Let’s preface this article by saying that analytics are the reason the Hurricanes have turned their fortunes around. Ron Francis’ reliance on it has revolutionized the franchise. He has used it in all facets of the organization. Head Coach Bill Peters focuses significantly on those metrics to decide line combinations and defensive pairings. Eric Tulsky, the Hurricanes full-time hockey analyst, has proved to be invaluable in scouting and developing players. The Canes are a far better team for using it and even the league is taking notice.
Using numbers to project goals and wins is certainly helpful.