On the Forecheck: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: Off Tackle Empire interviews Rich Rodriguez

Your New NHL Standings

Thanks to Chris for emailing me an article suggestion this time - in light of this morning's story (courtesy of Off Wing Opinion) that the NHL is considering a revision to the points system (awarding 3 points for a regulation time victory, and only 2 for a SO or OT win). While constant tinkering with the rules is something I find annoying, and the addition of another column to the NHL standings would make them even messier than they already are, this may not be such a bad idea. Far too often in the third period, teams which are tied have little incentive to try and win the game, at the risk of giving up a late goal and walking away with zero points. Too many coaches consider it better to play conservatively and wait for overtime, where chances can be taken more freely. I'm not blaming the coaches here - their job is to earn points in the standings, and given the current setup, boring 3rd periods can be the result of proper risk/reward analysis.

So what would the standings look like if there were an extra point at stake during regulation? With that much more reward available, we'd certainly see some different behavior in various games, but just looking at this season so far, here's how the New And Improved NHL Standings would shape up (New Pts = 3*Reg W + 2*OT W + 1*OT L):




Somewhat surprisingly, we really don't see too much change in today's standings as a result of awarding the additional point for a regulation win. San Jose, which was the last team in the NHL team to even go to the shootout this season, leaps ahead of Anaheim in the Pacific division, and Edmonton jumps ahead of Minnesota into the 8th playoff spot, but outside of that, we don't see any wholesale reordering of the divisions or conferences. What this analysis leaves out, obviously, is how the 3rd period of different games would have played out with the additional point on the line. Personally, I think it's an idea worth looking at further. We'll see what happens in the months ahead...

0 recs  |  Comment 4 comments |

Story-email Email Printer Print

More from On the Forecheck

Good seeds and Bad seeds...

Mar 2007 by Dirk Hoag - 0 comments

Hooray for PythagenPuck

Mar 2007 by Dirk Hoag - 2 comments

Catching Up With PythagenPuck

Dec 2006 by Dirk Hoag - 0 comments

Comments

Display:

Hey -- he ran with my idea! I'm really suprised that it doesn't make much of a difference. It is more of a "rich get richer" type of thing. I figured the teams like Minnesota, Florida, Boston, Atlanta -- any team that has been to overtime a lot would be 'penalized' more. Like you said, there's no way to measure any more incresed intensity that these new rule changes would have brought about, but it sure would make the last few minutes of a lot of games more interesting.

Any chance we could see how the playoffs would have looked last year?

by Chris on Feb 8, 2007 6:06 PM EST reply actions  

I can put last year's adjusted standings up tomorrow morning... thanks for the inspiration!

by The Forechecker on Feb 8, 2007 9:18 PM EST reply actions  

I like it!

Another thing I would like to see is a 1-on-1 period before the shootout. Five minutes, no substitution between whistles, icing gives the player a free entry into the zone, any penalty is a penalty shot. Real wide open end-to-end hockey.

by Anonymous on Feb 13, 2007 9:19 AM EST reply actions  

Minnesota makes me sick. Learn to win in regulation!

by Anonymous on Feb 21, 2007 7:55 PM EST reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the SB Nation blog about the Nashville Predators.
Start posting about the Predators »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

Connect_with_facebook

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

Bradtoylaser_small
NHL 11 Team Play (PS3)
Small
Realignment...Gone Mental!
Reggiemiller_small
Do Predators fans have realistic hopes that the team can compete for the Stanley Cup?
Predators_licenseplate_small
The Biggest Battle to Keep An Eye on at Training Camp
Picture-7100_small
The Road Less Traveled, or Highway to the Comfort Zone?
Small
A Guide to Predators Ticket Sales
Small
Room For Improvement
74395_small
The Chairman of the Predators ....
Hockey_puck_small
Fifty years of hockey in Nashville?  Really?
Small
Cheap shot by Puck daddy

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

On the Forecheck's online store

About Me

Dirk Hoag is the Forechecker, churner of NHL stats & analysis, and managing editor of On the Forecheck.

Get OTF on your Kindle!

Me_medium_medium

Got a question or a suggestion? Feel free to email the.forechecker@gmail.com.

Follow Forechecker on Twitter

Named by Sports Media Challenge as a Top 10 NHL Blog

SBNation.com Recent Stories

PHILADELPHIA - MAY 16:  A fan of the Philadelphia Flyers holds up a sign reading "Next Goalie" behind goalie Carey Price #32 of the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Wachovia Center on May 16, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Habs Finally Lock Up Carey Price, Sign Goalie To Two-Year Deal

National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman answers questions during a pre-game media availability before the Pittsburgh Penguins season opener against the New York Rangers in a NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Oct. 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) +25 updates

Ultimatum? NHL Reportedly Threatens To Toss Out Kovalchuk, Luongo Deals Without NHLPA Concessions

Photo +1 updates

Report: Donald Fehr Hands NHLPA List Of Conditions On Becoming Union Leader

More from SBNation.com >


Managers

Forechecker_35_small Dirk Hoag

Muckers

Predsalternate_small Chris Burton

Grinders

Smashville2_small Aditya T (smashville)

Predators_licenseplate_small SLake

Adslogo_small AdmiralsShortShifts

Picture-7100_small Anthony Neal