By now you know I like to do this at certain points throughout the year. It’s no secret I think the NHL standings system is stupid, and actually a conspiracy to give most every team at least the appearance of competitiveness. Almost everyone can be over or near .500, when in reality they’re nowhere close. The loser-point is a crime. So let’s see what’s really going on. There are two ways I like to do it. One is to relegate both overtime wins and losses to mere ties, and this way we can see who is winning games in regulation. The second is to go with a 3-2-1-0 system, where any game won in overtime or shootout is two points, and one lost in that fashion is one point.
So first, the standings as they are:
Atlantic Division | GP | W | L | OL | PTS |
Tampa Bay Lightning | 66 | 50 | 12 | 4 | 104 |
Boston Bruins | 65 | 39 | 17 | 9 | 87 |
Toronto Maple Leafs | 65 | 40 | 21 | 4 | 84 |
Montreal Canadiens | 66 | 35 | 24 | 7 | 77 |
Buffalo Sabres | 65 | 30 | 27 | 8 | 68 |
Florida Panthers | 65 | 28 | 26 | 11 | 67 |
Detroit Red Wings | 65 | 23 | 33 | 9 | 55 |
Ottawa Senators | 66 | 23 | 38 | 5 | 51 |
Metropolitan Division | GP | W | L | OL | PTS |
Washington Capitals | 66 | 38 | 21 | 7 | 83 |
New York Islanders | 65 | 37 | 21 | 7 | 81 |
Carolina Hurricanes | 65 | 36 | 23 | 6 | 78 |
Pittsburgh Penguins | 65 | 34 | 22 | 9 | 77 |
Columbus Blue Jackets | 65 | 36 | 26 | 3 | 75 |
Philadelphia Flyers | 66 | 32 | 26 | 8 | 72 |
New York Rangers | 65 | 27 | 27 | 11 | 65 |
New Jersey Devils | 66 | 25 | 33 | 8 | 58 |
Central Division | GP | W | L | OL | PTS |
Winnipeg Jets | 65 | 39 | 22 | 4 | 82 |
Nashville Predators | 68 | 38 | 25 | 5 | 81 |
St. Louis Blues | 65 | 34 | 25 | 6 | 74 |
Dallas Stars | 65 | 33 | 27 | 5 | 71 |
Minnesota Wild | 66 | 32 | 27 | 7 | 71 |
Colorado Avalanche | 66 | 28 | 26 | 12 | 68 |
Chicago Blackhawks | 66 | 27 | 30 | 9 | 63 |
Pacific Division | GP | W | L | OL | PTS |
Calgary Flames | 65 | 41 | 17 | 7 | 89 |
San Jose Sharks | 66 | 39 | 19 | 8 | 86 |
Vegas Golden Knights | 67 | 36 | 26 | 5 | 77 |
Arizona Coyotes | 65 | 32 | 28 | 5 | 69 |
Edmonton Oilers | 65 | 28 | 30 | 7 | 63 |
Vancouver Canucks | 66 | 27 | 30 | 9 | 63 |
Anaheim Ducks | 66 | 25 | 32 | 9 | 59 |
Los Angeles Kings | 65 | 24 | 33 | 8 | 56 |
Now, the one with only ties and no OT results:
Atlantic Division | GP | W | REG W | L | OTW | OL | PTS |
Tampa Bay Lightning | 66 | 50 | 44 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 98 |
Boston Bruins | 65 | 39 | 32 | 17 | 7 | 9 | 80 |
Toronto Maple Leafs | 65 | 40 | 34 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 78 |
Montreal Canadiens | 66 | 35 | 31 | 24 | 4 | 7 | 73 |
Buffalo Sabres | 65 | 30 | 23 | 27 | 7 | 8 | 61 |
Florida Panthers | 65 | 28 | 21 | 26 | 7 | 11 | 60 |
Detroit Red Wings | 65 | 23 | 16 | 33 | 7 | 9 | 48 |
Ottawa Senators | 66 | 23 | 18 | 38 | 5 | 5 | 46 |
Metropolitan Division | GP | W | REG W | L | OTW | OL | PTS |
Washington Capitals | 66 | 38 | 33 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 78 |
New York Islanders | 65 | 37 | 32 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 76 |
Carolina Hurricanes | 65 | 36 | 32 | 23 | 4 | 6 | 74 |
Pittsburgh Penguins | 65 | 34 | 30 | 22 | 4 | 9 | 73 |
Columbus Blue Jackets | 65 | 36 | 28 | 26 | 8 | 3 | 67 |
Philadelphia Flyers | 66 | 32 | 27 | 26 | 5 | 8 | 67 |
New York Rangers | 65 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 1 | 11 | 64 |
New Jersey Devils | 66 | 25 | 22 | 33 | 3 | 8 | 55 |
Central Division | GP | W | REG W | L | OTW | OL | PTS |
Winnipeg Jets | 65 | 39 | 33 | 22 | 6 | 4 | 76 |
Nashville Predators | 68 | 38 | 33 | 25 | 5 | 5 | 76 |
St. Louis Blues | 65 | 34 | 29 | 25 | 5 | 6 | 69 |
Minnesota Wild | 66 | 32 | 29 | 27 | 3 | 7 | 68 |
Colorado Avalanche | 66 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 1 | 12 | 67 |
Dallas Stars | 65 | 33 | 27 | 27 | 6 | 5 | 65 |
Chicago Blackhawks | 66 | 27 | 19 | 30 | 8 | 9 | 55 |
Pacific Division | GP | W | REG W | L | OTW | OL | PTS |
Calgary Flames | 65 | 41 | 36 | 17 | 5 | 7 | 84 |
San Jose Sharks | 66 | 39 | 33 | 19 | 6 | 8 | 80 |
Vegas Golden Knights | 67 | 36 | 32 | 26 | 4 | 5 | 73 |
Arizona Coyotes | 65 | 32 | 27 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 64 |
Vancouver Canucks | 66 | 27 | 22 | 30 | 5 | 9 | 58 |
Edmonton Oilers | 65 | 28 | 22 | 30 | 6 | 7 | 57 |
Anaheim Ducks | 66 | 25 | 21 | 32 | 4 | 9 | 55 |
Los Angeles Kings | 65 | 24 | 19 | 33 | 5 | 8 | 51 |
As you can see, not that much changes, but there are some. One, the Jackets would be completely adrift in the Metro, and really the playoffs altogether. The Hurricanes would be in with a real shout of winning the Metro as well. The Lightning wouldn’t have a prayer of catching the ’77 Canadiens. Dallas would fall behind the Wild and Avalanche, and the Hawks would be hopelessly marooned to the bottom of the Central, with their 19 regulation wins being third-worst in the league. Arizona would barely be hanging on in the playoff race.
Now with the 3-2-1-0 system:
Atlantic Division | GP | W | REG W | L | OTW | OL | PTS |
Tampa Bay Lightning | 66 | 50 | 44 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 148 |
Boston Bruins | 65 | 39 | 32 | 17 | 7 | 9 | 119 |
Toronto Maple Leafs | 65 | 40 | 34 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 118 |
Montreal Canadiens | 66 | 35 | 31 | 24 | 4 | 7 | 108 |
Buffalo Sabres | 65 | 30 | 23 | 27 | 7 | 8 | 91 |
Florida Panthers | 65 | 28 | 21 | 26 | 7 | 11 | 88 |
Detroit Red Wings | 65 | 23 | 16 | 33 | 7 | 9 | 71 |
Ottawa Senators | 66 | 23 | 18 | 38 | 5 | 5 | 69 |
Metropolitan Division | GP | W | REG W | L | OTW | OL | PTS |
Washington Capitals | 66 | 38 | 33 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 116 |
New York Islanders | 65 | 37 | 32 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 113 |
Carolina Hurricanes | 65 | 36 | 32 | 23 | 4 | 6 | 110 |
Pittsburgh Penguins | 65 | 34 | 30 | 22 | 4 | 9 | 107 |
Columbus Blue Jackets | 65 | 36 | 28 | 26 | 8 | 3 | 103 |
Philadelphia Flyers | 66 | 32 | 27 | 26 | 5 | 8 | 99 |
New York Rangers | 65 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 1 | 11 | 91 |
New Jersey Devils | 66 | 25 | 22 | 33 | 3 | 8 | 80 |
Central Division | GP | W | REG W | L | OTW | OL | PTS |
Winnipeg Jets | 65 | 39 | 33 | 22 | 6 | 4 | 115 |
Nashville Predators | 68 | 38 | 33 | 25 | 5 | 5 | 114 |
St. Louis Blues | 65 | 34 | 29 | 25 | 5 | 6 | 103 |
Minnesota Wild | 66 | 32 | 29 | 27 | 3 | 7 | 100 |
Colorado Avalanche | 66 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 1 | 12 | 95 |
Dallas Stars | 65 | 33 | 27 | 27 | 6 | 5 | 98 |
Chicago Blackhawks | 66 | 27 | 19 | 30 | 8 | 9 | 82 |
Pacific Division | GP | W | REG W | L | OTW | OL | PTS |
Calgary Flames | 65 | 41 | 36 | 17 | 5 | 7 | 125 |
San Jose Sharks | 66 | 39 | 33 | 19 | 6 | 8 | 119 |
Vegas Golden Knights | 67 | 36 | 32 | 26 | 4 | 5 | 109 |
Arizona Coyotes | 65 | 32 | 27 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 96 |
Vancouver Canucks | 66 | 27 | 22 | 30 | 5 | 9 | 85 |
Edmonton Oilers | 65 | 28 | 22 | 30 | 6 | 7 | 85 |
Anaheim Ducks | 66 | 25 | 21 | 32 | 4 | 9 | 80 |
Los Angeles Kings | 65 | 24 | 19 | 33 | 5 | 8 | 75 |
Differences here: No one is within 23 points of the Lightning. The Wings and Senators have a firm grasp on the top two spots in the lottery. Again, Carolina has a real shot at a division crown. The Coyotes have a real shout at a playoff spot.
The changes aren’t that big, but there are some that teams and fanbases would notice.