Just as baseball has a computerized system for tracking pitches in the strike zone for TV...

Just as baseball has a computerized system for tracking pitches in the strike zone for TV broadcasts, DelGiacco said the NHL is considering similar technology to track puck movements.

Network World, a techie trade magazine, interviews the NHL's CTO (Chief Technical Officer) Peter DelGiacco. Is this potentially the holy grail of advanced statistical analysis in hockey? Accurate information as to the location and velocity of the puck could do wonders for Shot Quality work and open up a host of other opportunities.

7 months ago Dirk Hoag 7 comments 0 recs |

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Aren’t the people who developped Pitch F/X the same people who originally developped the infamous Fox glowing puck?

by Olivier on Dec 4, 2009 10:48 AM EST reply actions

I believe you're right.

I think it’s also the same company that has allowed digital advertising to show on the glass behind the nets on television.

Also, I think it’s the same outfit that created the tracking/tagging technology for NASCAR television broadcasts. Which I think could actually be helpful to use in hockey in some cases to help new fans.

by Dr. Ice on Dec 4, 2009 11:12 AM EST up reply actions

Let's not get too crazy

If anyone remembers Fox back in the day had a little glowing “orb” around the puck, it drove people absolutely nuts.

I think the way VS would scroll for a moment who was on the ice was a nice unobtrusive way to show who was out there. I can not imagine trying to watch the game with the pointer bubbles hovering over guys like Ovechkin, Abdelkader and other speedsters, it would simply be maddening.

I do agree w Dr. Ice, perhaps using it in replays would be alright as a “special use” but certainly not in real time.

Personally, I would love to get my hands on some of that data if they could track player, passing patterns, etc… Think of how that could affect video game “reality” when you played against the Habs, you’d literally be playing against them and their tendencies.

Interesting stuff – if used tastefully!

-Brad

by bradfordw on Dec 4, 2009 11:23 AM EST reply actions

I don't think it would show up in the broadcasts

in baseball, pitchf/x is just recorded and archived online

by Sam Page on Dec 4, 2009 12:44 PM EST up reply actions

And shown after the pitch. I don’t think anyone would mind if during a replay novel technology was used to point out what happened.

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by Chemmy on Dec 4, 2009 3:56 PM EST up reply actions

Forget about the glowing puck. This is about measuring the location of the puck—that would be awesome. People who work on shot quality would probably weep if they had this :)

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by The Falconer on Dec 4, 2009 1:58 PM EST reply actions

I would think

If you’re tracking puck movement, you can finally figure out if a puck has been tipped into a net, who it was off of.. Hell I’m kinda geeked out at that stat possibilities of tip-in’s itself as just one example.

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by Art Middleton on Dec 4, 2009 2:01 PM EST reply actions