NHL draft gem mining: Use of the impact score to find Successful NHL players

Date

2023-03

Journal Title

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Publisher

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina

Abstract

Less than 48% of NHL Draftees play in a single NHL game (Wilson, 2016). This percentage further decreases when looking at the players selected after the first round of the draft (Tingling et al., 2011). The objective of this study was to determine if the impact score can accurately predict NHL success for forwards and defensemen selected after the first round, when it comes to games played and points scored. The impact score is a percentage analytic that I created, that measures the player’s points per game total relative to the points scored by their teammates. Data was collected using HockeyDB and EliteProspects (hockey statistic databases) for players selected in the 2005-2015 NHL Entry Drafts. Data was then analyzed to see if having a higher impact score results in more NHL career games played, more minutes played per game, and more points per minute played. A regression was used to answer these questions for players drafted in round 1 and rounds 2-7, controlling for yearly age, league group, area of development, and position. It was found that the addition of the impact score offered significant changes in variation for career games played, time on ice per game, and points per time on ice, but this was more prominent for individuals selected in round 1. It was also found that there was no significant interaction between the impact score and position in both round 1 and rounds 2-7.

Description

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of Regina. vi, 55 p.

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