Monday, January 29, 2007

NHL cap createst a new class of scouts

Several professional sport organizations, including the NBA, have implemented a type of digital-recruiting to sign players, and the NHL is the most recent to join the new craze. Using a computer database to determine the pay players should receive, based on performance and productivity is something that experts say will revolutionize the way teams trade, pick-up, and release players.
I however, do not believe a computer program knows better than an actual person. Computers cannot measure the chemistry players have with one another. The NHL calls this a revolution. I don't see why everyone is so excited. Some players will be overrated by the program as well as underrated. The program bases its decisions on a few statistics entered into the computer. Although the program is very advanced, I still think it is foolish to implement this type of program.
Although the program is good to allow teams to discover players that are not as popular as others, I still think it is a risk that the NHL shouldn't take. Even though the NBA uses a similar type of system, I don't believe it is working very well for them either. Teams seem to be more one sided than they have been in the past. Although it could be a result of arrogant players, it also could show that this is the wrong route to recruiting players.
I don't think it will take long for the NHL to realize that putting together a team using a computer database is a bad idea. I don't know what is so wrong with the traditional scout. The NHL has survived just fine so far and I don't think it should change its ways.