Sunny Mehta (born April 7, 1978, in Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American hockey executive, data scientist, and former professional poker player, writer, options trader, and musician. Currently the Assistant General Manager and Head of Analytics for the Florida Panthers, he pioneered the first full-time analytics department in the National Hockey League as Director of Hockey Analytics for the New Jersey Devils. He is co-author of two bestselling poker strategy books.[1]

Biography

Mehta grew up in Wyckoff, New Jersey, and graduated from Ramapo High School, where he played varsity ice hockey.[2] He studied Jazz Guitar and Studio Music at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, and then moved to New Orleans, Louisiana to perform and record with various local acts.[3] He later worked as a derivatives trader at the Chicago Board of Trade, and received a Master's in Data Science from the City University of New York.[4]

Career

Poker

Mehta began playing poker as a hobby in 2003, and by 2004 was playing professionally in high-stakes no-limit Texas hold 'em games. After moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, he met poker author Ed Miller and publisher Mason Malmuth. Mehta and Miller, along with poker player Matt Flynn, co-authored "Professional No-Limit Hold 'em: Volume I", which was released by Malmuth's Two Plus Two Publishing in 2007.[5] The book immediately became the #1 gambling and poker book on Amazon's bestseller list.[6]

The author team of Mehta, Miller, and Flynn left Two Plus Two to self-publish their highly anticipated second book, "Small Stakes No-Limit Hold'em", which was released in 2009.[7]

Hockey

Mehta went on to do statistical analysis of National Hockey League hockey games, and he published articles about it. He was hired by the New Jersey Devils in 2014 to serve as Director of Hockey Analytics[8] and start the first full-time analytics department in the NHL. He has additionally consulted for the Phoenix Coyotes and Washington Capitals, as well as six Major League Baseball teams.[9]

Mehta was hired by the Florida Panthers in 2020 as Vice President of Hockey Strategy and Intelligence, and he was promoted to Assistant General Manager and Head of Analytics in 2023.[10]

Accomplishments

  • Matt Flynn, Sunny Mehta, and Ed Miller (2007). Professional No Limit Hold 'Em: Volume I. ISBN 978-1-880685-40-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Ed Miller, Sunny Mehta, and Matt Flynn (2009). Small Stakes No-Limit Hold'em.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Eddie Dejean and the New Orleans Funk Project (Media notes). Eddie Dejean and the New Orleans Funk Project (Sunny Mehta - guitar). 2003.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  • Scoot Boogie Baby (Media notes). Lani Ramos (Sunny Mehta - guitar). 2004.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  • 13th place in the 2006 World Poker Open $1,500 Buy-In No-Limit Hold 'em Event [11]

References

  1. ↑ "Panthers Hire Mehta". Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Panthers Hire Mehta". Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Sunny Mehta Biography". Retrieved August 3, 2007.
  4. ↑ "Panthers Hire Mehta". Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Sunny Mehta Biography". Retrieved August 3, 2007.
  6. ↑ "Article on Sunny Mehta". Archived from the original on November 8, 2007. Retrieved August 3, 2007.
  7. ↑ "SSNLH Book Review". Retrieved July 26, 2009.
  8. ↑ "Devils Enter Analytics Age". Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Panthers Hire Mehta". Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Panthers Promotions". Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Poker Database". Retrieved August 3, 2007.
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