Supplied — MahangaThe NHL looks on with a cheeky grin as its current point system still gives the illusion of parity among the league.
This season, the only teams that are more than 10 points back of a playoff spot are the Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Edmonton Oilers, with a roster decimated by injuries, are only eight points out of a playoff spot in the brutal Pacific division, and this is with with a league-worst nine regulation wins.
The current point system, allows teams to stay in the hunt by picking up a “thanks for trying” point for an overtime or shootout loss, while giving fans hope that their mediocre team can squeak in the playoffs. It’s how the Vancouver Canucks, who are tied for the third most losses in the league, are amazingly just one point from occupying the third spot in the Pacific division.
It’s also how the Florida Panthers snuck into the playoffs while losing 18 times in overtimes/shootouts, the most in the league that year, in the 2011-2012 season. A win in the shootout is currently worth just as much as a win in regulation, with tiebreakers being the only real benefit to ending a game in 60 minutes.
In a three-point system, a regulation win would be worth three points, an overtime or shootout win would be two points, and an overtime loss would be awarded one point. Teams would have more incentive to win a game in regulation instead of simply pushing to it overtime to collect a loser point.
True talent begins to show with a three-point system. Points matter more when good teams are regularly picking up three points every game instead of mediocre teams surviving on overtime and shootout wins. While the Calgary Flames have won nine games in overtime this season, they would be effectively eliminated from playoff contention if the NHL adopted a three-point system and started to reward teams that win in regulation. The Flames would also have missed the playoffs last year and the Kings would have passed them by a few points with by virtue of winning more games in regulation.
Teams still get to pick up a loser point in overtime, but in this case, the Canucks move to five points out of a playoff spot, leaving them in a spot that more accurately reflects their talent level. The Oilers sit eight points out of a playoff spot, but shift to 17 points in a three-point system. Bad teams are weeded out and have less of a chance to make a fluke run to the playoffs.
Rewarding teams with an extra point for a victory in regulation motivates them to win hockey games in 60 minutes and promotes offence, as games won beyond regulation aren’t worth as much in the standings. The NHL needs offence more than ever and doing away with defensive stalemates would be a step forward in achieving this. Rather than playing the trap to preserve an automatic point in overtime, teams will push to win the game before time runs out, creating a more exciting atmosphere.
Making the separation between good and bad teams might not be something the league wants as fans don’t get the same false hope they do now, but it makes the playoffs stronger by featuring the league’s best teams instead of a fluke team that fizzles out in the first round.
