Skill Dispatch Guide
When a hockey analytics request comes in, match it to a pattern below. Load those skills. Don't load everything.
Default data tool: puckapi-tool -- covers most data needs. Load it alongside the relevant strategy skill unless the request specifically needs a different tool.
First-Use Persona Detection
On first interaction, identify which path the user is on:
| Signal | Persona | Start With |
|---|---|---|
| "What games are tonight?" / exploring data | Explorer | game-lookup + puckapi-tool |
| "Help me build a model" / "I want to predict" | Builder | hockey-analytics + feature-engineering |
| "What are tonight's best bets?" / "Give me picks" | Daily User | daily-card + odds-explorer |
| "I have a model, is it any good?" | Validator | walk-forward-validation + probability-calibration |
| "I'm new to hockey analytics" | Learner | hockey-analytics + ai-hockey-workflow |
| "I'm new to betting" | New Bettor | odds-analysis + edge-detection |
Request Patterns -> Skills to Load
"Who plays tonight?" / "What's the schedule?" / "Game results"
game-lookup-- find games by date, team, seasonpuckapi-tool--get_games,get_scheduleendpoints
"How are the Sabres doing?" / "Standings" / "Team stats"
team-analysis-- standings, stats, rankings, SOSpuckapi-tool--get_standings,get_team_stats
"Tell me about Connor McDavid" / "Player stats" / "Compare players"
player-scouting-- search, stats, comparison, NHLepuckapi-tool--search_players,get_player_stats
"Who's starting in goal?" / "Goalie matchup" / "Save percentage"
goalie-analysis-- leaderboard, workload, xG-adjusted metricspuckapi-tool--get_goalie_stats
"What are the odds?" / "Line shopping" / "Best price"
odds-explorer-- multi-book comparison, line movementpuckapi-tool--get_odds,get_line_movement- For odds math/devigging: also load
odds-analysis
"Show me games where..." / "Find all teams that..." / natural language query
nl-to-query-- translate natural language to structured queriespuckapi-tool-- routes to appropriate endpoint- If pattern found:
ai-hockey-workflowfor follow-up hypothesis testing
"What is Corsi?" / "Explain xG" / "Hockey analytics basics"
hockey-analytics-- metric definitions, formulas, contextpuckapi-tool-- pull real data to demonstrate
"How do I use Claude for sports analysis?" / "What questions should I ask?"
ai-hockey-workflow-- prompt patterns, hypothesis testing, iteration- Load relevant data skill based on the specific question
"How do I automate this?" / "Run daily" / "Pipeline"
data-pipeline-- GitHub Actions, scheduling, model versioning- Reference
puckapi-toolfor endpoint costs in automation budget
"Help me build features" / "Feature engineering" / "What features should I use?"
feature-engineering-- rolling windows, leakage detection, shift(1)puckapi-tool-- historical data endpoints- If user is new to metrics: also load
hockey-analytics
"How do I validate my model?" / "Is k-fold okay?" / "Cross-validation"
walk-forward-validation-- temporal CV, anti-leakage, significance testing- If user has a model:
probability-calibrationfor probability verification
"Help me build a prediction model" / "Train a model" / "XGBoost"
model-building-- model selection, training, evaluationwalk-forward-validation-- correct evaluation methodfeature-engineering-- if features aren't built yet
"Build an Elo rating system" / "Rating system" / "Team ratings"
elo-engineering-- 5 variants, tuning, carryoverpuckapi-tool--get_gamesfor historical results
"Are my probabilities calibrated?" / "Platt scaling" / "Brier score"
probability-calibration-- reliability diagrams, scaling methods- If model outputs available: proceed directly
- If not: route to
model-buildingfirst
"How do I devig odds?" / "Implied probability" / "Shin method"
odds-analysis-- conversion, devigging, no-vig linespuckapi-tool--get_oddsfor real numbers to work with
"Should I bet this game?" / "Where's the edge?" / "Expected value"
edge-detection-- EV calculation, Kelly sizing, CLVodds-explorer-- current market oddsprobability-calibration-- verify model probabilities first- Requires: user must have a calibrated model
"Backtest my model" / "Historical performance" / "Is my edge real?"
backtesting-- walk-forward backtest, strategy simulationpuckapi-tool-- historical odds (heavy credits)- If model health check: backtesting includes model audit
"Build an xG model" / "Expected goals from scratch" / "Shot quality model"
xg-model-building-- full xG pipeline from play-by-play- If user needs basics first:
hockey-analyticsfor xG concept
"Over/under prediction" / "Totals model" / "Will this game go over?"
totals-modeling-- pace, goalie matchup quality, under biaspuckapi-tool--get_oddsfor totals lines
"Player props" / "Will McDavid score?" / "SOG prop" / "DFS"
prop-modeling-- TOI projection, per-60 rates, matchup adjustmentplayer-scouting-- player datapuckapi-tool--get_player_stats
"Build WAR" / "Player value" / "Contract analysis" / "RAPM"
war-gar-decomposition-- RAPM ridge regression, component GARplayer-scouting-- player data for context
"Playoff odds" / "Will they make the playoffs?" / "Season simulation"
playoff-simulation-- Monte Carlo, bracket simulationelo-engineering-- if rating system needed as inputpuckapi-tool-- remaining schedule
"Preview tonight's game" / "Sabres vs Leafs preview"
game-preview-- compound skill, loads data internallypuckapi-tool-- multiple endpoints (~34 credits)
"Tonight's card" / "Full slate" / "All games tonight"
daily-card-- slate analysis, edge rankings- Requires: user's model for edge calculations
- Heavy credits: ~10 credits per game on slate
"Track my bets" / "Am I profitable?" / "CLV" / "Log this bet"
bet-tracker-- prediction logging, CLV, significance- If performance declining: route to
backtestingfor audit
"Make a chart" / "Visualize" / "Calibration plot" / "Player card"
visualization-- chart type selection, code generation- Requires output from another skill (calibration, backtest, preview, etc.)
When to Load Docs
- Unknown hockey term ->
docs/hockey-glossary.md - Unknown betting term ->
docs/betting-glossary.md - Need to pick a data tool ->
docs/tool-routing.md - Date/season confusion ->
docs/season-logic.md
When NOT to Use This Guide
Single-skill requests don't need dispatch. If someone says "devig these odds: +150 / -180" -> just load odds-analysis.