Hockey Analytics, Simulation, and Predictive Limits
Episode Description
ABOUT THE EPISODE Micah McCurdy, mathematician and creator of HockeyViz, explores how simple models, simulation, and player level data shape modern hockey analytics and why getting beyond the basics of prediction is harder than it seems.
ABOUT THE PODCAST Sports is a game of numbers. Wharton experts Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, Cade Massey, and Adi Wyner team up to tackle the world of sports, from current events to longstanding issues such as: What sports streaks are the most impressive? How do you rank the best players? Can athletes be compared across sports? Moneyball Highlights explains how decision-makers in the game can avoid the common mistakes and embrace the data. Episodes are recorded at the Wharton School.
#moneyball #hockeyanalytics #sportsanalytics #datascience #wharton ----- The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is committed to sharing its intellectual capital through Knowledge at Wharton, the school’s online business analysis journal.
Launched in 1999, Knowledge at Wharton offers free access to:
- Articles, podcasts, and videos highlighting Wharton faculty research and analysis of current business trends - Interviews with book authors from Wharton School Press - In-depth series of curated content like Wharton Executive Education’s Nano Tools for Leaders - A searchable database of more than 10,000 articles covering all aspects of business - A weekly newsletter that delivers Knowledge at Wharton insights directly to your inbox
Visit the Knowledge at Wharton homepage: https://whr.tn/3qUpSBE Subscribe to the Knowledge at Wharton YouTube channel: https://whr.tn/3DEAgAU
Brief Summary
Michael McCurdy discusses hockey analytics, simulation methods, and Stanley Cup predictions on Wharton Money Ball.
Key points
- The Power of Visualization. Michael McCurdy explains how he transitioned from mathematics to hockey analytics through visualization.
- Teaching Sports Analytics. Adi Weiner shares his approach to teaching sports analytics using simulation instead of traditional math.
- Lena Solmark's Mental Health Break. Lena Solmark, the Ottawa Senators goaltender, took a leave of absence for anxiety, highlighting the importance of mental health in sports.
- Modeling Sports Outcomes. Exploring how simple modeling techniques can yield surprisingly accurate predictions in sports outcomes.
- Colorado's High Cup Probability. Colorado has a 37% chance of winning the Stanley Cup this year, a notably high figure.
- Trent Grisham Watch. A fan's ongoing observation of player performance raises questions about team decisions.
Ask about Knowledge at Wharton
Episode highlights
- The Power of VisualizationMichael McCurdy explains how he transitioned from mathematics to hockey analytics through visualization.“I just didn’t understand anything until I saw it in a picture.”3:18Apr 22, 2026
- Teaching Sports AnalyticsAdi Weiner shares his approach to teaching sports analytics using simulation instead of traditional math.“It’s incredible what you can do with simulation.”7:49Apr 22, 2026
- Lena Solmark's Mental Health BreakLena Solmark, the Ottawa Senators goaltender, took a leave of absence for anxiety, highlighting the importance of mental health in sports.“It's not just unusual for a male athlete to take time off for mental health.”21:23Apr 22, 2026
- Modeling Sports OutcomesExploring how simple modeling techniques can yield surprisingly accurate predictions in sports outcomes.“You can get pretty close in terms of forecasting probabilities with very simple stuff.”22:26Apr 22, 2026
- Colorado's High Cup ProbabilityColorado has a 37% chance of winning the Stanley Cup this year, a notably high figure.“This year, Colorado's probability to win the cup is about 37%.”31:39Apr 22, 2026
- Trent Grisham WatchA fan's ongoing observation of player performance raises questions about team decisions.“I’ll just keep my Trent Grisham watch going for the rest of the season.”41:44Apr 22, 2026
- Unanimous Defensive Player of the YearA surprising revelation about the history of basketball awards.“There’s never been another unanimous defensive player of the year.”56:01Apr 22, 2026
- Alcaraz's Injury ImpactThe tennis star's injury raises questions about the upcoming French Open.“Alcaraz is injured. He may not play the French.”57:20Apr 22, 2026
