© William Douglas

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. — Sunny Mehta, who deals in probability for a living, marveled about the improbable odds of having his name etched on the Stanley Cup.

He expressed, “As a kid from Jersey, born to immigrant parents, and being someone with average athletic abilities, I must admit, it’s truly unbelievable that I am standing here holding the Stanley Cup. It just goes to show that if you dare to dream big, you never know what incredible possibilities may come your way.”

On Monday afternoon, Mehta, the esteemed assistant general manager and head of analytics for the Florida Panthers, graced Ramapo High School, his beloved alma mater, with the prestigious Cup during his eventful day with the coveted trophy.

Mehta and his wife, Nicole, finally had the opportunity to fully enjoy Florida’s 4-3 series victory against the Edmonton Oilers in the Cup Final during the homecoming event.

Following the Q&A session in the school’s auditorium and posing for pictures with the Cup, Mehta organized a special viewing for Ramapo’s hockey team and former players. Eventually, Mehta and his wife concluded the day by celebrating with Stanley at a private gathering.

Mehta expressed, “It has been an extensive period since I last visited this high school, and I haven’t resided in this place for nearly three decades. Nevertheless, this is the place where I spent my childhood, honed my hockey skills, and acquired many of the abilities that have contributed to my success. Hence, it feels gratifying to offer something in return.”

© William Douglas

Ramapo students, alumni, and Mehta’s childhood friends were overjoyed when he made the decision to bring the Cup to the high school. Mehta mentioned that during his time from 1992-96, he was a “forward/benchwarmer” for the school’s hockey team.

Anand Shukla, a childhood friend who used to play street hockey with Mehta, expressed his disbelief, saying, “Can you believe it? Mehta went from attending high school and playing on the high school team to actually winning the Stanley Cup. It’s incredible! It’s not just an achievement for him, but it also serves as an inspiration for all the students, especially the young hockey players. It shows that dreams can actually come true.”

When an email from Mehta inquiring about bringing the Cup to the school popped up on July 8, Mike McLachlan, the head coach of Ramapo’s hockey program, expressed his disbelief.

“I was nearly swerving off the road,” McLachlan recounted as he made his late-night journey back home from a hockey tournament in Suffern, New York. “I was on the verge of deleting it, assuming it was spam. I mean, who receives a message asking, ‘Would you be able to host the Stanley Cup?'”

Mehta admitted he was unsure about how to spend his day with the Cup at first.

For the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft, he turned to Mario Della-Savia, an outreach specialist at the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Phil Pritchard, famously known as the Keeper of the Cup and the curator at the Hall of Fame. They accompanied him on a flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Las Vegas, seeking their guidance.

Della-Savia said, “He asked for my thoughts. I replied, ‘To bring it to the community, ensure your own enjoyment, and avoid overextending yourself. It’s important to savor the experience without feeling pulled in multiple directions. Let’s have fun.'”

On Monday, Mehta seemed to accomplish exactly that by engaging in conversations with his teammates about his experiences with a hockey team that admittedly wasn’t very successful. He also took the opportunity to describe the significant contributions he has made as a trailblazer in NHL analytics.

© William Douglas

Mehta, born to an Indian mother and a father of Indian heritage, embarked on a unique and vibrant journey to reach the NHL and eventually lift the Cup.

He has experienced various careers in different cities, including being a musician in New Orleans, a professional poker player in Vegas, a best-selling author specializing in poker, and a proprietary derivatives trader in Chicago.

Ever since he witnessed the New Jersey Devils practice at the local rink in Totowa during his childhood, hockey has remained his utmost passion.

After growing up in Wyckoff, New Jersey, the individual pursued their passion for music at the renowned Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, specializing in jazz guitar. Following their studies, they embarked on a career as a musician in the vibrant city of New Orleans.

Afterwards, he acquired the skill of poker through self-teaching and managed to make a decent income by participating in casino games. Mehta decided to temporarily move to Las Vegas and pursue poker as a full-time profession, but eventually returned to New Orleans where he resided for a consecutive five-year period.

Math was the underlying thread connecting Mehta’s diverse journey. He started utilizing it within a growing community of individuals who were sharing their hockey analytics research on the internet.

© Courtney McLachlan

In 2011, he secured a consulting analytics position with Matthew Hulsizer, who was then a potential owner of the Phoenix Coyotes. After the job concluded, Mehta transitioned to trading options in Chicago.

Mehta explained, “People often question my transition from poker to this. However, I see numerous similarities between them. In each case, I rely on probability and statistics to make predictions. During poker games, I utilized probability and statistics to anticipate my opponents’ hands. In options trading, my focus was on predicting stock volatility. Now, in hockey, my objective is simply to forecast the performance of hockey players.”

In 2013, Josh Harris and David Blitzer acquired a majority share in the Devils, paving the way for his significant entry into the NHL. Subsequently, he secured a job as the director of the league’s inaugural full-time analytics department, serving in this role from 2014 to 2018.

Following his departure from the Devils, Mehta pursued a master’s degree in data science at The City University of New York. Simultaneously, he provided consultancy services to the Washington Capitals. Moreover, Mehta collaborated with Zelus Analytics to consult for six different Major League Baseball teams.

In August 2020, he became a part of the Panthers as vice president of hockey strategy and intelligence. Later, in September 2023, he was elevated to his present role.