Brief
Jets' owner launches Kin Hockey video‑analysis platform for player skill reports
True North Sports and Entertainment Ltd. partners with Kin Hockey to offer data‑rich skill reports for around 1,000 players each spring and summer.
By Felo News Desk · Published
True North Sports and Entertainment Ltd., the company that owns the Winnipeg Jets, is backing a new video‑analysis platform called Kin Hockey that generates detailed skill‑development reports for high‑performance hockey players, the Winnipeg Free Press reported on October 15.
What happened
Kin Hockey was founded by Marshall Ring, a former head of the Manitoba Technology Accelerator, after an 18‑month research and development effort. Ring compiled a data set from 120 peer‑reviewed articles on skating performance and wrote Python code to create an algorithm that analyses publicly sourced skating videos, including livestreams from platforms such as LiveBarn. The system produces reports on forward and backward skating as well as shooting, based on video footage captured at venues like Keith Bodley Arena during the spring.
What the reports add
The Free Press notes that the platform focuses on video rather than physical sensors, which Ring says are less suitable for hockey because of constant player movement. Ring’s partner, Rick Farmer, program director of the 7 Oaks Hockey Skills Academy, acts as a “sniff test” to verify that the algorithm’s findings match on‑ice observations. According to the article, Kin Hockey’s reports provide granular data that can pinpoint why a player is improving, such as better energy transfer or extended flight on the puck.
What was said
Dave Cameron, head on‑ice instructor and program director of Jets Hockey Development, described the platform as “one of the most exciting things I’ve seen in skating in a long time.” Ring explained his motivation, saying, “I wanted to know — why is she getting better? Is it that she’s got flight extension? Is it that she’s transferring energy better?”
How it came about
Cameron, a former WHL and Canadian university forward, has run Jets development programs for a decade, serving roughly 1,000 participants each spring and summer. He first encountered Kin Hockey when Ring presented a sample report during a summer dinner. The partnership builds on Ring’s earlier work at the Manitoba Technology Accelerator, which helped grow companies such as SkipTheDishes and Callia before merging into Manitoba Innovates.
Key facts
- Kin Hockey was founded by former Manitoba Technology Accelerator head Marshall Ring. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- The platform uses video footage and a Python‑based algorithm to generate skill reports. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Jets Hockey Development programs serve roughly 1,000 players each spring and summer. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Dave Cameron praised the platform as one of the most exciting skating innovations he has seen. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Sources
- [1] winnipegfreepress.com — originally reported as “Jets-linked biometrical hockey skills platform launches”
