# "Pts." in NHL standings--how calculated? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 21, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891 "2010-01-21T20:27:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891/21 "2010-01-25T20:49:55Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > **RickJay** , you’ve proven yourself to be a sober-minded commentator when it comes to all things in sports, but honestly, do you really want to have shootouts to have such a drastic effect on the standings? In the regular season there really isn’t much in the way of an alternative (4 on 4 for the first 10 minutes, then 3 on 3 from then on-still wouldn’t guarantee a quick resolution). No, I don’t want shootouts to have such an effect. I don’t like shootouts at all, really, and would prefer to see OT. Yes, the odd game would go multiple OTs, just as the odd baseball game goes 17 innings and the odd basketball game goes three OTs. It happens. But even assuming we’re stuck with shootouts, I’d much rather see the standings reduced to wins and losses. You win the game, or you lose it. “Nice try” does not belong in the standings of a professional sports league. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891/22 "2010-01-25T20:56:11Z")
I am pretty sure they would not agree to shootouts unless the loser got 1 point. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891/23 "2010-01-25T22:35:41Z")
The saving grace of the shootout is that it eliminates the need for the loser point. But the NHL for some reason kept the loser point when it introduced the shootout. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891/24 "2010-01-26T01:42:30Z")
Not sure why the shootout eliminates the need for the loser point. Is it because in OT there is an incentive for teams to play hard since they know they will get a point even if the lose in OT? In other words they don’t have to play a defensive style game in OT? ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891/25 "2010-01-26T02:36:54Z")
That point was brought in to stop teams from playing for the tie in overtime. Now that there can’t be a tie (because of the shootout), there is no reason why they would play for the tie, so there is no reason for the loser point. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891/26 "2010-01-26T02:51:08Z")
I think the reason they kept the point for losing in a shootout is that a shootout is not considered by some to be realistic but rather an artificial way of ending the game. So therefore a loss in a shootout is not a “real” loss, thus the 1 point to the loser. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891/27 "2010-01-26T02:53:52Z")
If it’s not a “real” loss it shouldn’t be a “real” win either. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891/28 "2010-01-26T03:24:42Z")
The shootout is not the perfect solution but it’s better than any other way to avoid a tie. I don’t have a problem with people who are against shootouts. BTW , instead of playing for a tie in OT , I believe teams now play for a tie in regulation to guarantee the 1 point . So really all they did was change the time when teams would avoid taking risks. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891/29 "2010-01-26T04:28:48Z")
Yes, another reason to do away with that point. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891/30 "2010-01-26T11:29:38Z")
The extra point is not going anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891/31 "2010-01-26T21:31:31Z")
But it should 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pts-in-nhl-standings-how-calculated/525891.md?page=1)