From Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston:
The NHL is preparing to take a glimpse into the future by using player-tracking technology at the upcoming all-star game.
Officials from the league and NHL Players’ Association will be in Columbus for testing early next week, according to two sources, with the goal of employing the Sportvision system during the Jan. 24 skills competition and Jan. 25 all-star game at Nationwide Arena.
That would see computer chips placed in the sweaters of each player, plus the puck, to chart what is happening on the ice. As a result, everything from how fast and far a player skates to how hard he shoots and positions himself would be measured in real time.
Per Johnston, Sportvision ran a successful tracking trial during an October exhibition game in San Jose between junior players and some former Sharks. It was viewed as a speedier and more accurate method of accumulating real-time data, which is currently being compiled by different individuals -- by hand -- in each NHL arena.
As for Sportvision, it’s been around for a while and has made numerous marks on the sporting landscape. The company is probably best known for the first-and-10 line digitally drawn onto screens during NFL games, and has history with the NHL -- Sportvision created the infamous “glow puck” during the mid-1990s.