At the start of the NHL costless agency, the Florida Panthers were one of the most active teams. Signing a total of six new players to help change the face and direction of the franchise, though not all signings were welcomed by all. Quite a few fans and media were perplexed by the some of the some of the signings, whether it be the term, money, or the player in general. However, there might have been more in the works than just trying to catch the few big name players available.

Step in Brian MacDonald and the world of hockey analytics. Known by many in the analytics world as a guru and a pioneer, Brian MacDonald was hired by the Florida Panthers as the Director of Hockey Analytics. Though the official date of his hire has not been disclosed, it is noted that it was done some time ago. Brian MacDonald by all accounts is a very intelligent man who loves numbers and the game of hockey. He was a professor at West Point in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. In his tenure at West Point, he worked on analytics data such as adjusted plus minus, expected goals, and playmaking ability. His published studies on each topic showed how a numbers and mathematical formulas are correlated to a particular player(s) and how it should be viewed or interpreted. His findings are quite interesting and can easily be looked up on the Internet (he even has his own website). However, the question is, how can this translate into an actual management job with an NHL team?

The movie MoneyBall may give us the best insight on what his actual job may entail. In the movie, certain players are signed due to their analytical advantages they bring into forming a baseball team. MacDonald has the job of researching each player on his team and possible players that the Panthers may want to pick up to see where they fit. It goes along with the adage, "It's not the best players you want, but the right players." His job will probably be working with Panthers general manager Dale Tallon and the coach staff, feeding them with information on how the team and each player is performing. The information will have MacDonald's formulas and findings on each line and player. It may be a tedious task, but if Brian MacDonald's research is proven in a positive way, look for the Panthers to jump in the standings an build a competitive team for years to come.