As the 2024 Showcase Draft comes ever closer, our Showcase leads has been working behind the scenes for the past few weeks, reviewing player data submitted by clubs to help select the players for the event in Sheffield from May 24-27.

Showcase is the first step onto the Elite Player Pathway for many players, leading towards the England National Team Programme (ENTP), with England coaches in attendance to look at players for the 2024/25 season.

We are delighted to announce that an agreement has been signed with Hudl Instat, and they will be in attendance across Showcase weekend.

This will help to give our coaches data on each individual player and will include video breakdowns on game scenarios, game data and various other information which will help with selection processes towards the ENTP going forward.

Some of our top coaches work with Hudl Instat, and they cannot recommend it highly enough.

David Lawrence, ENTP netminder head coach and Leeds Knights assistant coach, said: “Hudl Instat is a great tool as a coach, video coach and goalie coach.

“It allows us to share video and stats with players to aid in their development and areas in which they need to address quickly as well as long term. It also helps spot trends in our game, whether that be good or bad, and look at ways to either correct or improve those parts of the game as a team as well as individuals.

“We can also do video work with the team and individuals so they can see first-hand where things are right and where things are wrong. It also allows us to correct or improve things with the aid of clipping and highlight tools, so it is all-in-all a great asset to any hockey player, coach or organisation.

“In regards to Showcase itself, it will provide up-to-date stats as well as game footage, which will allow coaches to discuss areas of the game with their players during the tournament, as well as providing a good base for feedback to players afterwards, to which they can return to club and look to move their game forward with.”

Jon Kynaston, ENTP U15s head coach and Peterborough Phantoms head coach, said: “Hudl Instat will bring a significantly different insight for the players and coaches involved in Showcase and the Elite Player Pathway.

“The analysis and data, including accurate video material relevant to every individual player and game situation available from each game during the event, will move forward in big steps the way coaches can interact with players, and offer that next level of analysis to the player and collectively the team.

“Having the Hudl Instat team on-site for the event will be a big help as we roll out the new software for the first time in this way. It is widely used in the higher levels of senior hockey each weekend, but in this event type format it is a new venture. It will take time to get used to, but it is a great step forward for the programme.

Matt Bradbury, Nottingham Lions head coach and England U18s assistant coach, said: “The data that Hudl Instat will provide is a huge step for the programme. Being able to have these statistics and visuals at a coaches fingertips will really take the game to another level.

“Hudl Instat is used at many clubs across the country and across the world. We hope that more UK clubs in future will see the value of such a powerful tool to assist both team and player development.

“Hudl Instat will really support our Showcase and national team coaches. Players are responsible for their play every time they step on the ice. For them to be able to see themselves in a game situation, having the video review and analysis, will give an amazing insight and really support player accountability.

“Ice hockey is such a fast moving sport with so many intricacies, and being able to really drill down and pull out such detail will be so valuable. Coaches will be able to liaise and share with other coaches better, giving more detail when making player and squad selections.

Igor Markovic from Hudl Instat said: “Ice hockey players all over the world use video analysis tools from Hudl Instat to make data-driven decisions and improve performance.

“Easy-to-navigate visualisations make it simple to identify player strengths and tendencies, allowing you to analyse a game, season or specific skill. From forechecks, power plays and penalty kills, you can analyse performance with shot maps, face-off charts and more.

“Post-game reports feature a massive amount of statistical data on players, such as offense and defence plays, passes, challenges, separate sections for defence, forwards and lines, and maps for each period, with shot locations, challenges and passes distributions.

“Player reports also give you insights into the individual performance of each player – statistical data broken down by periods, match events with actions highlighted on the match timeline, shots chart (both rink and goal map), face-offs, turnovers, and blocked shots, and a goalkeeper-dedicated page with saves, location of opponents’ shots and specific charts.”

Ben Pitchley, GM of the Elite Player Pathway, said: “We really wanted to invite Instat into our Showcase event last year, but time ran out before we could get them involved. Thankfully we have secured Hudl Instat coming across to the UK, working with our coaches and players to give video and data feedback which we believe will enhance their game.

“We already have Hudl Instat being used in the Elite League and senior hockey in the UK, and it is seen to be beneficial to help player development.

“We have worked with Hudl to ensure each player participating will have access to their statistics/videos which will be submitted to parents the following day of their game. This we hope this information will be a game changer for our Showcase/ENTP players to enhance and improve their game and drive our development forward with support from coaches.”

Our Showcase event will consist of over 500 players over four days, which commences with our Mites/Mighty Mites who will be invited to a training day with out ENTP coaches, followed by the return of the Battle of Britain games where England’s under 18s will face off against Scotland at 7:30pm.

Look out for further announcements in the coming weeks.

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