Position Paper: New Views of Shots - Towards Measures of Net Visibility and Reachability

Abstract

In this position paper, we define two new metrics: net visibility (the fraction of the net that can be seen from the perspective of the puck) and net reachability (the fraction of the net that could be reached by the puck). Reachability is slightly different from visibility because even though there might be a small portion of the net visible in a certain area (a hole), that hole may not be large enough for the puck to pass through and reach the net. We describe a framework for computing our metrics using a combination of puck and player tracking (PPT) data and video analysis (image processing). We use data and video from an NHL game to provide a proof of concept for computing net visibility and reachability. We also describe areas where more work can be done to improve the accuracy of the results and allow the computations to be fully automated. Our position is that these metrics would be valuable in studying shooter decisions and skills, goaltender and player locations and that the technologies could be used to create virtual reality images or videos.