I find it funny that analytics get panned so much here given that the Kings have had Rob Vollman, one of the founding hockey analytics minds, on payroll since 2018. We've been using them to help the rebuild, Yanetti mentioned it directly in his interview with Hoven the other day. A quote from Vollman: “Analytics isn’t meant to replace anything. It is a supplement. Like new training techniques, or improved equipment, it is meant to give a team an edge, not get rid of what is already being done.”
Re: the heat map charts, I find them helpful because it could theoretically pinpoint weaknesses in a system. It could also help a team figure out what kind of strengths to look for in a goalie. If you know your system/players are good at suppressing a certain shot type, but give up others, you can either use the info to improve or use it to select players/goalie who compliment your current weaknesses. Yes, watching Kopitar it's easy to see he's good at shutting down the other team, but it's not always as easy to pinpoint where he's making his stops and what areas the few he gives up are in.
