NHL should eliminate points system

The debate continues to rage about changing the NHL points system to include three points for a win, two points for an overtime win, and one point for an overtime loss.

Well, an easier way to solve everything would be to switch to a strict wins/losses system.

Revolutionary, I know.

“We should reward excellence, teams going for it and trying to win,” one NHL executive told ESPN.com last week. “We shouldn’t reward teams doing the rope-and-dope and waiting for overtime to get at least a point.”

Exactly! How about giving a team zero points for losing in overtime? The incentive for getting a ‘W’ instead of an ‘L’ should be enough motivation for the players, don’t you think? Plus, it would reward teams that consistently find ways to win, as opposed to a team with 20 overtime losses that would still get 20 points for those losses. Is there really that big of a big difference between losing after 60 minutes and losing after, say, 63 minutes?

For example, the top four teams in the East are Washington (18-5-6, 42 pts), Pittsburgh (20-9-1, 41 pts), Boston (15-9-5, 35 pts), and New Jersey (19-7-1, 39 pts). With a wins/losses format, the top three teams would be Pittsburgh (20-10), Washington (18-11), Buffalo (16-10), and New Jersey (19-8).

The shootout was created to stop games from ending in ties. By changing to a wins/losses standings format, wins will finally be rewarded. While every other pro sport goes by wins and losses, non-hockey fans continue to be confused by our already-confusing sport.

It’s time for the NHL to finally switch to an easy format that rewards winners and punishes losers.