Ice hockey is a fast-paced and volatile sport. Tracking individual performances and tactical shifts has long been difficult to quantify live, beyond an experienced fan’s instincts and the eye test. However, just as mass amounts of data have influenced other top sports across the globe, the NHL has changed a lot in that regard over the past few years.
Powered by real-time performance tracking systems embedded within the league’s infrastructure, the modern NHL fan is increasingly used to data-driven insights during live broadcasts, on fan blogs like this one and in sports betting contexts.
New Tracking and Data Tools Are Powering the Changes
Among the recent advances in technology in the league are the NHL Edge system and the Amazon Web Services-backed systems (AWS) that supply data to broadcasters. Or, their own alternative broadcast collaboration with the Edge system.
The EDGE system was deployed across all 32 NHL arenas in 2021, from the Flames’ Saddledome to the Florida Panthers’ Amerant Bank Arena. The system has 14 cameras across each arena that can generate over a million data points over a regular game.
This system was developed in collaboration with Sportradar, who are a major supplier of sports data to betting operators in the US (more on that later). While it was initially provided for refereeing decisions, team coaching staff and official league communications, the data was eventually licensed to sportsbooks. Then, in 2023 it was made completely available to any and all fans via NHL Edge – where fans and armchair analysts can pore over all the data recorded by the system going back to 2021.
The next big development came in 2024, from the league’s collaboration with AWS. This system uses extra cameras on top of those used by edge, for a cloud broadcast that utilizes more than 12 million points across an average game.
The AWS cloud broadcast first debuted at Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes game in March 2024. It was actually the first fully cloud-based sports broadcast in North America.
Sports Betting Companies Are Also In on the Game
Sports data has been used by betting companies for years, and that has only become more prevalent with the rise of live in-play betting. Simply put these markets wouldn’t work without the amount of data collected by sports leagues and their data partners.
Live betting is a big part of the sports betting market. A business sector worth around $110 billion globally, although estimates vary. Although online casinos are actually the more popular form of gambling in Canada, unlike in the US, sports betting is still a multi-billion-dollar annual market across North America.
In Canada alone, there are many dozens of sportsbooks available across the regulated markets in Ontario and Alberta as well as nationally. As the market becomes more crowded, players increasingly turn to lists of popular choices by betting comparison sites like Casino.ca. These resources highlight how sportsbook options differ across features including licensing, payment speeds, bonuses and game collections.
Because competition is intense, acquisition costs are high. This means features prioritizing engagement and retention are increasingly important. In terms of NHL data they can use real-time feeds to inform promotions and offer custom micro bets that are tailored to individuals’ interests during a live game.
For example, Flames fans might now commonly see live betting offers like:
- Heavy Hitters: Enhanced odds on Zayne Parekh or Šimon Nemec registering a point in the final 10 minutes
- Shutout Surge: Live prop bet offered on goalie Dustin Wolf making 10+ saves without allowing a goal in the current period
- Next Goal Surge: A live parlay micro-bet on either winger Matt Coronato or Joel Farabee to score next
Enhanced match stats are used by both bettors and sportsbooks to try and get an edge in markets like these, where margins can be thin and small slips in pricing can make big profits for sharp bettors.
Data Insights are Transforming Broadcast and Fan Engagement
With the AWS broadcast in 2024 debuted a feature called Ice Tilt, which quantifies millions of data points into one stat that shows the momentum of the match as a percentage to either side.
However, that was just the start in terms of what cloud broadcasting can offer. Ultimately, the potential is that a Flames fan could watch a completely different broadcast than a fan of the opposing team – generated dynamically from one platform, rather than several broadcast teams.
On screen overlays can change between viewers, and are likely to be further integrated with second screen apps like the NHL Edge portal or locally-regulated sportsbooks.
Even casual fans can benefit from increased understanding of the game, through real-time nuggets of data and graphical overlays that demonstrate tactical swings. A metric like Ice Tilt helps even the newest fans understand what momentum shifts look like on the rink during a fast-paced and chaotic game.
