Illegal Curve Hockey

Numbers Game: The Old Points System

In Tuesday’s Numbers Game, we looked at how the standings would look if the proposed 3 point regulation win is implemented. Today, we see what the standings would look like if the NHL reverted back to the old points system: 2 points for a regulation or overtime win, 1 point for a tie, no points awarded for overtime losses and no shootouts!

Surpisngly, there are few changes in the standings. In fact, under the old points system, the same 8 teams would be heading to the playoffs. The Canadiens would drop from 5th to 8th in the East, while the Hurricanes and Panthers would both jump 2 spots to 5th and 6th, respectively. In the West, the top 6 teams would remain the same, while the Oilers and Predators would swap places.

So if there are minimal differences between the current point system, the old points system and the proposed 3 point system, then what is all the fuss about?

EASTERN
			CURRENT POINT SYSTEM				OLD POINT SYSTEM
Rank	Team	GP	W	L	OT	PTS	W	L	T	PTS	Rank	Change
1	Boston	68	43	16	9	95	39	19	10	88	1	0
2	New Jersey	66	43	20	3	89	38	21	7	83	2	0
3	Washington	68	41	21	6	88	38	23	7	83	3	0
4	Philadelphia	65	36	19	10	82	33	24	8	74	4	0
5	Montreal	67	36	24	7	79	29	26	12	70	8	-3
6	Pittsburgh	68	36	26	6	78	30	28	10	70	7	-1
7	Carolina	69	36	27	6	78	33	29	7	73	5	2
8	Florida	67	34	24	9	77	31	26	10	72	6	2

9	NY Rangers	67	34	25	8	76	25	28	14	64	9	0
10	Buffalo	67	33	27	7	73	26	30	11	63	10	0
11	Toronto	68	27	28	13	67	23	34	11	57	12	-1
12	Ottawa	66	27	29	10	64	25	34	7	57	11	1
13	Atlanta	67	26	35	6	58	22	40	5	49	13	0
14	Tampa Bay	67	21	32	14	56	19	38	10	48	14	0
15	NY Islanders	67	22	37	8	52	19	41	7	45	15	0
WESTERN
			CURRENT POINT SYSTEM				OLD POINT SYSTEM
Rank	Team	GP	W	L	OT	PTS	W	L	T	PTS	Rank	Change
1	San Jose	65	43	12	10	96	40	18	7	87	1	0
2	Detroit	67	44	15	8	96	38	21	8	84	2	0
3	Calgary	67	39	22	6	84	37	26	4	78	3	0
4	Chicago	65	37	19	9	83	34	23	8	76	4	0
5	Vancouver	66	34	23	9	77	31	26	9	71	5	0
6	Columbus	67	34	27	6	74	30	28	9	69	6	0
7	Edmonton	66	32	27	7	71	28	30	8	64	8	-1
8	Nashville	67	33	29	5	71	29	31	7	65	7	1

9	Minnesota	66	32	28	6	70	28	32	6	62	10	-1
10	Dallas	67	31	28	8	70	26	32	9	61	11	-1
11	Anaheim	68	32	30	6	70	29	34	5	63	9	2
12	St. Louis	66	30	28	8	68	25	31	10	60	13	-1
13	Los Angeles	66	29	28	9	67	25	30	11	61	11	2
14	Phoenix	67	28	33	6	62	26	37	4	56	14	0
15	Colorado	67	29	37	1	59	21	37	9	51	15	0