Triumph Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Unconfirmed as yet - a former co-author with him posted this on Twitter - but it seems they've filled the position. Here's his Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunny_Mehta - he grew up a Devils fan. Big news, this guy definitely gets the numbers, and has written solid stat articles in the past. Edited August 13, 2014 by Triumph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DH26 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Unconfirmed as yet - a former co-author with him posted this on Twitter - but it seems they've filled the position. Here's his Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunny_Mehta - he grew up a Devils fan. Big news, this guy definitely gets the numbers, and has written solid stat articles in the past. He should fit in with the party poker sponsors too but awesome they're staying up on these things is basically confirmed now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Sunny Mehta files his his reports and we watch it go... -Through a Crazy maze of twisted tubes -By a guy eating donuts-Through Lou's' office while he and Conte take tea-By a misplaced drum of toxic waste labeled "Danger"-Bounces into the river-Becomes part of the beaver dam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted June 12, 2014 Author Share Posted June 12, 2014 Sunny Mehta files his his reports and we watch it go... -Through a Crazy maze of twisted tubes -By a guy eating donuts -Through Lou's' office while he and Conte take tea -By a misplaced drum of toxic waste labeled "Danger" -Bounces into the river -Becomes part of the beaver dam I can assure you this isn't the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefiestygoat Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Hopefully Lou and DeBoer utilize the information he is able to provide. Part of me thinks the new owners pushed for an analytics guy more than Lou. You can find some articles by him on this blog from awhile ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormJosh Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Unconfirmed as yet - a former co-author with him posted this on Twitter - but it seems they've filled the position. Here's his Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunny_Mehta - he grew up a Devils fan. Big news, this guy definitely gets the numbers, and has written solid stat articles in the past. Should have hired you.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William D'Aquila Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Unconfirmed as yet - a former co-author with him posted this on Twitter - but it seems they've filled the position. Here's his Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunny_Mehta - he grew up a Devils fan. Big news, this guy definitely gets the numbers, and has written solid stat articles in the past. I would have hired someone with a stats background, but whatever. Masters in music, what? Edited June 12, 2014 by William D'Aquila Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 http://www.sunnymehta.com/bio/ Sunny subsequently spent seven years as a professional poker player, and wrote two bestselling poker books. More recently he turned his attention to equity options trading, Bayesian statistics, and quantitative analysis of sports markets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted June 12, 2014 Author Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Should have hired you.... If I had to pick a Devils fan who I know for a fact that he understands this stuff better than me, there's only one guy I know of, and it'd be him. I can interpret numbers, he can generate stuff and interpret it. I didn't realize he was still interested in these sorts of things, as he disappeared from the blogosphere a long time ago - figured he went into finance. Edited June 12, 2014 by Triumph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 http://vhockey.blogspot.com/2010/05/blocked-shots-luck-or-skill.html?m=1 Article on shot blocking that is still up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefiestygoat Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Here's an interesting post he had where he tracked shot attempts in Devils games to compare them against the official scorers. As expected, huge difference between him and the Devils official scorer. Bet he won't be using the official scorer at The Rock for his data lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Hopefully Lou and DeBoer utilize the information he is able to provide. Part of me thinks the new owners pushed for an analytics guy more than Lou. You can find some articles by him on this blog from awhile ago. A while back I mentioned an espn insider article on the Devils hiring an analytics person. I believe Lombardi said it was the biggest misconception about Lou that he's some old school fuddy duddy, and the only thing that shocked him was that it took so long for Lou to bring an analytics person on board. I am almost positive as well that it was a basic look at analytics that caused him to make the Schneider trade, and probably why the Devils are so disciplined in drafting who they feel is the best player available. Lou was also a math teacher, so I assume he'll understand the concepts. Otherwise, I wouldn't expect any miracles, certainly not in the short term. The best advice Lou could get from an analytics standpoint, and that which he has control over, would be to unload Salvador, and perhaps Volchenkov, or at least based on what I've read. Those two, love'em or hate'em are not going to make that much of a difference in the short term whether they're here or not, other than perhaps freeing up cap space to land someone like Stastny, but we have no idea whether that's even possible even if Lou badly wants it. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted June 12, 2014 Author Share Posted June 12, 2014 A while back I mentioned an espn insider article on the Devils hiring an analytics person. I believe Lombardi said it was the biggest misconception about Lou that he's some old school fuddy duddy, and the only thing that shocked him was that it took so long for Lou to bring an analytics person on board. I am almost positive as well that it was a basic look at analytics that caused him to make the Schneider trade, and probably why the Devils are so disciplined in drafting who they feel is the best player available. Lou was also a math teacher, so I assume he'll understand the concepts. Otherwise, I wouldn't expect any miracles, certainly not in the short term. The best advice Lou could get from an analytics standpoint, and that which he has control over, would be to unload Salvador, and perhaps Volchenkov, or at least based on what I've read. Those two, love'em or hate'em are not going to make that much of a difference in the short term whether they're here or not, other than perhaps freeing up cap space to land someone like Stastny, but we have no idea whether that's even possible even if Lou badly wants it. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Being a math teacher could be the greatest impediment to understanding the basis behind stats analysis in hockey (and indeed, any sports). This is a great old post by Vic Ferrari about how math can easily lead a person astray: http://vhockey.blogspot.com/2010/01/likelihood-and-way-humans-think.html - the math behind hockey analytics, at least as they exist in the form promulgated on the Internet, are based on math that an intelligent fifth-grader can understand. It's a question of understanding randomness, and that's not something that most people understand, or try to - indeed, the goal of GMs is to attempt to stamp out randomness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msweet Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Being a math teacher could be the greatest impediment to understanding the basis behind stats analysis in hockey (and indeed, any sports). This is a great old post by Vic Ferrari about how math can easily lead a person astray: http://vhockey.blogspot.com/2010/01/likelihood-and-way-humans-think.html - the math behind hockey analytics, at least as they exist in the form promulgated on the Internet, are based on math that an intelligent fifth-grader can understand. It's a question of understanding randomness, and that's not something that most people understand, or try to - indeed, the goal of GMs is to attempt to stamp out randomness. I have a graduate degree in theoretical mathematics but I almost never let the statistics override the intangibles. You have seen me argue against your emperical arguments numerous times. Serious mathematicians see "numbers' as having and essence or a feeling behind them. Intuition plays a huge roll in mathematical analysis as well as competent and predictive hockey analysis. So I disagree with your statement, "Being a math teacher could be the greatest impediment to understanding the basis behind stats analysis in hockey (and indeed, any sports). " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I wonder if being a Devils fan is detrimental to the work he's about to do. He's going to come into it with certain biases towards players. It's different when your hobby/passion becomes your career (and Lou your boss) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I wonder if being a Devils fan is detrimental to the work he's about to do. He's going to come into it with certain biases towards players. It's different when your hobby/passion becomes your career (and Lou your boss) I mean, most of the fan favorites, so to speak, are gone, and the ones that are here, like Elias, are still good. Basically, there's virtually no chance that any sentimental attachments to certain players might cloud his advice, even if he's inclined towards sentimentality. I mean, is there anyone who will go through all sorts of logical hoops to try and convince themselves that Salvador is a viable option for the team? You do that for players like Marty. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin226 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I wonder if being a Devils fan is detrimental to the work he's about to do. He's going to come into it with certain biases towards players. It's different when your hobby/passion becomes your career (and Lou your boss) "And for my first order of business, here are statistics proving we are a better team and our fans complain less when Rock and Roll Part 2 is the goal song. Next up, I'll be explaining how lower beer prices equal more goals per game." 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted June 12, 2014 Author Share Posted June 12, 2014 I have a graduate degree in theoretical mathematics but I almost never let the statistics override the intangibles. You have seen me argue against your emperical arguments numerous times. Serious mathematicians see "numbers' as having and essence or a feeling behind them. Intuition plays a huge roll in mathematical analysis as well as competent and predictive hockey analysis. So I disagree with your statement, "Being a math teacher could be the greatest impediment to understanding the basis behind stats analysis in hockey (and indeed, any sports). " The idea behind intangibles is that they're not able to be properly quantified. That said, most math does not involve chance elements at all and a lot of people who enjoy math enjoy the rigorous certainty of it, which is the exact opposite of what's offered by analysis of hockey by quantitative methods - it's inelegant, seemingly random, and doesn't offer that much information. But it still beats analysis of intangibles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Vishal Hussain @vishal_hussain Sunny Mehta, fired before being hired because he blabbed. Doesn't know the Devils way of doing stuff. Edited June 12, 2014 by MadDog2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted June 12, 2014 Author Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Vishal Hussain @vishal_hussain Sunny Mehta, fired before being hired because he blabbed. Doesn't know the Devils way of doing stuff. Yeah, not sure I'm buying this, this guy is the same guy spreading all the Sekac rumors. I don't really understand what he's after, but either way there'd be a very deep irony to him having this news correct. I wouldn't be surprised if Lou never confirms who was hired for this. Edited June 12, 2014 by Triumph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefiestygoat Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I'm pretty sure Vishal Hussain's tweet is just meant to be a joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Tom Gulitti @TGfireandice: Lamoriello said Devils have always looked at analytics/advanced stats. "It's just now it's the buzz word." Tom Gulitti @TGfireandice: Lou Lamoriello said Devils are in process of putting analytics department together, but haven't hired anyone yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nessus Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Should have hired you.... I was about to say: hopefully Triumph's real name is Sunny Mehta 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jas0nMacIsaac Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 (edited) Just at sea and only now had a chance to look at this. I hope they also use his opinion on scouting as well. Edited June 20, 2014 by Jas0nMacIsaac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) Well something was bugging me when Lou confirmed that Mehta was hired to run the analytics department, and it bugged me again while reading James Mirtle's article on the Oiler's hiring of former blogger Tyler Dellow. Here is what Dallas Eakins says about Dellow: “I heard through the grapevine [during the year] he was being highly critical of our team,” Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins said on Tuesday. “That didn’t bother me. I’m like, ‘How can he not be highly critical of our team? We’re in 28th place.’ So of course he was.” “A coach’s job is not to sit there and say, ‘I already know it all. I don’t need anybody else’s opinion.’ I want to hear everybody’s opinion. Then it’s my job to make that final decision. I’ll listen to [new assistant coaches] Craig Ramsay and Keith Acton and Rocky Thompson and Craig MacTavish. And we’re going to listen to Tyler Dellow, too. He’s going to have a voice in our room on certain matters. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/oilers-hiring-move-deepens-leagues-interest-in-analytics/article20023848/?cmpid=rss1&click=dlvr.it While this is what Lou said to Gulitti: Lamoriello said the coaches will not directly receive the raw data that Mehta’s department collects. Instead, Lamoriello will pass along whatever he feels might be helpful to the coaches from that data. It will work similarly with the scouting and player development departments with Lamoriello serving as the intermediary. “The coaches will worry about and do what they do,” Lamoriello said. “There will not be overlapping situations in different departments: Not in scouting, not in coaching, not in (player) development and it will not be in statistics. It’s my responsibility to bring in what trends or anything (that can help) so people can just focus on what they’re doing. They are totally separate situations, but will all intertwine at one time or another.”- See more at: http://fireandice.northjersey.com/fire-ice-1.174987/devils-enter-analytics-age-with-sunny-mehta-heading-new-department-1.1060919#sthash.nn7vosoA.dpuf In one situation you have a coach that was active in the hiring of this person, while in the other you have owners that may have forced (certainly encouraged) a department for analytics. In one situation you have a coach ready to use this person frequently and seek out advice, while in the other you have a GM that is overseeing the data that the coach receives and may or may not share everything with a coach. I don't like that at all. We know Lou is very hands on, but I think the Edmonton situation is a lot better. At least we know their coach wants his opinion and beliefs challenged. Maybe Pete does too, but he'll have to go through Lou first. Edited August 13, 2014 by devilsrule33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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