Now We Can Say That Hockey Analytics Have Gone Mainstream

Over at The Hockey News (when was the last time we referenced the hockey news?) Ben Wendorf brings the old magazine into the 21st century with an introduction to analytics.  Five years ago this much publicity was unthinkable.  Now we've got the same publication that gives Ken Campbell a column running with analytics for what I assume is the oldest demographic in hockey media.

THN Analytics: An Introduction
Over the years, dozens of powerful minds have researched hockey analytics, and entertained a variety of arguments about what is worth counting and how to improve Corsi measures. A new statistic emerged, coined "Fenwick" by its creator Matt Fenwick, which left blocked shots out of the Corsi equation and seemed to perform better as a team measure than Corsi in larger samples. In the end, a few major conclusions of this research stood out, and they’re handy for any hockey fan to carry in their back pocket as they watch the game:

NHL.com: Kings receive logo-shaped championship rings
Los Angeles Kings players on Monday received their jewel-encrusted championship rings, made by famed jeweler Tiffany and Co. There were no details on the size or number of diamonds in the ring, but the setting is in the shape of the Kings' logo.

I'm not sure if the appropriate response is:

or:

Defending Big D: Dallas Stars Need Hot Start To Season
A flop in October will put the Dallas Stars too far behind in the ultra-competitive western conference.

Tell us about it.  It would be nice to have a chance in January.

In Lou We Trust: Expect Devils to Improve in Shootout, But Not Necessarily With a Winning Record
The New Jersey Devils put up the worst shootout record in NHL history last season. They were not the first to lose more than ten shootouts. They were not the first to lose all of their shootouts in a season. They were the first to lead the league in shootout losses while also winning none of them.

Fear The Fin: Goldobin to play in Europe this season after being cut from camp roster
Goldobin won't, however, be returning to major junior hockey either. For one thing, his old Ontario Hockey League team in Sarnia drafted the highly-touted Pavel Zacha in this summer's import draft meaning they've used up their league-mandated quota of European-born players and wouldn't be able to accept Goldobin were he to return without making a trade. They won't have to worry about that as Goldobin told reporters at Sharks Ice today that he'll instead be spending the season in Europe, likely in either Finland or Germany (UPDATE: Goldobin will play for HIFK of the Finnish Elite League).

THIS is how you manage outperforming prospects.

Russian Machine Never Breaks: The Best Moments From Alex Ovechkin’s Date With 10-Year-Old Ann
A few weeks ago, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin hosted a private skate for children with developmental disabilities. It was a cute skate, but the cute meter went to 11 when Ovechkin was asked out on a date by Ann, a 10-year-old who has Down syndrome.

Ovi is amazing.