Latest news with #Tulsky
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Carolina GM With Message To Fans, Organization
The Carolina Hurricanes' season came to an end Wednesday night, as the team fell to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final. Despite the result, it was still overall a successful campaign for the Canes in their first year under new general manager Eric Tulsky. Following the team's elimination, Tulsky took to X with a message for the fanbase. "This has been a remarkable season, and I want to take a minute to thank everyone who helped make it special. First and foremost, that means the fans." "The passion you show is incredible. You show up hours before the game to start the party, and when the game starts, it ramps up even more. The players go all-out every shift, but they get to go to the bench between shifts; you bring the energy nonstop for 60 minutes. Heck, some of you even come to the airport at 1 AM to cheer our return after a road game. I can't tell you how much your support means to us." Tulsky also had some positive words on the players as well as all the members of the organization who each play a role in making the season possible. "From the outside, you may not see what an incredible effort goes into making this all possible. You see the effort the players put in on the ice, but should know how hard they work on everything from fitness to nutrition to sleep to optimize their performance." "You know our games are fun, but should know how hard our game ops crew works to keep the arena buzzing, how hard our sales staff works to keep it full, how hard our arena ops crew works to keep the experience smooth. From an equipment manager preparing gear at 6 AM to a team services person working at midnight to find the best travel options for a call-up, from a chef doing prep at 6 AM to a development coach going over prospect video at midnight, the effort is tremendous." Finally, Tulsky ended his thread with a look toward the future. The Hurricanes are positioned very well with the majority of their core locked into team friendly deals, a talented pipeline and a ton of upcoming cap space. "It obviously did not get us to the result we want yet. But we are building toward it; this organization is special, and I want to sincerely thank all of you for your part in that." Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How the Canucks' analytics department stacks up against Stanley Cup contenders
You know the old adage: There are lies, damned lies and statistics. It's a line that gets deployed often during discussions on the use of data in sports — and especially in hockey. Data in sports is now everywhere. Where once it was used in the simplest terms — timing runners on a track, keeping tabs on who has the most goals or home runs — now numbers are used to quantify everything: how many shots has this player been on the ice for and against, aka 'Corsi', being the most notable. But to use data effectively, to avoid being defeated by the base analysis of its utility at the top of this column, you must understand the nuances of its application. And in hockey, there is a lot of nuance. An analyst I know once said to me that the hardest thing about using data in hockey is that 75 per cent of the game is simply luck. The whole job, then, is to try to control the 25 per cent of the game you can. Data analysis has fine-tuned the game over the past 15 years, more than anything. Analytics have helped highlight wasteful trends in the game, and helped explain why mid-tier players are effective in their play and redefined how defencemen should play — less brawn, more positioning. And so let us turn to the four remaining teams in the hunt for the Stanley Cup this spring and take a look at how they use data and how they may present lessons for the Vancouver Canucks, who would like to be Stanley Cup aspirants again one day soon: To quote one league source, who affirmed that of the four remaining teams in the playoffs, the Hurricanes are quite clearly the most data-forward: 'Tulsky is Tulsky.' That would be Eric Tulsky, the Hurricanes' GM who has long been closely aligned with team owner Tom Dundon, who is a true iconoclast when it comes to running his businesses. Tulsky, who was director of analytics before a promotion to assistant general manager in 2020 and then to full GM last summer, has a PhD in chemistry and holds 27 U.S. patents related to his work with nanoparticles. He rose to prominence by writing about hockey data in his spare time. He was among the first to highlight the effectiveness of entering the zone with control of the puck, eschewing the dump-and-chase game. He has also long been aligned with head coach Rod Brind'Amour, whose Hurricanes squads dominate possession and also shots. Tulsky has clearly come to understand how to apply statistical ideas to the game and explain them in effective terms to hockey lifers such as Brind'Amour. If there's a team in the NHL that people think of when one says 'analytics', it's Carolina. The Hurricanes win a lot. But they have yet to make the Stanley Cup final in their current era. Indeed, the last time they made the final was 2006, when they won the championship and when Jim Rutherford was their GM. Florida is, by consensus of the handful of NHL people I spoke with, the second-most analytically inclined. Assistant general manager Sunny Mehta is a former derivatives trader who became a professional poker player and then a well-regarded hockey blogger. He has been working in the NHL in various capacities since 2014 and has also consulted for Major League Baseball teams. He was hired by the Panthers in 2020 as vice-president of hockey strategy, then was given an assistant general manager's title in 2023. General manager Bill Zito clearly values his input. 'They don't get offended if they come up with a statistics-based concept and somebody's like 'Come on?' They don't get defensive. They explain it,' Zito told the Miami Herald recently. The Stars have only had a true in-house analytics group since 2022, when they hired a former assistant of Kyle Dubas in Matt Rodell to lead their new department. The Stars were already a smartly run organization under GM Jim Nill, consistently delivering strong teams that seemed to qualify for the playoffs year after year. They made the Stanley Cup final in the bubble in 2020. They kept churning out young players to buttress up a roster long led by top-end veteran players like Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. They had done well finding star defencemen like Miro Heiskanen. But surely the addition of a data-driven group has helped them solidify their standing as one of the NHL's model organizations. 'Everyone spends the same money, and what can separate us from other teams?' Nill told the Dallas Morning News in 2022. 'That's what we're trying to find. We're trying to be the best. Can we find something that separates us?' For a long time, the Oilers seemed openly defiant of the wisdom data provided. And then they got the game's best player in the fold and maybe it didn't matter. But it always seemed odd they would turn away from a tool that could add to their lineup. And in recent years, they have clearly become more interested in the data and have built a much more complete lineup around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers hired a literal oilman in Michael Parkatti in 2023 to lead up their analytics team:. He had previously worked for Suncor energy. The Canucks have had an analytics department of one kind or another for nearly 15 years now. They have been interested in numbers no matter who has been in charge. Aiden Fox, who is the head of the analytics team now, has been praised by management and coaches time and again. They've made effective use of data at times — but is the department as well-supported as it could be? Whereas other teams, such as the Hurricanes, hire software engineers in-house, the Canucks have not. They don't appear as nimble as they could be. pjohnston@
Vancouver Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
How the Canucks' analytics department stacks up against Stanley Cup contenders
You know the old adage: There are lies, damned lies and statistics. It's a line that gets deployed often during discussions on the use of data in sports — and especially in hockey. Data in sports is now everywhere. Where once it was used in the simplest terms — timing runners on a track, keeping tabs on who has the most goals or home runs — now numbers are used to quantify everything: how many shots has this player been on the ice for and against, aka 'Corsi', being the most notable. But to use data effectively, to avoid being defeated by the base analysis of its utility at the top of this column, you must understand the nuances of its application. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. And in hockey, there is a lot of nuance. An analyst I know once said to me that the hardest thing about using data in hockey is that 75 per cent of the game is simply luck. The whole job, then, is to try to control the 25 per cent of the game you can. Data analysis has fine-tuned the game over the past 15 years, more than anything. Analytics have helped highlight wasteful trends in the game, and helped explain why mid-tier players are effective in their play and redefined how defencemen should play — less brawn, more positioning. And so let us turn to the four remaining teams in the hunt for the Stanley Cup this spring and take a look at how they use data and how they may present lessons for the Vancouver Canucks , who would like to be Stanley Cup aspirants again one day soon: To quote one league source, who affirmed that of the four remaining teams in the playoffs, the Hurricanes are quite clearly the most data-forward: 'Tulsky is Tulsky.' That would be Eric Tulsky, the Hurricanes' GM who has long been closely aligned with team owner Tom Dundon, who is a true iconoclast when it comes to running his businesses. Tulsky, who was director of analytics before a promotion to assistant general manager in 2020 and then to full GM last summer, has a PhD in chemistry and holds 27 U.S. patents related to his work with nanoparticles. He rose to prominence by writing about hockey data in his spare time. He was among the first to highlight the effectiveness of entering the zone with control of the puck, eschewing the dump-and-chase game. He has also long been aligned with head coach Rod Brind'Amour, whose Hurricanes squads dominate possession and also shots. Tulsky has clearly come to understand how to apply statistical ideas to the game and explain them in effective terms to hockey lifers such as Brind'Amour. If there's a team in the NHL that people think of when one says 'analytics', it's Carolina. The Hurricanes win a lot. But they have yet to make the Stanley Cup final in their current era. Indeed, the last time they made the final was 2006, when they won the championship and when Jim Rutherford was their GM. Florida is, by consensus of the handful of NHL people I spoke with, the second-most analytically inclined. Assistant general manager Sunny Mehta is a former derivatives trader who became a professional poker player and then a well-regarded hockey blogger. He has been working in the NHL in various capacities since 2014 and has also consulted for Major League Baseball teams. He was hired by the Panthers in 2020 as vice-president of hockey strategy, then was given an assistant general manager's title in 2023. General manager Bill Zito clearly values his input. 'They don't get offended if they come up with a statistics-based concept and somebody's like 'Come on?' They don't get defensive. They explain it,' Zito told the Miami Herald recently . The Stars have only had a true in-house analytics group since 2022, when they hired a former assistant of Kyle Dubas in Matt Rodell to lead their new department. The Stars were already a smartly run organization under GM Jim Nill, consistently delivering strong teams that seemed to qualify for the playoffs year after year. They made the Stanley Cup final in the bubble in 2020. They kept churning out young players to buttress up a roster long led by top-end veteran players like Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. They had done well finding star defencemen like Miro Heiskanen. But surely the addition of a data-driven group has helped them solidify their standing as one of the NHL's model organizations. 'Everyone spends the same money, and what can separate us from other teams?' Nill told the Dallas Morning News in 2022 . 'That's what we're trying to find. We're trying to be the best. Can we find something that separates us?' For a long time, the Oilers seemed openly defiant of the wisdom data provided. And then they got the game's best player in the fold and maybe it didn't matter. But it always seemed odd they would turn away from a tool that could add to their lineup. And in recent years, they have clearly become more interested in the data and have built a much more complete lineup around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers hired a literal oilman in Michael Parkatti in 2023 to lead up their analytics team:. He had previously worked for Suncor energy. The Canucks have had an analytics department of one kind or another for nearly 15 years now. They have been interested in numbers no matter who has been in charge. Aiden Fox, who is the head of the analytics team now, has been praised by management and coaches time and again. They've made effective use of data at times — but is the department as well-supported as it could be? Whereas other teams, such as the Hurricanes, hire software engineers in-house, the Canucks have not. They don't appear as nimble as they could be. pjohnston@
New York Times
05-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Why analytics darling Taylor Hall has found a perfect home with the Hurricanes
A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to spend four days in Raleigh with the Carolina Hurricanes, getting the know the lay of land with the team as the playoffs approached. The main focus of my trip was for a feature on general manager Eric Tulsky and his unique staff, but I was also able to spend some time talking to players about what they thought of the organization's analytical approach to roster building. Advertisement Most didn't have a lot to say. They like and endorse Tulsky. They believe they have a good team and coaching staff and a chance to win it all this year. But analytics? It just isn't part of their day-to-day experience as players. 'For the most part there's a bit of distance,' captain Jordan Staal said of the divide between the players and management's approach. 'It's been working so far. I don't really know what else to say about that.' The one exception in terms of players opening up about the subject, however, was Taylor Hall. The 33-year-old former Hart Trophy winner had only been with the Canes for a couple of months at that point, but he was quick to offer his thoughts on the differences between Corsi and expected goals and how he had admired Carolina's analytically driven success from afar. Few (if any) players I've met around the league are as well-versed on the subject, which makes Hall an interesting addition for a franchise trying to push the boundaries of statistical innovation in the sport. The Hurricanes staff I talked to were all extremely high on what Hall brings to their lineup, even at his age and after a tough half-season with the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks. It was no surprise, then, when Hall signed a reasonably lengthy contract extension last week, committing through his 36-year-old season on a three-year, $9.5 million deal. The contract comes with a full no-movement clause for the first two years and an out in the third year only if he fails to produce 35 points the season prior. After years of bouncing around, Hall really wanted to lock in with Carolina — potentially until the end of his career. And the feeling was mutual. 'Obviously, the Hurricanes front office, they've done things their own way the last few years,' Hall said during our conversation in the Hurricanes dressing room. 'It's kind of the future. When you look at the history of how the team's done, there's some really good results, right?' Advertisement When he met with the media after signing his extension on Wednesday, Hall explained that after 36 games — 31 in the regular season and five more in their first-round win over the Devils — he realized how well he fit with what Tulsky and head coach Rod Brind'Amour are looking for from their forwards. Most importantly, Hall felt he would be in an excellent position to contribute to a contending organization after bouncing around six teams in the last six seasons. He also noted that this was only his second time making it to the second round, despite 15 years in the league. 'This team, from the moment I got here, made me feel comfortable,' Hall said. 'The guys in the room have been incredible at making me feel welcome, making me feel like this is a place I want to be. I feel very fortunate to be a Hurricane and I can't wait for what the future holds for us.' Hall may be toward the back half of his career and on the wrong side of 30, but his strengths remain similar to when he was a top offensive star in the league. He can still skate and aggressively pressure the puck, and he can still create offense, as his 24-goal pace showed late in the year when playing regularly on a second/third line with Jesperi Kotkaniemi. His numbers with the Blackhawks are likely misleading given their offensive struggles. With a better supporting cast, Hall may be able to regain his 20-goal, 60-point form of a few years ago given how well he fits their system and style. 'I think that's why Carolina wanted to trade for me,' Hall said. 'They saw that I'm pretty good at playing that way, and it's been a really good fit on and off the ice.' 'His speed is really useful in the way we want to apply pressure and get on people and cut down their time,' Tulsky explained. 'He has the skill and the vision and the feet to get the puck to the inside of the ice and create chances off it. That part of the fit's a no-brainer.' The Hurricanes have now made the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons and the second round for five in a row. But they haven't broken through to the Final since the franchise's lone Stanley Cup win 19 years ago, and the pressure is on for a deeper push after years of knocking on the door. There are questions about the health of starting netminder Frederik Andersen, who also just signed a new extension, and their lack of a true top-end sniper, but Carolina has one of the deeper casts of forwards in the league with threats to score even on the third and fourth lines. Advertisement They also are, unsurprisingly, a dominant team statistically, controlling possession and scoring chance share better than any other NHL team this season. Hall has been part of that success in his time with the team. In the first round against the Devils — the team he won a Hart with seven years ago — Hall was one of Carolina's top players with a 59 percent possession rating and 55 percent expected goals share. At even strength, the Hurricanes had 23 high danger chances to just 12 for New Jersey with Hall on the ice. Hall clearly finds the idea of being a player who has long had a strong analytic profile joining an analytically driven organization interesting, but he was quick to credit Brind'Amour and his staff, as well as his new teammates, with his success so far. 'It's not like we get presentations on the numbers or anything like that,' Hall said, when asked about what an analytically minded player sees when joining a team like Carolina. 'On the outside looking in, you see a franchise that's very data-driven, but when you get here, the staff's filled with a lot of really good people. 'That's the one thing that I bet you Eric would tell you, too, is that as important as the numbers are, the stuff that doesn't show up in the numbers — the people — is ultimately what you're betting on. You're betting on people. The numbers can say one thing, but there's a lot more that goes into it.' Hall has looked at hockey analytics for years mainly out of personal curiosity, as they don't tend to be pushed at players very often. He doesn't think it necessarily helps a player on the ice to have knowledge of the data, not when how he needs to play within the team structure and system matters more than the shift-to-shift and game-to-game metrics that a GM or coach might be digging into. Advertisement 'I don't think it helps, no, honestly,' Hall said of his knowledge of how the various stats are calculated and used. 'You have to be focused on the process. If you focus on the end goal of expected goals for and against every game, it's a tough way to play and it's a tough way to think about the game. 'It's just like if you're someone who says they're going to be wealthy; it's not like okay 'I'm going to bet on one stock. That's going to be my make-or-break.' You've got to do some really good things and build your fortune over time. That's what I focus on. Just the process and fitting in with how the team plays, and the numbers will be what they are. 'With expected goals, there's such a fluctuation that can happen because the value is different on each event. So it's not like Corsi where each event (i.e. a shot attempt) is valued the same. With expected goals, which is what everyone goes off of now, they can be such a wide range of things (due to the quality of the chances). Once in a while I look at the (analytics) websites. But like I said, that's not something that's valuable in real time during the season.' It'll be interesting to see how valuable Hall ends up being to the Hurricanes, who are obviously under the microscope in this postseason after everything that happened with the Mikko Rantanen trades. Tulsky believes he has assembled enough talent, even without one of the best scorers in the league, to do damage in the postseason, and Hall and fellow newcomer Logan Stankoven are a big part of that. Whether or not Carolina can win using a depth-heavy approach up front over high-end weapons will be fascinating to watch as they face the Capitals in Round 2 and, potentially, star-loaded offensive clubs like Florida and Toronto in Round 3. But it's safe to say Hall, after so many years playing on weaker teams, is a true believer. And he has finally found a long-term home for the first time in a long while.
New York Times
25-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What's the delay on an Alexander Nikishin contract? Why the Hurricanes aren't concerned
NEWARK, N.J. — The Carolina Hurricanes are not concerned about negotiations with prized prospect Alexander Nikishin, a team source said Friday, hours after a quote from the 23-year-old defenseman's Russian agent stoked fears that he could request a trade or return to Russia. The Hurricanes have had an agreement in place with Nikishin since earlier this month, but he has not officially signed. General manager Eric Tulsky said earlier this week that this could allow Nikishin to play in the AHL before jumping into NHL playoff action. Advertisement When Nikishin signs his deal — a two-year, entry-level contract with a $925,000 cap hit — the Hurricanes will not be able to send him to AHL Chicago. They can currently send him there on a tryout contract to get him a game of action before throwing him into an NHL playoff game. That option could also be off the table as early as Friday night; if Chicago loses its game to Rockford, its season will be over. Alexander Chernykh, Nikishin's Russian agent, expressed frustration at the contract not being signed in a recently published interview with RB Sport. According to a translation, Chernykh referred to the Hurricanes as difficult and said that if Nikishin remains unsigned, he could either go back to Russia or request a trade. Chernykh said Quartexx, Nikishin's North American representation, would resolve the issue. Ryan Barnes, who represents Nikishin for Quartexx, told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on Friday, 'We have been working with Carolina on Alexander's status. Our Russian partners are simply excited to see Alexander play for the Hurricanes and so are we.' Nikishin, a 2020 third-round pick, has never played a professional game in North America. He has been practicing with Carolina since arriving in Raleigh last week. 'It's a big transition for him, so every time he gets a chance to skate with the team, every time he gets a chance to meet with the coaches, that helps him get ready to be on the ice and help the team,' Tulsky said Wednesday. Tulsky said at the time that the sides would sign the deal 'any day now.' Nikishin, who is dealing with a language barrier and learning the Hurricanes' system, went through morning skate Friday but stayed on the ice late with the likely scratches. If AHL Chicago's season ends Friday, the Hurricanes would likely officially sign him shortly after. Advertisement 'If we felt like we needed him on the ice in the next game, we would get the contract in and have him ready to go,' Tulsky said Wednesday. 'There's nothing getting in the way of him being able to play for us.' 'He's going to be a good player for this organization,' Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov said Friday morning. 'They've been waiting for him, and finally he's here.'
