| name | dispatch |
| description | Routes hockey analytics requests to the right 2-3 skills. Load this FIRST when a hockey data or analytics request comes in and you are unsure which skills to activate. Prevents loading all 28 skills when only 2-3 are needed. Also handles first-use persona detection. |
| metadata | {"version":"1.0.0","author":"PuckAPI"} |
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, season
puckapi-tool -- get_games, get_schedule endpoints
"How are the Sabres doing?" / "Standings" / "Team stats"
team-analysis -- standings, stats, rankings, SOS
puckapi-tool -- get_standings, get_team_stats
"Tell me about Connor McDavid" / "Player stats" / "Compare players"
player-scouting -- search, stats, comparison, NHLe
puckapi-tool -- search_players, get_player_stats
"Who's starting in goal?" / "Goalie matchup" / "Save percentage"
goalie-analysis -- leaderboard, workload, xG-adjusted metrics
puckapi-tool -- get_goalie_stats
"What are the odds?" / "Line shopping" / "Best price"
odds-explorer -- multi-book comparison, line movement
puckapi-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 queries
puckapi-tool -- routes to appropriate endpoint
- If pattern found:
ai-hockey-workflow for follow-up hypothesis testing
"What is Corsi?" / "Explain xG" / "Hockey analytics basics"
hockey-analytics -- metric definitions, formulas, context
puckapi-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-tool for 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-calibration for probability verification
"Help me build a prediction model" / "Train a model" / "XGBoost"
model-building -- model selection, training, evaluation
walk-forward-validation -- correct evaluation method
feature-engineering -- if features aren't built yet
"Build an Elo rating system" / "Rating system" / "Team ratings"
elo-engineering -- 5 variants, tuning, carryover
puckapi-tool -- get_games for 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-building first
"How do I devig odds?" / "Implied probability" / "Shin method"
odds-analysis -- conversion, devigging, no-vig lines
puckapi-tool -- get_odds for real numbers to work with
"Should I bet this game?" / "Where's the edge?" / "Expected value"
edge-detection -- EV calculation, Kelly sizing, CLV
odds-explorer -- current market odds
probability-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 simulation
puckapi-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-analytics for xG concept
"Over/under prediction" / "Totals model" / "Will this game go over?"
totals-modeling -- pace, goalie matchup quality, under bias
puckapi-tool -- get_odds for totals lines
"Player props" / "Will McDavid score?" / "SOG prop" / "DFS"
prop-modeling -- TOI projection, per-60 rates, matchup adjustment
player-scouting -- player data
puckapi-tool -- get_player_stats
"Build WAR" / "Player value" / "Contract analysis" / "RAPM"
war-gar-decomposition -- RAPM ridge regression, component GAR
player-scouting -- player data for context
"Playoff odds" / "Will they make the playoffs?" / "Season simulation"
playoff-simulation -- Monte Carlo, bracket simulation
elo-engineering -- if rating system needed as input
puckapi-tool -- remaining schedule
"Preview tonight's game" / "Sabres vs Leafs preview"
game-preview -- compound skill, loads data internally
puckapi-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
backtesting for 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.