Everyone has played half their schedule now, so this is something I like to do. It’s what the standings would look like if it were a system that made sense. We do it two ways, so walk with me here. First, here are the standings as they are now:
| Atlantic Division | GP | W | L | OL | PTS |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 42 | 32 | 8 | 2 | 66 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 42 | 27 | 13 | 2 | 56 |
| Boston Bruins | 42 | 24 | 14 | 4 | 52 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 42 | 22 | 14 | 6 | 50 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 43 | 22 | 16 | 5 | 49 |
| Florida Panthers | 40 | 17 | 16 | 7 | 41 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 44 | 16 | 21 | 7 | 39 |
| Ottawa Senators | 43 | 15 | 23 | 5 | 35 |
| Metropolitan Division | GP | W | L | OL | PTS |
| Washington Capitals | 41 | 25 | 12 | 4 | 54 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 42 | 23 | 13 | 6 | 52 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 41 | 24 | 14 | 3 | 51 |
| New York Islanders | 40 | 23 | 13 | 4 | 50 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 41 | 19 | 17 | 5 | 43 |
| New York Rangers | 41 | 17 | 17 | 7 | 41 |
| New Jersey Devils | 41 | 16 | 18 | 7 | 39 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 42 | 15 | 21 | 6 | 36 |
| Central Division | GP | W | L | OL | PTS |
| Nashville Predators | 44 | 26 | 15 | 3 | 55 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 41 | 26 | 13 | 2 | 54 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 42 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 48 |
| Dallas Stars | 43 | 22 | 17 | 4 | 48 |
| Minnesota Wild | 41 | 21 | 17 | 3 | 45 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 45 | 16 | 22 | 7 | 39 |
| St. Louis Blues | 40 | 17 | 19 | 4 | 38 |
| Pacific Division | GP | W | L | OL | PTS |
| Calgary Flames | 44 | 27 | 13 | 4 | 58 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 45 | 26 | 15 | 4 | 56 |
| San Jose Sharks | 44 | 24 | 13 | 7 | 55 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 43 | 19 | 17 | 7 | 45 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 45 | 20 | 21 | 4 | 44 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 42 | 20 | 19 | 3 | 43 |
| Arizona Coyotes | 42 | 18 | 21 | 3 | 39 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 44 | 17 | 24 | 3 | 37 |
Now, let’s get rid of this ridiculous OT system. So all overtimes and shootouts are just ties, and we’ll simply measure by regulation wins:
| Atlantic Division | GP | W | L | T | PTS |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 42 | 24 | 8 | 8 | 56 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 42 | 22 | 13 | 5 | 49 |
| Boston Bruins | 42 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 43 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 43 | 18 | 16 | 4 | 40 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 42 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 36 |
| Florida Panthers | 40 | 11 | 16 | 6 | 28 |
| Ottawa Senators | 43 | 12 | 23 | 3 | 27 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 44 | 8 | 21 | 8 | 24 |
| Metropolitan Division | GP | W | L | T | PTS |
| Washington Capitals | 41 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 44 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 42 | 19 | 13 | 4 | 42 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 41 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 43 |
| New York Islanders | 40 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 41 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 41 | 16 | 17 | 3 | 35 |
| New York Rangers | 41 | 11 | 17 | 6 | 28 |
| New Jersey Devils | 41 | 14 | 18 | 2 | 30 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 42 | 12 | 21 | 3 | 27 |
| Central Division | GP | W | L | T | PTS |
| Nashville Predators | 44 | 22 | 15 | 4 | 48 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 41 | 20 | 13 | 6 | 46 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 42 | 19 | 14 | 2 | 40 |
| Dallas Stars | 43 | 19 | 17 | 1 | 39 |
| Minnesota Wild | 41 | 17 | 17 | 5 | 39 |
| St. Louis Blues | 40 | 15 | 19 | 2 | 32 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 45 | 11 | 22 | 5 | 27 |
| Pacific Division | GP | W | L | T | PTS |
| Calgary Flames | 44 | 23 | 13 | 4 | 50 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 45 | 22 | 15 | 4 | 48 |
| San Jose Sharks | 44 | 21 | 13 | 3 | 45 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 42 | 14 | 19 | 6 | 34 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 43 | 14 | 17 | 6 | 34 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 45 | 12 | 21 | 7 | 31 |
| Arizona Coyotes | 42 | 13 | 21 | 5 | 31 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 44 | 12 | 24 | 5 | 29 |
Not too much changes, but it’s also not the same. The Lightning are still running away with the league. The Wings would comfortably be the worst team in the league. The Hawks would be marooned in the Central, and the Oilers would look a little rosier. The Sharks would be in bigger trouble than they are now. Just a fun little experiment to see who’s doing the real work.
