Hockey Fans Are Suddenly Flabbergasted By Point System That Has Been In Place For Over 20 Years Because Their Favorite Team Missed The Playoffs
Rich Graessle. Getty Images.The NHL introduced the "loser point" system starting in the 1999-2000 season. The shootout was introduced in 2005-06 to make sure that tie games were a thing of the past. So it's been 20 years now since you got 2 points for a win in any fashion, 1 point for a loss in overtime/shootout, and 0 points for a loss in regulation. The "loser point" has been around since the Clinton administration. It's nothing new, it hasn't caught teams off guard.
But for some reason or another, it has taken a grip over hockey fans this year who are seemingly losing their mind about the flaws of this point system.
I mean, listen….I get it. The LA Kings have had 22 wins in regulation this year. The Anaheim Ducks have had 25 wins in regulation, and the Philadelphia Flyers have had 26 wins in regulation. Meanwhile, the Caps have had the 7th most regulation wins in the league this season and their asses are heading home right now. Quite possibly the final year of Ovechkin's career in the NHL, and they didn't make the playoffs while a team they have 10 more regulation wins than is sitting 3rd in the Metro. I'd look for any excuse out there to bitch about as well.
But this is how it's been for 20+ years. The most important thing during the regular season is to not lose in regulation. You just need to keep stacking as many points as possible. The playoffs is where winning is supreme. If you want to talk about regulation losses, then the Caps and the Islanders are exactly where they belong. 30 regulation losses for Washington, 33 regulation losses for the Islanders, 29 regulation losses for the Blue Jackets. If you missed the playoffs by a couple of points in the standings, then there is your answer. You don't even need to win those games, you just can't lose so much in regulation. Bottom line is don't suck, and you'll make the playoffs. Not the Flyers' and Kings' fault that Washington got their shit blown out so many times this year.
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All I'm saying is that it seems so easy to say one team is better because they have more regulation wins. But wouldn't the same logic say that team is actually worse because they have so many regulation losses?