How the Blackhawks used analytics to shape their goalies' offseason training

The Chicago Blackhawks provided goaltenders Arvid Soderblom, Spencer Knight, and Drew Commesso with individualized analytics data following last season to guide their offseason training. The reports detailed shot locations and performance metrics, showing that the goalies should focus on lateral movement and stopping shots stemming from east-west passes.

Blackhawks goalie coach Jimmy Waite and goalie scout Dan Ellis verified the data against video footage before sharing it with the players. Head coach Jeff Blashill noted that scoring plays stemming from east-west passes are highly predictive, making the data valuable for designing targeted drills.