Sunday, April 8, 2007

A New Point System

In Larry Brooks' column in the New York Post on Sunday he argues that the NHL should go to a new point system where a regulation win gets 2 points a shootout win gets 1 (OT would be eliminated) and a loss of any type gets 0. His argument against the current system is the same as all the other complaints it inflates points, rewards losing, and punishing teams that win in 60. I have never seen his points proposal done so I decided to look at the standing using his format although slightly adjusted because overtime exist.

For the standings below a team gets 2 points for a regulation or OT win, 1 point for a shootout win, and 0 points for a loss of any kind.

UPDATED Through the end of the season

Atlantic W L SW P
New Jersey 39 33 10 88
Pittsburgh 37 35 10 84
NY Rangers 33 40 9 75
NY Islanders 33 42 7 72
Philadelphia 21 60 1 43

Northeast W L SW P
Buffalo 43 29 10 96
Ottawa 46 34 2 94
Montreal 36 40 6 78
Toronto 36 42 4 76
Boston 26 47 9 61

Southeast W L SW P
Carolina 40 42 0 80
Atlanta 36 39 7 79
Tampa 34 38 10 78
Florida 33 47 2 68
Washington 27 54 1 55

Central W L SW P
Detriot 48 32 2 98
Nashville 45 31 6 96
St. Louis 28 48 6 62
Columbus 28 49 5 61
Chicago 26 50 6 58

Northwest W L SW P
Vancouver 44 33 5 93
Minnesota 38 34 10 86
Calgary 40 39 3 83
Colorado 39 38 5 83
Edmonton 29 50 3 61

Pacific W L SW P
San Jose 49 31 2 100
Anaheim 44 34 4 92
Dallas 40 32 9 89
Phoenix 26 51 5 57
Los Angeles 23 55 4 50

Conference Standings:
East
Team PTS
BUF 96
NJ 88
CAR 80
OTT 94
PITT 84
ATL 79
MON 78
TAM 78
TOR 76
NYR 75
NYI 72
FLA 68
BOS 61
WSH 55
PHI 43

West
Team PTS
SJ 100
DET 98
VAN 93
NSH 96
ANA 92
DAL 89
MIN 86
CGY 83
COL 83
STL 62
EDM 61
CBJ 61
CHI 58
PHX 57
LA 50

To compare here is the current NHL standings

It's clear why the NHL will never adopt this, the point totals will plummet to lower to what they were before the 1999-2000 bonus point was introduced. There would be only 1 100 point team (San Jose) and only 12-13 (depending on the Colorado result tonight) would be above .500 point percentage wise which makes the league look mediocre. There would be also be a below .500 (with 0 shootout wins) division champion. The reason for the point drop to below the old 2 for a win 1 for a tie format is because you cutting out the tie points in half. If OT was eliminated as Brooks wants points would be even lower.

That said there are some big changes. For one San Jose who will start the playoffs on the road would be the Presidents Trophy winners as the only 100 point team. Carolina who will missed the playoffs would be the Southeast Division champs and would have home ice. Also last nights Montreal and Toronto game would have been meaningless as Montreal would have made it anyways. The Islanders would have finished far back and the Rangers who are the 6th seed would have missed as well.

This system is probably more fair but because of the illusion of more worse teams than there are this won't be adopted in the NHL.

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