Captain Video: The Rangers Secret Weapon
No, no, no – we aren’t talking about the hilarious Honeymooners episode way back when TV was black & white. You know the one where Ed Norton dons the space helmet to watch his favorite show. No? Come on kids, get on that.
We also aren’t talking about the beloved Rangers’ coach from the late 80’s to early 90’s, Roger Nielson. Who by the way, had the ugliest collection of ties I have ever had the displeasure of witnessing.
No, we are talking hi-tech! SNYRangers posted a blog post on the Rangers players having access to an app that contains clips of themselves and their opponents. We thought about digging further.
TVTI is a video/data company that collects and packages game video for dozens of professional sports teams and delivers it in an easy to use and access format. Here is a blurb from their website:
TVTI℠ Hockey Video Scout
TVTI is offering a revolutionary new video service to National Hockey League teams. Never again will the Team’s Video Coordinator have to scramble to record the next oppponent from satellite. By using TVTI℠ Hockey Video Scout, video from every upcoming opponent will be delivered 1 week prior to facing that opponent.
TVTI offers one basic package:
“The Package” – The package consists of all NHL games of video delivered throughout the season and into the playoffs.
Now the Rangers aren’t the only NHL team to utilize the service. Here is the list to date:
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- St. Louis Blues
- Boston Bruins
- Calgary Flames
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Nashville Predators
- New York Rangers
- Dallas Stars
- Minnesota Wild
TVTI is based in Portland, Oregon and use video technology to analyze player mechanics and scout opposing teams. Aside from the revolutionizing way they are delivering video, they also offer PUCKS. Again from their website:
Pucks
The first Data-Driven, Multi-Angle Video Scouting System Software for Hockey. And in partnership with TVTI, Pucks now represents the best video + data solution available. You can get high quality, multiple camera angle video along with Pucks tremendous organizational capacity. For more information see Sydex Pucks on their website.
After reviewing the Powerpoint Presentation, I was thoroughly impressed. Not only are they delivering video, but high level analysis of every player in every game.
The ability to access this data with video to support the statistical evidence is incredible.
And goalies? You are are either going to be helped or crushed! Because they have every shot from every angle you’ve ever faced. Sure, it will help your goalie coach and NHL snipers like, Alex Ovechkin.
Alain Vigneault last season explained the technology’s effectiveness, “We use it on an individual bases, by defense pairs, by lines, specialty units and the collective one that we do before the game. It’s a daily thing and constant thing and our players are always around it.”
During this particular episode of the AV SQUAD he revealed, “We also have an app on their iPad that they go to, punch in their name and they have all of their shifts from the last game. It takes 5 minutes to download and they have all their shifts and we expect them, after every game, to watch every minute that they played.”
Pretty cool, eh? Unless of course you are part of the team’s video department – then, not so much.
For more about TVTI visit their website.
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