Project Description:

How much do faceoffs actually matter in NHL games? Many of the seismic developments in hockey analytics recently have been characterized by the importance of puck possession, a key determinant in the latest models such as expected goals and other metrics like Corsi. Yet amid this shift to focusing on possession, there is yet to be consensus or any similarly robust models on the importance of faceoffs, the most frequent and decisive determinant of possession. This project analyzes how faceoffs drive offensive and defensive results and impact teams winning games.