Brian Burke at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference

[sureLoss]

Few quotes coming from the panel on hockey analytis:

Craig Custance ‏@CraigCustance 21m
And we're off. Burke asked immediately if his view on analytics has changed. Says no immediately: "I think it's an eyeballs business."

Craig Custance ‏@CraigCustance 15m
All sides agree plus/minus a useless stat. Burke: "If you're on a horse[bleep] team, you're probably a minus player."

Craig Custance ‏@CraigCustance 12m
Don Sweeney says the Bruins track the type of shot quality that is produced when Patrice Bergeron is on the ice to help define his value.

Craig Custance ‏@CraigCustance 4m
Burke on managing cap: "Unless you draft well & have players on entry level contracts, you cannot have star players on your team." #SSAC14

Craig Custance ‏@CraigCustance 2m
Burke mentions MTL's bridge contract for PK Subban: "You're going to see the impact of that this year." #SSAC14

Craig Custance @CraigCustance
Burke: "If you ever want to see statistics misused, sit in on an salary arbitration in the NHL. The creativity is staggering." #SSAC14

[gvitaly]

Thank you as always sir. As for Burke sounds like same old same old, I guess the Flames might as well stop using the PUCKS system.

[sureLoss]

Craig Custance @CraigCustance
Burke: "I would never do Moneyball because it's boring... I have to entertain people." #SSAC14

Craig Custance @CraigCustance
Burke: My teams are known for being big and obnoxious. My coach will play the same way or I'll get a new coach.

Craig Custance @CraigCustance
Don Sweeney questions benefits of giving players stats to help improve their game. Says they're more visual. Has to be paired with video

Craig Custance @CraigCustance
Burke said if there was an analytics package he believed worked he'd buy it in a second: "We're all looking for that edge." #SSAC14

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

Thank you as always sir. As for Burke sounds like same old same old, I guess the Flames might as well stop using the PUCKS system.

PUCKS system is a video watching system that Feaster somehow decided was an advanced stat system. Had nothing to do with advanced stats.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

PUCKS system is a video watching system that Feaster somehow decided was an advanced stat system. Had nothing to do with advanced stats.

It does with how they use it. They can track shot locations via the software and those shot locations have defined percentages about how often you can score from that type of position. This helps them determine their own scoring chance numbers and they can make adjusted save percentages based on what areas the shots were coming from.

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Few quotes coming from the panel on hockey analytis:
hat is produced when Patrice Bergeron is on the ice to help define his value.
Craig Custance ‏@CraigCustance 2m
Burke mentions MTL's bridge contract for PK Subban: "You're going to see the impact of that this year." #SSAC14

I guess that means Burke is not a fan of bridge contracts, I suppose we won't be seeing them while he's running things here. In the end the Habs are going to paying Subban a lot more now then they would have had they given him a long-term deal two years ago. But that's the risk you take to avoid Myers and Phaneuf type of deals.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

I guess that means Burke is not a fan of bridge contracts, I suppose we won't be seeing them while he's running things here.

I think Montreal just gave him that bridge contract at the worst possible time. Cap is about to go up, teams are going to have lots of space, and PK Subban is about to get PAID.

[sureLoss]

Craig Custance @CraigCustance
Burke on shootout: "I don't like the shootout. I think it's a circus stunt... I think it's horse[bleep]."

Craig Custance @CraigCustance
Burke says there is a movement to change overtime but shootout is here to stay. Believes 3-4 playoff races will be determined by shootouts.

Craig Custance @CraigCustance
Burke thinks NHL rinks are too small. Wants to go to Boston University 91-foot rink.

[Arsenal14]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Craig Custance @CraigCustance
Burke: "I would never do Moneyball because it's boring... I have to entertain people." #SSAC14

And once again Burke misunderstands what Moneyball was about. It was about figuring out what skills the market was undervaluing and exploiting them. At that time in baseball it was on-base percentage/walks/taking pitches. If home run hitting and stolen bases were undervalued Moneyball would say that you should go after that instead.

[bubbsy]

how many times did he use the phrase "horse[beep]"??

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Craig Custance @CraigCustance
Burke: "I would never do Moneyball because it's boring... I have to entertain people." #SSAC14

Everytime Burke says anything about Moneyball he just proves that he never bothered to really read the book or understand the concept.

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Craig Custance @CraigCustance
Burke: My teams are known for being big and obnoxious. My coach will play the same way or I'll get a new coach.

Blah, I dislike this promotion of style over substance. How about just hiring a coach that deploys the talent in a way that will produce expected wins. Wins are what count not whether or not they're "big and obnoxious". Also I wish he'd drop the "my" speak... that terminology should be the province of the GM (whoever that ends up being) not the President of the Hockey Ops division. It's gonna be hard to get a quality hire if he's gonna be a huge meddler.

[MyFlamesFirst]

Is Burke going to be okay? Seems like he is in an even worse mood than usual. He was unbelievably "serious" with that TSN interview yesterday, and based on these tweets he seems a little edgy again today. Maybe the US not even getting a medal isn't sitting too well with him. HAH.

[Tyler]

I really dislike this guy the more he talks

Is an old cranky ####### the best guy we need to lead this team during a rebuild? He has a hate on for just about everything, anything new is stupid and he obviously has no idea where to get his hair cut

[PeteMoss]

This was interesting from Burke's son:

Patrick Burke ‏@BurkieYCP 32m
If you were using stats to gain a competitive edge why tell people you're using them? Moneyball was about finding value and inefficiency...

[Muta]

I think Burke has an altered agenda as to what he's telling the media / public; it's not wrong, but he knows the game a little bit more than he's leading on.

For example, he leads us to believe that he wants a truculent / big / physical team. He has gone on record as saying Johnny Gaudreau is not just small, but tiny - completely opposite what he prefers. However, I believe Gaudreau will be given every opportunity to make the team here, and he will sign here. No indication has been given by Johnny's camp that he will do otherwise.

Brian Burke is trolling the hockey world in a way, and it's hilarious because people are falling for it. He's pointing us in a direction for which he's walking slightly off from. That's what I think, anyways.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

But that's the risk you take to avoid Myers and Phaneuf type of deals.

Yup, bridge deals have their place. Sure they bite you when the guy turns into a superstar during the bridge but it saves you when they plateau or regress. I think with any long-term deal you ought to feel pretty certain about what you're getting otherwise you're risking eating up a bunch of cap space on just depth.

Craig Custance ‏@CraigCustance 4m
Burke on managing cap: "Unless you draft well & have players on entry level contracts, you cannot have star players on your team." #SSAC14

Finally he says something smart. Sustained success is dependent on producing above average players providing surplus value through the draft... otherwise your scoring depth get's progressively more expensive and you end up having to field scrubs in the middle part of the depth chart.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Finally he says something smart. Sustained success is dependent on producing above average players providing surplus value through the draft... otherwise you're scoring depth get's progressively more expensive and you end up having to field scrubs in the middle part of the depth chart.

See Canucks, Vancouver

[Swayze11]

Originally Posted by Tyler

I really dislike this guy the more he talks

Is an old cranky ####### the best guy we need to lead this team during a rebuild? He has a hate on for just about everything, anything new is stupid and he obviously has no idea where to get his hair cut

He has a track record of results. Who cares what he says as long as there are results.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Tyler

I really dislike this guy the more he talks

Is an old cranky ####### the best guy we need to lead this team during a rebuild? He has a hate on for just about everything, anything new is stupid and he obviously has no idea where to get his hair cut

He hates the same things I hate, I'm still on board.

[Cheese]

I love the fact he is ornery and cranky! Keeps reporters on their toes and gives us all a laugh when we desperately need it.