NHL Western Conference and the loser point

Canada
December 16, 2009 12:22am CST
The western conference is as close as it has ever been with only 9 points separating 7th place from dead last. The second place Colorado Avalance have 19 wins and 44 points. So do the fourth place Sharks with 45 points, the sixth place Flames with 42 points, seventh place Coyotes with 40 points, and tenth place Canucks with 38 points. What separates these teams? The Sharks and Canucks both have a goals for/against differential of 19 while the Avs have -1, the Flames have 15 and the Coyotes have 6. Going by this stat the Canucks and Sharks should be battling it out at the top of this list but that is not the case. The team with the lowest differential is out front. The real separator for these teams is the loser point. The Avalanche have lost 6 games in OT, the Sharks 7 (played one more game hence one more point), the Flames have 4, the Coyotes have 2 and the Canucks have 0. The Canucks are the only team not to have lost a game in overtime or the shootout. If not for this loser point all five of these teams would be tied for fourth behind only the Kings, Hawks, and Predators. Would this be better for the game? Maybe. In my opinion the league needs to get rid of the point for the overtime loss. It skews the standing in favour of boring teams that sit back just to get the game to OT. Sure its the way the game is now but I think if Bettman wants to improve the quality of his product he should seriously consider getting rid of the point awarded to losing teams.
1 response
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
16 Dec 09
Good analysis GrimCrimson. I am a canucks fan, so I like your statement... ...the Canucks and Sharks should be battling it out at the top... I am not sure, if getting rid of the loser point will make the game more exciting than it is now, but I do hate the teams that clamp down, and just hang on to reach OT. I am old, but I am a young fan. So this is the set up that I have known it to be. Also, I think Bettman has other bigger problems to worry about than the loser point. Case in point, the Phoenix Coyotes.