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Hockey Target Logos


bterreson

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This is from the Uni Watch Blog, very interesting.. sounds like something you would read out of moneyball/ bill james... except its hockey logos..

http://www.uniwatchblog.com/2006/10/13/mod...rtunity-in-nhl/

Mods Find New Job Opportunity in NHL

Sportswear companies are always talking about their ?performance-enhancing? features, whether it?s moisture-management technology or extra-stretchy fabrics. But what if a uniform could provide superior results simply by virtue of its graphic properties? That?s the question raised by an intriguing note I received in August from reader Dan Franko. Check it out:

I was talking to a friend who works for [a company that does some number-crunching for the NHL]. He was telling me that they have data supporting the theory that teams with symmetrical logos, or more rounded logos, have a goaltender advantage. He said that they?ve noted a higher save percentage in goalies who have what they call a ?target? logo ? the Flames? ?C,? the Habs? ?C,? the Caps? ?splattered bug,? the circle behind the Devils? ?NJ.? They have a theory that a shooter?s eye is drawn to this image, and that the shot is usually pulled more toward the goaltender?s center mass.

Apparently when they have logos like the Caps? eagle or the Rangers? slanted letters, the shooters have higher scoring percentage.

I don?t know where you would even start to validate this theory. But the idea of a uniform/logo giving a team an on-ice advantage ? I thought that was something you?d be particularly interested in.

Indeed, I was plenty interested, especially when Franko offered to put me in touch with his friend. Unfortunately, despite my repeated entreaties over the next several weeks, his friend failed to respond (understandable, if frustrating), which essentially leaves us with an unsubstantiated rumor, or maybe an urban legend.

Still, it?s interesting food for thought, especially since target-style jersey designs ? or at least logos surrounded by lots of empty space ? are pretty much the norm in the NHL. The only clear exceptions are the Rangers, the new Ducks design, and the Avalanche?s third jersey, plus I suppose you could make a case for the Stars and the Senators? home design.

Anyone ever heard of this phenomenon before? Any hockey players ? either goalies or sharpshooters ? have any thoughts on the matter?

And I?m going to be v-e-r-y disappointed if the Rev. Nørb doesn?t have some choice comments regarding the hockey/Mod connection.

end.

discuss...

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Not sure about the crest thing but I DO know that certain goalies design their leg pads with color combinations / graphics to give the impression that the '5 hole' is bigger than it is.

Patrick Roy had at one time pads that had a white 'swoosh' that ran from inside / top of each pad to the lower / outside of each pad giving the illusion that there was more daylight between the legs.

When a shooter glanced up before the shot the theory was that the 5 hole looked enormous... a butterfly goalie has an easier time covering the 5 hole thus offering a lower percentage shot while giving the impression it is a high percentage shot.

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I've heard that theory too, but have never seen any kind of study/research.

I remember a soccer goalie from about 15 years (I don't remember who, unfortunately) who literally had a bullseye on his jersey, which he explained using the same theory. I have also heard people recommend that soccer goalies wear brightly colored jerseys (which are, interestingly, less prevalent today than 10-20 years ago) on the theory that strikers would subconsciously shoot toward the bright target after looking up.

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This is an interesting theory. Maybe I'll have to do some simple number crunching to see if it really does work. Anecdotally, it hasn't seemed to work for the Bruins--I can't think of a logo that looks more like a target than their spoked "B." But then a minor effect like logo symmetry doesn't compensate for having crappy talent between the pipes.

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I'm a little hesitant to give much credit to these types of theories because much of the time the difference in the statistics isn't so significant to really validate the theory.

It reminds me of the recent theory of teams with red as part of their colors and how they are usually more successful due to the psychological nature of wearing red. They mentioned that a large majority of the champions in the major pro sports all wore red. The problem was that they included teams like the Red Sox and Patriots, both of which only have red as an accent.

Of course then you see teams like the Carolina Hurricanes in all red winning the cup and you kind of want to believe it.

In the end I just think the common denominator of winning teams is talent and execution, not uniforms.

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Not sure about the crest thing but I DO know that certain goalies design their leg pads with color combinations / graphics to give the impression that the '5 hole' is bigger than it is.

Patrick Roy had at one time pads that had a white 'swoosh' that ran from inside / top of each pad to the lower / outside of each pad giving the illusion that there was more daylight between the legs.

When a shooter glanced up before the shot the theory was that the 5 hole looked enormous... a butterfly goalie has an easier time covering the 5 hole thus offering a lower percentage shot while giving the impression it is a high percentage shot.

Yeah, I remember those pads (Koho Revolution). Martin Biron wore those his rookie year:

biron_m_r2.jpg

Personally, my favorite pad design ever.

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No way. The Rangers would have won a lot more if this was true. Four cups in 80 years?? I'm thinking it should be a little higher if this is true.

No... what the article is saying that the Rangers slanted lettering puts them at a disadvantage, because there's no centralized logo that the shooter's eye is drawn to, naturally drawing shots toward the logo.

The research on this would be interesting. I agree that there's some far more pertinent factors that will influence where the puck ends up going, but if this even plays a very minor role, there will be a tendency to move in that direction. And why wouldn't you? If simply by changing an aesthetic look you can get even a tiny marginal advantage, what's to lose, marketing considerations aside?

I'm surprised the Bruins logo wasn't mentioned... if there's a logo that would tend to draw the shooters eye toward the middle, one would think it would be the one.

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