Thread: 2011-12 Regular Season Standings IF different point/OT systems were used

Just out of curiosity, I took a look at how the regular season standings would have been under the following point system scenarios:


Three Points Available Every Game

Under this scenario, the current OT and shootout rules apply, except a regulation win is worth 3 points, an overtime or shootout win is worth 2, and an overtime or shootout loss is worth 1. Ties are broken by most number of regulation wins. Using this system, no extra points are leaked into the table for overtime games, and winning a game via a 5-minute 4-on-4 or a skills contest is worth fewer points than winning in regulation. Here's how the season would have gone...

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. STL 42-07-11-22 (151)
2. VAN 36-15-09-22 (147)
3. PHX 33-09-13-27 (130)
4. NSH 40-08-08-26 (144)
5. DET 36-12-06-28 (138)
6. CHI 34-11-11-26 (101)
7. SJS 31-12-10-29 (127)
8. LAK 31-09-15-27 (126)
9. CGY 32-05-16-29 (122)
10. DAL 31-11-06-35 (121)
11. COL 25-16-06-35 (113)
12. ANA 29-05-12-36 (109)
13. MIN 22-13-11-36 (103)
14. EDM 25-07-10-40 (99)
15. CBJ 23-06-07-46 (88)


EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. PIT 40-11-06-25 (148)
2. BOS 38-11-04-29 (140)
3. FLA 31-07-18-26 (125)
4. NYR 39-12-07-24 (148)
5. NJD 42-06-06-28 (144)
6. PHI 37-10-09-26 (140)
7. WSH 31-11-08-32 (123)
8. OTT 30-11-10-31 (122)
9. BUF 27-12-11-32 (116)
10. CAR 29-04-16-33 (111)
11. WPG 27-10-10-35 (111)
12. TBL 25-13-08-36 (109)
13. TOR 26-09-10-37 (106)
14. NYI 24-10-11-37 (103)
15. MTL 24-07-16-35 (102)

The notable differences are that St. Louis wins the President's Trophy, takes the number 1 seed from Vancouver and Pittsburgh knocks the Rangers down to 4th seed by claiming the 1st seed for themselves. Kings are still the 8 seed. Only Edmonton and C-bus fail to break 100 points.



REGULATION DRAW

Under this system, games end at 60 minutes without the possibility of overtime at all. One of the reasons cited for bringing in the shootout was to prevent teams from playing for the one point near the end of the game. IMO, near the end of the season, when teams on the bubble are hungry for points, they are going to scrap much harder at the end of the game, knowing there's no chance to get an extra point in a shootout.

1. STL 42-22-18 (102)
2. VAN 36-22-24 (96)
3. PHX 33-27-22 (90)
4. NSH 40-16-16 (96)
5. DET 36-28-18 (90)
6. CHI 34-26-22 (90)
7. LAK 31-27-24 (86)
8. CGY 32-29-21 (85)
9. SJS 31-29-22 (84)
10. DAL 31-35-17 (79)
11. ANA 29-36-17 (75)
12. COL 25-25-22 (72)
13. MIN 22-36-24 (68)
14. EDM 25-40-17 (67)
15. CBJ 23-46-13 (59)

1. PIT 40-25-17 (97)
2. BOS 38-29-15 (91)
3. FLA 31-26-25 (87)
4. NYR 39-24-19 (97)
5. NJD 42-28-12 (96)
6. PHI 37-26-19 (93)
7. WSH 31-32-19 (81)
8. OTT 30-31-21 (81)
9. CAR 29-33-20 (78)
10. BUF 27-32-23 (77)
11. WPG 27-35-20 (74)
12. TOR 26-37-19 (71)
13. TBL 25-36-21 (71)
14. MTL 24-35-23 (71)
15. NYI 24-37-21 (69)

Again, Blues win the President's Trophy and take the 1 seed, and Pittsburgh usurps Rangers for the 1 seed in the East. Blues are the only team to eclipse 100 points without overtime considerations. Calgary takes the 8 seed and edges the Sharks out of the playoffs. Ouch.


SOCCER STYLE

This system, like the above one, ends the game at regulation. However, 3 points are awarded for a win and only 1 for a draw. This actually removes points from the league table for draws. I've included total points only here, since records would be the same as the previous scenario.

SOCCER STYLE

1. STL (144)
2. VAN (132)
3. PHX (121)
4. NSH (136)
5. DET (126)
6. CHI (124)
7. CGY (117)
8. LAK (117)
9. SJS (115)
10. DAL (110)
11. ANA (104)
12. COL (97)
13. EDM (92)
14. MIN (90)
15. CBJ (82)

1. NJD (138)
2. BOS (129)
3. FLA (118)
4. PIT (137)
5. NYR (136)
6. PHI (130)
7. WSH (112)
8. OTT (111)
9. CAR (107)
10. BUF (104)
11. WPG (101)
12. TOR (97)
13. TBL (96)
14. MTL (95)
15. NYI (93)

Blues are still top dog in the West and still would claim the President's Trophy, but look at the shake-up in the East! Devils in the 1 seed! Calgary puts LA back into the 8 spot by virtue of the tiebreaker, and, once again, Sharks are a spectator to the playoffs.


Granted, if any of these point systems were actually in play, the approach for some of the teams in certain games would be completely different, so there's no way to tell what the actual standings would have been, but I thought this would make interesting speculation.

As much as I enjoy watching shootouts, I would have no problem bringing back ties.

What I love most about this breakdown us that no matter what point system used, the Kings are still Stanley Cup Champions!