Be Like Tike

Jump to Comments

Since Gary Bettman’s National Hockey League has emerged from a lockout, the game has changed. Many of these changes, including the integration of the shootout into the course of some games, have been for the better. Others, such as the league’s signing a television contract with little-known network Versus, have proven to be duds. However, there is one idea that must be instituted and, as far as I know, the NHL has not even considered it. It is to make each game worth a total of three points, doing away with an archaic system that makes some game worth three points and others worth two. For more details, and a look at the revised NHL standings, read on.

The way this system would work is for a regulation win to be worth three points, a win in overtime or a shootout to be worth two points, a loss in regulation or a shootout to be worth one point, and a loss to be worth zero points (instead of regulation and overtime wins being worth two and an overtime loss being worth one point).

This system also rewards teams for being dominant, as teams like the Senators and Red Wings are even farther ahead in these standings than they are in the NHL’s, while punishing teams that can not close out the game in regulation and need the shootout/extra time on a regular basis (Atlanta and Edmonton, namely).

Furthermore, the final few minutes of regulation would be more interesting, as teams would no longer be coasting into overtime and trying to simply stay alive until a shootout, instead valuing the three points more. This could make for some interesting situations in the spring, as one team may need three points and have a tie game with two minutes left, forcing them to pull their goalie and try to win in regulation (thereby risking losing everything) instead of simply trying to obtain the two points from an OT/SO win.

If this way of tracking points were to be adopted, there would be some dissenters, to be sure, and the magical 100-point plateau would no longer matter. It would, however, allow standings to be a stronger barometer of how talented teams truly are or are not, something that the current standings fails to do.

Now, what you are waiting for: the Be Like Tike NHL standings. They will be updated with each day’s results, so check back often.

Some interesting facts about these standings:

• The NHL does not keep track of overtime/shootout wins. That seems negligent.
• 100 of 535 games played this year have been decided in overtime or a shootout. That number equals 18.7% of all games played.
• The disparity between these standings and the NHL’s is not that great, both in the standings and in the divisions. There are very few large shifts in either set of standings (conference or division).
• Philadelphia went from last in the Atlantic Division to second.
• Edmonton is 10-3 in the overtime/shootout period, but only has six regulation wins.
• Atlanta is 8-1 in overtime/shootouts.
• The dominance of Detroit (77 points, 22 regulation wins) and Ottawa (71 points, 21 regulation wins) can be truly appreciated.
• Since this is a Pittsburgh site, the Penguins move from 2nd in the Atlantic Division down to 3rd and from 7th in the playoff race down to 9th.
• There are 15 teams between 51 and 61 points right now, meaning that there are 15 teams within three wins of each other.
• Phoenix is the only team with a zero in any column, as the Coyotes have somehow avoided an overtime/shootout loss. Part of this may be that they have only been there three times, winning on each of these occasions.

Related Posts

• Fleury in playoff form as Pens clinch
• Who are these Penguins?
• Marc-Andre Fleury changes pad color to be more huge