Kings Article: Using Zone Entries to Understand the Los Angeles Kings Offensive Roles

[Jason Lewis]

After a year of tracking 60 games of zone entries and exits with the Kings, perhaps we have not reviewed or highlighted the data enough.

This data is very interesting when put in front of you and you start theorycrafting and breaking into it in more detail. Along with video review, analysis, and a review of these numbers, you can get an excellent idea of system, approach, and individual player proclivity and perhaps direction.

We have highlighted zone exits quite a bit in different player highlights, team and individual breakdowns, and bits and pieces here and there.

What we have really not dug into is the zone ENTRY data.

Zone entries and exits are quickly becoming a new area of emphasis with the analytics community. Why? Because it takes our basic concepts of possession based metrics and asks in another way: "What are you doing with that possession?"

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Jaso...e-Los-Angeles-Kings-Offensive-Roles/179/78652


Looking forward to the feedback on this one. I know stats and analytics aren't everyone's cup of tea, but hopefully some of you find it at least slightly interesting! I was skeptical when I started tracking it at the beginning of the year, but it brought out some interesting trends. Looking forward to doing it next year as well.

Thanks everyone!

Click to read more...

 

[triplcrown]

Just as there is a pubis and dubis,
there will be a corsi, and forsi.


(apologies to Spalding Grey)

 

[Kingspiracy]

Interesting write up, Thanks.

The guys stats are probably largely due to their roles and the level of trust Sutter has in their ability. I'd be interested to see how a line of Brown / Shore / Gaborik would look on the stat sheet. Perhaps Shores carry in/ pass in ability would be better utilized with guys that don't just crash and bang.

I guess also Shore may be having more luck carrying in and passing in against 3rd and fourth liners than he would against the top tier guys that Kopi and Carter have to constantly face.

Interesting though.

 

[mrkolice]

thx, some great insights here. i was wondering: if a C makes a certain type of entry more often, it could be assumed that he's not playing only his own skillset, but also the skillsets of his wingers on ice (and to some degree even with his Ds skillsets). for instance, some wingers are better in keeping the possession with C-dumps, others may (statistically speaking) struggle with them.

ideally some sort of WOWY could be developed strictly for zone entries, i assume it would show some patterns in this direction.

 

[Jason Lewis]

thx, some great insights here. i was wondering: if a C makes a certain type of entry more often, it could be assumed that he's not playing only his own skillset, but also the skillsets of his wingers on ice (and to some degree even with his Ds skillsets). for instance, some wingers are better in keeping the possession with C-dumps, others may (statistically speaking) struggle with them.

ideally some sort of WOWY could be developed strictly for zone entries, i assume it would show some patterns in this direction.

Interesting write up, Thanks.

The guys stats are probably largely due to their roles and the level of trust Sutter has in their ability. I'd be interested to see how a line of Brown / Shore / Gaborik would look on the stat sheet. Perhaps Shores carry in/ pass in ability would be better utilized with guys that don't just crash and bang.

I guess also Shore may be having more luck carrying in and passing in against 3rd and fourth liners than he would against the top tier guys that Kopi and Carter have to constantly face.

Interesting though.

Both valid points. There are definitely a lot of interpretations of the data and different theories and conclusions you could come up with.

Next season I actually have hope I can detail it in a WOWY sense so you can see who does what with what linemates. Might be an arduous task but if the info is good why not!

 

[USE Fi]

I allways like reading your articles. Nice work.