that every GM should have one of these nerds calculating things and feeding them the info...but to actually have one as a GM is insane and I don't see the benefit. I am pretty sure this is just the Coyotes being SUPER cheap...probably paying the kid in Pop Tarts and Pizza Pops.

Serious question.....can someone be better at analytics than someone else? I feel like it's a hard field for one guy to be far superior to another once you reach a certain point.
- The-O-G

There are two angles to analytics (I lead the analytics group for one of the largest companies in the world). 1) the ability to identify patterns and trends, and 2) turning those patterns into a decision making tool. Identification of patterns is the easier piece, however guys like Chayka likely do a lot more than the stats referenced in this blog. Using video analytics they can find new patterns that they likely keep under lock and key. As far as turning them into decisions, that is why Chayka got the head job and not just an advisor. He likely has shown the ability to turn those patterns in to reliable decisions. the coyotes do need an insider (maybe Tippett serves this role) to help actually executing trades with the old boys club. And it baffles me that people don't realize the value of analytics. Read a book or something! It's a guaranteed fact a team (or company) that does analytics well will be better over the long term.

who's connection to the game

oh dear, this must be embarrassing for you

You mean how a small market team found an edge over the big market teams, exploited years and years of compounded stupidity, remained annually competitive and had Brad Pitt play him in a movie?

Yeah, that worked out like garbage!!

Just because you don't win a championship doesn't mean you weren't successful. As any analytics guy will tell you, measuring things my championships is pretty dumb.
- James_Tanner

Never change Tanner.

There are two angles to analytics (I lead the analytics group for one of the largest companies in the world). 1) the ability to identify patterns and trends, and 2) turning those patterns into a decision making tool. Identification of patterns is the easier piece, however guys like Chayka likely do a lot more than the stats referenced in this blog. Using video analytics they can find new patterns that they likely keep under lock and key. As far as turning them into decisions, that is why Chayka got the head job and not just an advisor. He likely has shown the ability to turn those patterns in to reliable decisions. the coyotes do need an insider (maybe Tippett serves this role) to help actually executing trades with the old boys club. And it baffles me that people don't realize the value of analytics. Read a book or something! It's a guaranteed fact a team (or company) that does analytics well will be better over the long term.
- Dahlmanyotes

When did he get hired? Didn't the team end up in virtually the same place the last 2 seasons? What are these great decisions made that resulted in a jump from 2nd last to 6th last?

As a Sabres fan, I'm not knocking the team in any way, just not sure what growth has been shown in such a short time to come to your conclusion.

There are two angles to analytics (I lead the analytics group for one of the largest companies in the world). 1) the ability to identify patterns and trends, and 2) turning those patterns into a decision making tool. Identification of patterns is the easier piece, however guys like Chayka likely do a lot more than the stats referenced in this blog. Using video analytics they can find new patterns that they likely keep under lock and key. As far as turning them into decisions, that is why Chayka got the head job and not just an advisor. He likely has shown the ability to turn those patterns in to reliable decisions. the coyotes do need an insider (maybe Tippett serves this role) to help actually executing trades with the old boys club. And it baffles me that people don't realize the value of analytics. Read a book or something! It's a guaranteed fact a team (or company) that does analytics well will be better over the long term.
- Dahlmanyotes

I'm waiting for the 2016 playoffs to come out in paperback