Extra Point a Moot Point

Every year, NHL fans and analysts start a debate about whether or not the extra point for losing in overtime or the shootout is justified. Some argue that it keeps the playoff race alive and rewards teams for extending the game. On the other side of the coin, opponents argue that there should be no rewarding mediocrity and losers. Its a battle that occurs all throughout every season since the extra point was adopted. The argument has even brought up other creative solutions, most notably creating a three-point system, where a regulation win is worth 3, an OT or shootout win is 2, and the OT or shootout loser earns 1.

But before we continue to divide fans on this topic, what we should really consider is if it has a real impact on the standings. Last season's Philadelphia-New York game to finish the year made for real excitement. The winner of the shootout would make the playoffs. If you didn't know, the Flyers would win that game, earning 7th and ultimately reached the Stanley Cup Finals only to lose to Chicago. Anyways, I digress. In my opinion, the debate on the extra point is a moot point and I can easily prove it with statistics and not opinion.

The extra point has contributed very little to the standings in both conferences. In fact, there would be no change to the teams earning a playoff spot, but there would be substantial changes to the standings, at least for the 2010-2011 season. And strangely, the point totals in the theoretical standings (without extra point) are almost a mirror image between the two conferences.

Eastern Conference Official Standings		Eastern Conference Without Extra Point
Team	Pts	Team	Pts
Washington	107	Pittsburgh	98
Philadelphia	106	Washington	96
Boston	103	Boston	92
Pittsburgh	106	Philadelphia	94
Tampa Bay	103	Tampa Bay	92
Montreal	96	Montreal	88
Buffalo	96	NY Rangers	88
NY Rangers	93	Buffalo	86
Carolina	91	Carolina	80
Toronto	85	New Jersey	76
New Jersey	81	Toronto	74
Atlanta	80	Atlanta	68
Ottawa	74	Ottawa	64
NY Islanders	73	Florida	60
Florida	72	NY Islanders	60

Notes: In theoretical standings, Montreal has more regulation wins than the New York Rangers. Florida and the New York Islanders tied in the season series, but Florida had a better goal differential over the entire season.

Western Conference Official Standings		Western Conference Without Extra Point
Team	Pts	Team	Pts
Vancouver	117	Vancouver	108
San Jose	105	San Jose	96
Detroit	104	Detroit	94
Anaheim	99	Anaheim	94
Nashville	99	Los Angeles	92
Phoenix	99	Chicago	88
Los Angeles	98	Nashville	88
Chicago	97	Phoenix	86
Dallas	95	Dallas	84
Calgary	94	Calgary	82
St. Louis	87	Minnesota	78
Minnesota	86	St. Louis	76
Columbus	81	Columbus	68
Colorado	68	Colorado	60
Edmonton	62	Edmonton	50

Notes: In theoretical standings, Chicago secures the tie-breaker over Nashville with more wins head-to-head.

The information in the table illustrates that the extra point has done very little in terms of rewarding enough teams to catapult them into the playoffs. The reason for this is that most teams in the NHL have a similar amount of points from overtime losses, but what we do observe is that more teams are closer to a playoff spot, suggesting more teams are in the hunt for a longer period, making later games in the season more important.

Going back the last few seasons, the top eight teams in each conference would have been nearly identical, with the exception of 2008-2009 where three teams would have been tied for eighth in the east, possibly having removed Montreal from the last playoff spot in replacement for Florida or Buffalo. As well, in 2007-2008, the eight place team in both conferences may have changed. In the east, Carolina would have advanced instead of Boston, and possibly Edmonton earning eighth, instead of Nashville.

With all the data and facts stated, the debate about whether the extra point is needed or not will continue, but what we do see is that an extra point earned by teams losing in extended time lengthens a team's hunt for a playoff spot, which makes the NHL season a little more exciting. Over the last four years, only one team would have certainly made the playoffs, with an additional two possibly having earned a spot, depending on the tie-breaker for that season. All in all, this eternal debate really is a moot one at that and until there is a season where a team loses 20 or 30 games in extended time, it will remain that way.