Some math-savvy hockey fans hope the right numbers could give a leg up to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and have borrowed a technique that worked well in baseball.
Mike Stephens is among those who say "sabremetrics" — an application of statistics best known for its use in baseball — could also make a difference on the ice.
"We use it to understand which team has the puck more and which team is controlling the game," Stephens told CBC News. "Trying to measure events that take place in the game that determine the score. shots, blocked shots, goals."
The concept was first used by the Oakland A's and was more recently popularized in the movie Moneyball.
Some NHL teams already analyze their stats, but not the Leafs. That frustrates like Julian Sanchez who blogs about the need for analysis.
"On the balance of probabilities their weaknesses are going to expose them," said Sanchez.