Flyers hire Ian Anderson as Manager of Hockey Analytics

This apparently happened back in July, but we learned today that the Flyers have hired Ian Anderson as a Manager of Hockey Analytics. They're going full-on nerd.

Anderson has worked for the Washington Capitals since 2005, but from the limited knowledge we have about him via his Internet paper trail, it seems as though those jobs weren't in the hockey analysis department. He first worked for Washington as a regional sales manager before moving on to a job as their "Team Services Manager," whatever that entails. Best guess: he managed the team's travel, sort of like George Costanza. (Cotton uniforms for the Flyers?)

Anderson holds a bachelors degree in business from UC Santa Barbera and a masters degree in predictive analysis from Northwestern, according to his LinkedIn profile. He received that masters in 2014 via Northwestern's online program.

Flyers general manager Ron Hextall has talked about his desire to use analytics in the team's research and overall understanding of the game, an apparent change from Paul Holmgren's regime.

Quietly over the last several years, many NHL teams have begun to adopt the use of more advanced analytics, and this summer it's really exploded into the national media spotlight with the hiring of several analysts in Toronto, Edmonton and other places. Our own Eric T. was also hired by an undisclosed NHL team this summer.

h/t Bob Roberts