NHL Standings: Shootout Results Impact Scoring

Wins and Losses in Shootouts

In the National Hockey League (NHL), a victory in a shootout counts as one goal for the winning team, while a shootout loss counts as one goal against for the losing team. This rule has a significant impact on the official standings for the league.

Standings Implications

The shootout rule affects the standings in several ways:

• Points: Shootout wins award one point to the winning team, while shootout losses result in no points for the losing team.
• Goals For/Against: Shootout goals count towards both the goals for and goals against totals for each team.
• Goal Differential: Shootout results affect the goal differential, which is an important metric used to determine playoff seeding and league rankings.

As a result, teams that are successful in shootouts have an advantage in the standings compared to teams that struggle in these situations.

Recent Rule Changes

The NHL has made several changes to the shootout rule in recent years:

• In 2013-14, the top three teams in each division advanced to the playoffs, regardless of shootout results.
• In 2015-16, the shootout was replaced with a 3-on-3 overtime period, followed by a shootout if the game remained tied.
• In 2021-22, the 3-on-3 overtime period was extended to five minutes, and the shootout was used to determine a winner if the game remained tied.

These changes have helped to reduce the impact of the shootout on the standings, but they have also affected the pace and excitement of NHL games.

Conclusion

The shootout rule in the NHL has a significant impact on the standings, as shootout wins and losses affect points, goals for/against, and goal differential. While the rule has been modified over the years, it remains an important part of the game and can play a role in determining which teams qualify for the playoffs.