The Tampa Bay Lightning’s road to the Stanley Cup has been anything but easy. Whether it was a slew of injuries to key players or becoming victim of one of the biggest upsets in NHL history (after a record-tying season), there was always something in the way of their success, but when you build a team this good it warrants criticism. But now, they have quieted their doubters and are your 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Champions. In this article, Constantine Maragos looks at how the Tampa Bay Lightning’s championship-calibre roster won them their elusive second Stanley Cup.
Read MoreQSAO’s Insights around the NHL: The stars align in the bubble – Previewing the weirdest Stanley Cup Final ever /
Well, it is that time of year again; the NHL season has (finally) reached the Stanley Cups Finals. The Dallas Stars, representing the Western Conference, are set to face off against the Eastern Conference Champion Tampa Bay Lightning. This postseason was as unpredictable as ever, which is exactly how we expected them to be. Now, with the crowning of hockey’s ultimate prize looming, the latest edition of QSAO’s Insights Around the NHL breaks down the play of our Cup finalists thus far, and previews what will be an exciting Stanley Cup Final.
Read MoreThrowing by the Numbers: Other determinants of high 4-seam fastball success /
Previously, we discussed how pitch selection, location, and velocity can all impact the swing and miss ability of different pitches. We saw how velocity clearly makes a difference when it comes to the success of 4-Seam fastballs as long as the pitch is thrown high over the plate. However, guys like Aroldis Chapman, Noah Syndergaard, and Ken “100 Miles” Giles all throw triple-digit high heat but don’t appear on any of the high fastball success leaderboards in the previous articles. Why is that? Well, this likely means that there is more to fastball success than just location and velocity. So what other significant factors could we be missing?
Read MoreQSAO’s Insights around the NHL: Excitement and upsets define Round Two as we progress to the Conference Finals /
The Second Round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs delivered its yearly dose of pure insanity; upsets, comebacks, incredible goaltending performances, what more could you ask for? The NHL Bubble has provided us with nothing short of memorable moments that will make these playoffs unforgettable. Now, with another round of the playoffs set to begin, the latest edition of QSAO’s Insights Around the NHL unpacks the madness that was Round Two and looks ahead to what you should expect in the 2020 Conference Finals.
Read MoreThrowing by the Numbers: A closer look at the impact of fastball velocity /
In QSAO Analyst Nic Osanic’s previous article, we discussed the importance of fastball location and how pitching in the high and low portions of the strike zone can yield dramatically different results. One of the strongest examples of this was shown through Gerrit Cole. There were other technicalities at play, but essentially, Cole’s new data-driven approach allowed him to make better use of his elite pitches by throwing them more, and in areas where they were more effective, turning him into arguably the best pitcher in baseball. Now, QSAO Analyst Nic Osanic analyzes the effect of proper pitch selection and location in the modern-day MLB.
Read MoreQSAO’s Insights around the NHL: New contenders emerge as the NHL Playoffs continue into Round Two /
The first round of the NHL’s COVID Cup has provided viewers with a plethora of exciting memories, including an abundance of goals and some monumental comebacks (or collapses rather). With that being said, these playoffs seem to be an unofficial changing of the guard around the league, as new stars are emerging before us. In the latest instalment of QSAO’s Insights Around the NHL, we look at how the playoffs have shaken out so far, and where they’re headed next.
Read MoreThrowing by the Numbers: An analytical take on the art of pitching /
Pitching philosophy in baseball has long been a game of conventional wisdom. This philosophy always seemed to make sense as the lower the pitch, the easier it is to swing over the top and hit it on the ground. As more data has become available in recent years, batters have started to adjust. As the MLB’s data-driven pitcher/batter pendulum constantly swings in response to such change, one must wonder how traditional attitudes towards fastball locations affect the modern-day MLB pitcher. In QSAO’s latest series of articles, analysts Nic Osanic takes a deeper look into the art of pitching.
Read MoreQSAO’s Insights around the NHL: The NHL is BACK – Recapping the most anticipated 10 days of hockey ever /
The first-ever Stanley Cup Qualifiers proved to be as exciting as the idea presented itself to be from the get-go. The first ten days of the NHL’s return were packed with exciting contests, major upsets, and as usual, the Leafs sorely disappointing their fanbase. Life is good.
Now without further ado, here is the latest instalment (and return) of QSAO’s Insights Around the NHL.
Read MoreThe Call to the Hall: Which NHL forwards are most likely to make the Hockey Hall of Fame? /
Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is one of the greatest honours a professional athlete can receive.
As an avid hockey fan, debating who does, and who doesn’t deserve to be in the Hall of Fame is one of my favourite pastimes. With this in mind, I wanted to create a model that takes various player statistics and uses them to calculate the probability of a player making the Hall of Fame if they were to retire today.
Read MoreRoad to the Show: Identifying factors that lead to success in the MLB /
As we look into the present state of our favourite team - the Toronto Blue Jays, we hope to use a form of this popular sabermetric analysis to find a silver lining amid both the team’s poor performance over the past seasons and the delayal of the whole MLB 2020 season due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the Blue Jays’ roster and farm system are stacked with rookies who show great potential - at least that’s what we, as fans, choose to believe. To confirm our hopes for the team’s future, we have chosen to determine which MLB Rookie stat serves as the greatest indicator for career success in the league. We will use Python and its BeautifulSoup, numpy, and pandas libraries to create models based on Machine Learning methods which will reveal important correlations, validate our results, and ultimately, be capable of predicting the future of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Read MorePredicting the winner of the Stanley Cup: How hard can it be? /
Predicting anything in sports is near impossible as factors such as injuries and human error prevent us from being able to create a consistently accurate model of what is and isn’t going to happen in the future. However, year after year there are endless new programs, breakthroughs that usually for a limited time are able to correctly predict to some measure a winner or star player… Upcoming in April (or what was supposed to be, postponed now because of COVID-19) is the NHL playoffs, a fan favourite fantasy sport among sports fans. A very big strategy in these fantasy leagues are to pick players from the NHL team you think is going to win the Stanley Cup. So, I tasked myself with creating an NHL predictor program using Python with the help of Numpy and Pandas, to predict which team in the NHL will become Stanley Cup winners, to give myself that edge and crown myself victorious over my peers.
Read MoreNBA Free Throws: Median vs Average /
In statistics class, we are taught the difference between average and median. Both are useful in certain situations however for some reason, lots of people use average when the situation calls for the median. One place where medians could be used instead of averages is with team free throw percentage, particularly in end of game situations. The end of games play out much differently than the rest of the game so the normal free throw numbers shouldn’t apply because it is different players taking the shots. In this QSAO piece, we compare and contrast the use of median vs. Average free throw numbers in the NBA.
Read MoreThe Road to 700: A deep-dive into how Alexander Ovechkin became the greatest goalscorer of our generation /
When you think about the greatest athletes of our generation, look no further than hockey’s unsung hero in Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin’s 700-goal milestone recognizes more than just his generational talent; it is indicative of how a player can continuously re-innovate and adjust their game with whatever challenges they face while providing fans with some breathtaking moments along the way. In this very special QSAO piece, we break down all 700 of Alexander Ovechkin’s goals, down to when, where, and how they were scored, for the reading pleasure of our loyal readers.
Read MoreHow Liverpool’s run of form has affected the Premier League standings: A case study in Expected Goals /
Liverpool’s Premier League unbeaten streak of over a year has been incredible. Currently sitting atop the table with 73 of a possible 75 points, Liverpool is on pace to set a record-breaking total of 110 points, 10 more than City’s record of 100 from 2 years ago… What is the probability that Liverpool actually deserves to be where they are in the table?
Read MoreInsights around the NHL: Examining divisional playoff races at a macro-level /
With the All-Star break upon us, we are approaching the critical juncture of most teams’ seasons. The trade deadline is, at the time of writing, about a month away, and there are very few clear sellers and buyers in the market right now… In the latest edition of QSAO’s Insights Around the NHL, we will assess the current landscape of all four NHL divisions, and give our predictions moving forward.
Read MoreQSAO's Insights around the NHL: First impressions of the Taylor Hall trade /
When a player of Taylor Hall’s calibre gets traded, it has ramifications across the league. In the latest edition of QSAO’s Insights Around the NHL, I will break down the Taylor Hall trade for both the Devils and Coyotes, revisit the PK Subban trade, and look at Toronto’s surge up the Eastern Conference standings.
Read MoreQSAO's Insights around the NHL: It's too late to say "it's too early" /
In the latest edition of QSAO’s Insights Around the NHL, we will dissect the core of Montreal’s issues, break down the New York Islanders’ quiet rise to the top of the NHL standings, look at just how bad the New Jersey Devils are, and give you our takes on the latest NHL rumours.
Read MoreQSAO's Analytics Mythbusters: Breaking down positional nuances (Part Two) /
As we progress through the seasons of various professional sports, we start to notice trends worth looking into. As I have ben to expand my analytical prowess, I have learned to develop my own questions, and look to answer them through the published work of others – something that QSAO does for the sports community (Look out for all-new content next semester! – shameless plug). But I digress, in Part Two of the latest edition of QSAO’s Analytics Mythbusters, we look into load management in the NBA and how the Houston Astro’s sign-stealing scandal affected team performance.
Read MoreQSAO's Analytics Mythbusters: Breaking down positional nuances (Part 1) /
As we progress through the seasons of various professional sports, we start to notice trends worth looking into. As I have begun to expand my analytical prowess, I have begun to develop own questions, and look to answer them through the published work of others – something that QSAO does for the sports community (Look out for all-new content next semester! – shameless plug). But I digress, in Part One of the latest edition of QSAO’s Analytics Mythbusters, we look into the overall contribution of high-receiving running backs and the importance of pass footedness in the EPL.
Read MoreQSAO’s Insights around the NHL: A changing of the guard in the West? /
In the second edition of QSAO’s Insights Around the NHL, we will take a deep dive into the current state of the Western Conference, along with a breakdown of the Leafs’ current form.
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