Hi Vi! I saw this ai video going around and I thought I'd ask you to comment? Is it accurate?
https://youtu.be/KLLikUPBA_0?si=Aito172kKVFazB0n
hey anon! thanks for sharing? also wtf lol (its sort of the hockey equivalent to those ai trump videos or 'who's ___ spouse/networth')
so yes... mack and will do have chemistry. that part is very real. they read off each other SO well, mack drives entries with speed and like I said before will finds soft ice so when theyâre on the rush together you can see the timing is there.
will also genuinely has a quick release and good deception while mack is legitimately one of the best transition drivers on the sharks already. none of that is controversial at all, theyâre exciting, theyâre skilled, and they look like a core duo going forward.
but then the video immediately jumps from âthey look good togetherâ to âthis isnât coaching, this is natural chemistry that canât be taught,â which is where it starts to fall apart. because thatâs just⌠not how hockey works??? chemistry is heavily influenced by deployment/offensive zone starts/power play usage and MOST importantly repetition. young skilled players often look great together when theyâre being used in offensive situations. that doesnât mean itâs mystical or uncoachable lol it means theyâre being put in positions to succeed. framing it like some kind of telepathic bond isn't really accurate and completely understates the amount of work both mack and will have to put in to play this well
the âtorque and release mechanicsâ part is also very buzzwordy without actually saying anything?? if youâre actually analyzing shooting mechanics youâd talk about hand separation/ weight transfer/ release point/shot location etc etc. Instead it just throws in âtorqueâ to sound technical, which is stupid. this happens multiple times throughout the video with terms used
and then thereâs the âsetting the nhl paceâ claim, which is just⌠objectively exaggerated??? will is having a good season (in my opinion those who don't think so I HEAVILY disagree with, especially in terms of how well he'd adapted to the stupid line switching) but heâs also not leading the league and the sharks are still a developing team. mack is closer to driving plays but even then... theyâre exciting young players, and still have alot to learn. calling them an ânhl problemâ is weird.
(preface I only watched half the video bc I couldn't put myself through the rest)
i find it really fucking gross seeing this kind of thing spread like genuinely... please stop sharing this stuff. it pushes out real analysis done by retired players/coaches/refs with genuine a love for the game and replaces it with ai-generated storytelling slop
if you want actual hockey breakdowns and to show the sport/players some love & respect instead I'd recommend;
The Hockey PDOcast: One of THE BEST analytics hockey podcasts ever
Too Many Men (The Athletic): smart and thoughtful discussions about coaching decisions & player usage & how teams actually function on the ic
Staff & Graph Podcast: veryyy analytics driven but still focused on real gameplay and player performance trends
Elite Prospects YouTube : they also did a breakdown for mack and will one of my favorite channels!!
Hockey Psychology: Breaks down decision making & positioning moslty
The Hockey Guy: sort of less analytics heavy?? but very thoughtful, contextual hockey discussion and team trends (i think this is a good starting point for new fans)
San Jose Hockey Now: One of the best Sharks focused analysis outlets; discusses line deployment, coaching, and development etc etc
Fear the Fin: sharks blog with thoughtful breakdowns and but more fan type analysis
r/hockey : league wide discussion, good post game threads and analysis comment
r/SanJoseSharks: good right now for will and mack discussion and line breakdowns
r/hockeyanalytics: my favorite! oh my love for this sub