Bowman confident in Blackhawks' use of analytics

Interesting look at the Chicago Blackhawks and their use of advanced analytics from The Chicago Sun-Times.

It's not just about Corsi or Fenwick for the Hawks.

“What we do is different,” Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman said. “I think it’s better, but I guess it’s a matter of opinion. It’s also a competitive advantage. That stuff’s readily available, but what we have is more proprietary. Which is why I’m really trying not to talk about it. I think what we do gives us an advantage over other teams. They might say I’m wrong, but we’re pretty confident that what we have works.”

Bowman noted, “You can get bogged down in stats and analytics. That’s the concern, it’s still a dynamic game, there’s still an awful lot happening. It’s a quick, reactive game. It’s different than some other sports that are a little more static. So there might be a limit to how much you can use analytics. They don’t replace anything for us. But they do complement and supplement.”

He continued.

“You can’t disagree with the numbers, you can only disagree with the conclusion,” Bowman said. “People can say we’re drawing the wrong conclusions, and that’s fine. But I don’t think we are. I’m not looking to get it adopted league-wide. I like what we have, and I believe in it.”

Source: Mark Lazerus, Chicago Sun-Times