My friend took me to my first game. San Jose Sharks vs Edmonton Oilers. That game I saw an exciting back and forth contest with wild goals, culminating in my first hockey shootout experience. That was all it took. It didn’t take much for me to go from not knowing anything about the sport (or any sport for that matter) to being deeply obsessed. I watched every San Jose Sharks game after that. I knew everything I could about the players. And like all other fans, I started developing some strong opinions on this game.
And as my fandom grew, those opinions changed. I started to care less about my team winning every night and more about simply enjoying the spectacle in front of me. I wanted action, I wanted skill, and I wanted to see “What makes this game so magical?”
It’s really that last question that leads me to where I am now. And the more I read and watched and studied, the more engrossed I became with the concept of hockey analytics. I feel like I am at this doorway and if I step through there is this whole wealth of knowledge and analysis that can take my love of hockey another step further.
I started down this journey of hockey analytics by learning. I earned a degree in Data Science and learned the technical knowledge to analyze the game I love. But I know that if I really want to master the analytical side of a sport, I have to get my hands dirty. That’s what leads me to this blog. As I learn and research more about hockey analytics, I want to have a place to show what I learn. I hope that this blog is that space. Additionally, I hope that whoever finds this blog or is reading it, learns along with me. I hope to share what I can and chronicle my development here.
I don’t remember who won that game between the Sharks and the Oilers, but it sparked an exciting chapter of my life. As a fan, it’s been many long years, many ups and downs, and lots and lots of changes in how I see this game. But I feel that this latest change is the most excited I’ve been since that first game. I feel the rush of waiting for a season to start stronger than ever, and I can’t wait to dive into this whole other side of the sport that I love. Isn’t that the biggest reason we all follow this sport? In the end, it’s the love of the game, and I hope mine continues to grow and change with this endeavor.
— Mrinal Chawla
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