An Alternative Look at the NHL Standings

[WhiteLightning91 105]

Many people think the OTL point is a pretty pointless (no pun intended) aspect of the game. My feeling has always been that you shouldn't be rewarded a point just for making it to overtime. I think it's a pretty safe bet to assume that teams would try harder in the 3rd period to win in regulation if they knew they were either going to get 2 points for a victory or 0 points for losing.

Here's how the standings would look if this system was used by the NHL this year:

Eastern Conference

Pittsburgh* 82 47 35 94

Montreal* 82 47 35 94

Washington* 82 43 39 86

New Jersey 82 46 36 92

Ottawa 82 43 39 86

Carolina 82 43 39 86

New York Rangers 82 42 40 84

Philadelphia 82 42 40 84

Boston 82 41 41 82

Buffalo 82 39 43 78

Florida 82 38 44 76

Toronto 82 36 46 72

New York Islanders 82 35 47 70

Atlanta 82 34 48 68

Tampa Bay 82 31 51 62

Western Conference

Detroit* 82 54 28 108

San Jose* 82 49 33 98

Minnesota* 82 44 38 88

Anaheim 82 47 35 94

Dallas 82 45 37 90

Colorado 82 44 38 88

Calgary 82 42 40 84

Nashville 82 41 41 82

Edmonton 82 41 41 82

Chicago 82 40 42 80

Vancouver 82 39 43 78

Phoenix 82 38 44 76

Columbus 82 34 48 68

St. Louis 82 33 49 66

Los Angeles 82 32 50 64

I was actually kinda surprised at the lack of change that occurred in the standings under this point system. A couple of the seedings changed but only two of the teams involved in the playoffs. Only Boston would have missed the playoffs with Carolina replacing them.

Thoughts?

[russianswede919293 95]

Many people think the OTL point is a pretty pointless (no pun intended) aspect of the game. My feeling has always been that you shouldn't be rewarded a point just for making it to overtime. I think it's a pretty safe bet to assume that teams would try harder in the 3rd period to win in regulation if they knew they were either going to get 2 points for a victory or 0 points for losing.

Here's how the standings would look if this system was used by the NHL this year:

Eastern Conference

Pittsburgh* 82 47 35 94

Montreal* 82 47 35 94

Washington* 82 43 39 86

New Jersey 82 46 36 92

Ottawa 82 43 39 86

Carolina 82 43 39 86

New York Rangers 82 42 40 84

Philadelphia 82 42 40 84

Boston 82 41 41 82

Buffalo 82 39 43 78

Florida 82 38 44 76

Toronto 82 36 46 72

New York Islanders 82 35 47 70

Atlanta 82 34 48 68

Tampa Bay 82 31 51 62

Western Conference

Detroit* 82 54 28 108

San Jose* 82 49 33 98

Minnesota* 82 44 38 88

Anaheim 82 47 35 94

Dallas 82 45 37 90

Colorado 82 44 38 88

Calgary 82 42 40 84

Nashville 82 41 41 82

Edmonton 82 41 41 82

Chicago 82 40 42 80

Vancouver 82 39 43 78

Phoenix 82 38 44 76

Columbus 82 34 48 68

St. Louis 82 33 49 66

Los Angeles 82 32 50 64

I was actually kinda surprised at the lack of change that occurred in the standings under this point system. A couple of the seedings changed but only two of the teams involved in the playoffs. Only Boston would have missed the playoffs with Carolina replacing them.

Thoughts?

I like to leave the one point for an ot loss, i don't mind that. But i eliminate shootouts all together. I think that a tie is a tie at the end of OT. If you do this things shake up a bit.

Also my reson for that is that since they initially made the OT loss point to make OT more exciting it has been canceled out buy the shootout because a lot of teams play the trap in OT to get to a shootout, and OT is boring again.