Hi Bill,

If you had to bet... Who's our backup to Hart next year? Is someone being promoted to the big club, or do we try to bring back Martin Jones?
- Cap437

Check back at the end of this season. I want to see first how Felix Sandström plays the rest of this season for the Phantoms.

I think this is why Carolina is ahead of the curve on most teams. I feel like their moves just work out. It was unpopular to go after DeAngelo in the offseason, that's worked out pretty well for them especially after letting Hamilton walk. Getting Teravainen in order to take on Bickell's contract. Trading Rask (currently in the minors) for Niederreiter.

And obviously they were in on Eric Tulsky before anyone, who's helped their analytics dept and moved up their ranks pretty rapidly and just interviewed for Chicago's GM vacancy
- TobyFlenderson

Yeah, they seem to keep manufacturing small advantages here and there. With how robust their data department is and how much their coaches and managers buy in, I don't see that stopping anytime soon.

Yeah, they seem to keep manufacturing small advantages here and there. With how robust their data department is and how much their coaches and managers buy in, I don't see that stopping anytime soon.
- Tomahawk

Is it bigger than the Flyers? Apparently, the more you hire, the better it is.

Ian Anderson was talking about doing things that Chicago was doing back in 2010.
- MJL

I don't wanna dog Ian Anderson too much, since I'm sure his day to day must feel a little like rolling a boulder up a hill, fighting all the entrenched positions of the Flyers' illustrious Senior Advisors.

But yeah... he didn't exactly come across as anything special in that interview. Maybe he's holding his cards close to the vest, who knows.

Check back at the end of this season. I want to see first how Felix Sandström plays the rest of this season for the Phantoms.
- bmeltzer

There is no way they role with Sandstrum as the backup. Only 2/3 players away they will want a vet proven nhl goalie.

If Jones wants another 1 year deal same price I think Chuck will jump at the chance to resign him.

A player that scores around 30 goals a year and kills penalties also for under $6M is a bargain and the type of player you build with. I hope he stays.
- jd250

He's 32. If you're building it's not with him, if you're going for it, you keep him.

Is it bigger than the Flyers? Apparently, the more you hire, the better it is.

- MJL

Are they up to 4 now? One guy following Jfresh's twitter account and the other three bringing him coffee and donuts?

That's what's interesting. Hamilton was a very strong analytics player. One of the top puck moving attacking defenseman in the NHL. What did they see there? Was it strictly a cap issue? The problem for Carolina moving forward is that DeAngelo is going to want to get paid.
- MJL

Could've been his injury history, could've been cap related. I thought it was dumb of them to not pony up and pay him. They've proved me wrong. Instead they went after a fringe player with character issues and he's had a resurgence (you're right, he will want to get paid) and rounded out their defense with Ian Cole (never really an analytics darling) and Ethan Bear. They just seem to know how to evaluate players and fit them into their team. Instead of paying Hamilton his due, they took the money elsewhere by offer sheeting Kotkaniemi and signing Andersen and it's worked out

thank god the eagles aren't trading for wilson

That's what's interesting. Hamilton was a very strong analytics player. One of the top puck moving attacking defenseman in the NHL. What did they see there? Was it strictly a cap issue? The problem for Carolina moving forward is that DeAngelo is going to want to get paid.
- MJL

Ask the Devils how that is working out for them this season, paying Hamilton $9M+ for next several years .. suckers!

Sure, analytics are not the end all be all. His traditional stats are nothing to write home about either. I also think he grades out poorly via the eye test. I don't think I've seen a better net front presence play for the Flyers since Simmonds. Unfortunately, his net front presence comes in regards to goals against.
- TobyFlenderson

I'll give you this, I thought Risto would be better and earlier in the season I thought he was in terms of net front coverage. However as the season has gone on, I see cracks in Risto's defensive game and spotty offensive play. That is why I want the Flyers to move on from him, and I really believe his next contract will not be as good as his current one.

Can that source shed some light on the analytics that show Risto is a good player?
- TobyFlenderson

Unfortunately not, he only provides insights into how bad Hextall was as a GM while here.

Flyers are playing catchup in the analytics game. They're years behind the curve already. Hiring a couple of new faces doesn't mean they've caught up, it just means they're still in the process of building out the dept.

And I'm sure Fletch does listen to what Ian Anderson has to say. He just also has Bob Clarke in his ear all the time. And Dave Scott breathing down his neck. I don't see the dept of analytics winning many internal battles anytime soon.
- Tomahawk

Dave Scott is NOT breathing down Fletcher's neck in terms on hockey decisions, all Dave Scott wants is a winning team so his revenue numbers look good for Comcast. Clarke just wants to win, he has absolutely no loyalty to players like Risto. And you have absolutely no evidence that the Flyers are playing catchup in the analytics game, in fact there is evidence that shows they are ahead of the game.

He’s also 4th over all in d man hits….65th over all in TOI….and despite not getting very much pp time is in the top 2/3 of the league in d man points and assist as well as shots on goal. Sounds like a top 4 d man to me….and considering the year they’ve had I think his numbers will probably get better next whether he’s here or not.
- landros 2

Just doesn't fit the narrative most want to spew on this forum about Risto. Here is another fact, Sanheim is playing the best hockey of his Flyers' career right now and Risto has had a hand in this. Here is another fact, Risto and Sanheim are the Flyers top and most consistent pairing defensemen, not Provorov and Braun. So they can take their analytics and stick them you know where!

Again, analytics isn't about finding some universal hockey truths or maxims (like never dump the puck, everybody needs to drive play, etc). It's about discovering and leveraging temporary competitive advantages on and off the ice thru data before everybody else catches on and copies you. Then hopefully you've invested enough research and done enough modelling where your team is already on to the next thing before the competition catches wind.
- Tomahawk

And that’s also an issue . Same thing I like to say about science, it’s always right until it’s wrong. There’s no hidden metrics that are going to tell you who a better player is. It can be an aid in decision making but I feel like the public puts such a strong emphasis in analytics. Hell, a lot of writers nowadays just post a chart and say this is why this player is good and this one bad.

thank god the eagles aren't trading for wilson
- 2Real

Denver gave up an absurd amount of assets

There is no way they role with Sandstrum as the backup. Only 2/3 players away they will want a vet proven nhl goalie.

If Jones wants another 1 year deal same price I think Chuck will jump at the chance to resign him.
- hello it's me 2050

They are backlogged. The original plan before the half-zillion injuries was for Sandström and Ersson to split time with the Phantoms. If all went well, Sandström would be a candidate to move up next season to back up Hart. with Ersson slotting as the Phantoms' starter and either Ustimenko as the No. 2 (if all went well) or perhaps a vet for depth.

Unfortunately, Sandström (after a solid start despite so-so numbers) had had injury and consistency issues.

Ersson has missed most of the season with recurring groin pulls -- twice he returned and twice he couldn't finish his first game back due to reinjury, even after extended time off. It's been largely a lost season for him.

Ustimenko still has some consistency issues but at least is fully recovered from the hip surgery that cost him the entire 2020-21 season. He's held his own for the most part with the Phantoms (although he still has the one bad a game issue) and been strong for Reading.

According to Brent Flahr, Ivan Fedotov is a free agent this summer and wants to come over for next season. The current political situation might affect that because the NHL-KHL memo of understanding has been canceled but that was the plan as of a few weeks ago, at least.

Bottom line is this: There will be a backlog of goalies at the NA pro level next season. So if Sandström doesn't move up, he may go back to Europe instead. He signed with a Finnish team last year as it was (the team itself put out a press release) and then changed his mind and re-signed with the Flyers.

Bundy must have had one heck of an editor when the original article was written in 2019 .
- bmeltzer

I wonder who that was?

How's the fishing?

Kidding aside, your work is very much appreciated.

They are backlogged. The original plan before the half-zillion injuries was for Sandström and Ersson to split time with the Phantoms. If all went well, Sandström would be a candidate to move up next season to back up Hart. with Ersson slotting as the Phantoms' starter and either Ustimenko as the No. 2 (if all went well) or perhaps a vet for depth.

Unfortunately, Sandström (after a solid start despite so-so numbers) had had injury and consistency issues.

Ersson has missed most of the season with recurring groin pulls -- twice he returned and twice he couldn't finish his first game back due to reinjury, even after extended time off. It's been largely a lost season for him.

Ustimenko still has some consistency issues but at least is fully recovered from the hip surgery that cost him the entire 2020-21 season. He's held his own for the most part with the Phantoms (although he still has the one bad a game issue) and been strong for Reading.

According to Brent Flahr, Ivan Fedotov is a free agent this summer and wants to come over for next season. The current political situation might affect that because the NHL-KHL memo of understanding has been canceled but that was the plan as of a few weeks ago, at least.

Bottom line is this: There will be a backlog of goalies at the NA pro level next season. So if Sandström doesn't move up, he may go back to Europe instead. He signed with a Finnish team last year as it was (the team itself put out a press release) and then changed his mind and re-signed with the Flyers.
- bmeltzer

Bill, I was going to hold off asking for a while to see how things play out but assuming relations with Russia remain as tense through the summer do you think it might affect Russian players rankings in the draft like it supposedly did way back when with Jagr?

Bill, I was going to hold off asking for a while to see how things play out but assuming relations with Russia remain as tense through the summer do you think it might affect Russian players rankings in the draft like it supposedly did way back when with Jagr?
- hereticpride

A lot of NHL people are asking the same questions. No one knows right now. NHL teams already can't touch KHL players as long as they are under contract but there's a lot of vagueness about how long they can tie up younger players.

A lot of NHL people are asking the same questions. No one knows right now. NHL teams already can't touch KHL players as long as they are under contract but there's a lot of vagueness about how long they can tie up younger players.
- bmeltzer

Thanks. I’m sure things will be a lot clearer in the summer. Might be a good draft to have a late 1st in just in case some guys fall.

I don't wanna dog Ian Anderson too much, since I'm sure his day to day must feel a little like rolling a boulder up a hill, fighting all the entrenched positions of the Flyers' illustrious Senior Advisors.

But yeah... he didn't exactly come across as anything special in that interview. Maybe he's holding his cards close to the vest, who knows.
- Tomahawk

Ian can only provide a 30K foot view. That's the ground rule for the interviews, for obvious reasons: nothing proprietary, nothing about specific players.

One thing many fans don't understand about analytics departments is that their job is to mine data that hockey ops wants and can use. Coaches, as stated in the interviews Bundy and I did for that 2019 interview that ran today on Crossing Broad, mostly want stuff they can apply toward homework for pre-scout meetings and to compare to their observations from the bench and on video. GMs and player personnel directors typically want different types of info.

Also, Cole Anderson was a big get. He's one of the foremost goalie analytics innovators and is a former goalie himself and Amherst. I don't know as much about Katie Yates, but she is apparently considered a rising star. Matt Karliner is a super bright guy and stats analyst (my cousin worked with him when he was coaching, albeit in basketball).

Here's the big thing: Per Ian Anderson, NHL's new player/puck tracking technology has taken the amount of game-event data generated every game from roughly 4,000 events per game to about 1 million. So now there's a leaguewide race to be at the forefront of mining and developing metrics that the end-users could benefit from.

I can't claim to be an expert on the workings of an NHL analytics department but Ian Anderson explained how they function in tandem with many different parts of the hockey ops side of an org for the purpose of providing them what they want and find useful. Specific to coaches, as the interviews Bundy and I did show, they tend to like stuff they can use for pre-scouts, compare against video and first-hand assessments and to show to certain players as supplenmental feedback if they think it's applicable.

There's more than enough work to be done for a five-person department year-round because they generate it in-house, and the NHL's data dump has created an all-new technological race that it will take a numbers of years to see which organizations got on top of the fastest. I know that even many coaches are excited about aspects of the tracking technology because they can get more in the way of certain types of data they really want.

So we'll see how it goes over time.

Ask the Devils how that is working out for them this season, paying Hamilton $9M+ for next several years .. suckers!
- jd250

Exposing yourself again. The Devils have a bright future and Hamilton will be part of that. Sometimes I need to remind you of your past comments and in this case it's about a team needing elite players. Hamilton is an elite player. Hughes is on his way to being an elite player. Jesper Bratt is a point a game player at 23. Hirschier is getting better and they have some other young solid talent. Who's in better position, the Devils or the Flyers. Yea, they're the suckers.

I'll give you this, I thought Risto would be better and earlier in the season I thought he was in terms of net front coverage. However as the season has gone on, I see cracks in Risto's defensive game and spotty offensive play. That is why I want the Flyers to move on from him, and I really believe his next contract will not be as good as his current one.
- jd250

His game was the same now as it was day 1. What's different is that your opinion has changed over time as you slowly come to the realization that you've been wrong all along and if you do it subtly enough, you hope no one will notice.

Dave Scott is NOT breathing down Fletcher's neck in terms on hockey decisions, all Dave Scott wants is a winning team so his revenue numbers look good for Comcast. Clarke just wants to win, he has absolutely no loyalty to players like Risto. And you have absolutely no evidence that the Flyers are playing catchup in the analytics game, in fact there is evidence that shows they are ahead of the game.
- jd250

This is hysterical. We have the last 10 years of results! LMAO.

What evidence do you have that show they are ahead of the game?