I’ll once again begin this by acknowledging something important: I’m still a relatively new hockey fan.

I didn’t grow up living and breathing the NHL the way I did MLB or the NFL, so I’m still learning many of the deeper traditions, strategies, and quirks of the sport. But the more hockey I watch, the more I absolutely love it. The speed, physicality, unpredictability, and playoff intensity have completely won me over.

And as I continue trying to help make Empire Sports Talk a more rounded sports site, I’ve found myself becoming increasingly fascinated by one of hockey’s most debated topics:

The NHL standings points system. The current format works. But I also think there’s a way to make it even more exciting.

Understanding The Current NHL Points System

For newer fans or casual observers, NHL standings can feel confusing at first because hockey doesn’t operate on a simple win-loss record the way football or baseball does.

Instead, the NHL uses a points-based standings system.

Here’s the current setup:

Result	Points Awarded
Regulation Win	2
Overtime/Shootout Win	2
Overtime/Shootout Loss	1
Regulation Loss	0

So, any win earns 2 points, losing after regulation still earns 1 point and losing in regulation earns nothing

The logic behind this is understandable. The NHL wants to reward teams for surviving regulation and keeping games competitive into overtime.

And honestly? It works pretty well.

Late-season hockey is electric because teams are constantly clawing for every possible point. But there’s one issue many fans — including myself — have with the current system: Not all wins are treated equally.

A Regulation Win Should Mean More

Under the current format, a dominant regulation win counts exactly the same as a shootout win. That doesn’t entirely sit right with me.

Winning in regulation is harder. It’s cleaner. It’s more decisive. And I think the standings should reflect that. Which is why I believe the NHL should seriously consider adopting the increasingly popular:

3-2-1 Point System

The concept is simple.

Result	Proposed Points
Regulation Win	3
Overtime/Shootout Win	2
Overtime/Shootout Loss	1
Regulation Loss	0

This system rewards teams for finishing games in regulation while still keeping overtime meaningful. Most importantly – every single game would distribute the same total number of standings points. That creates much cleaner standings logic.

Why I Think This Would Make Hockey Even Better

Again, I fully acknowledge: I’m not inventing this concept. This has already been discussed by NHL fans for years. But as a newer fan coming into the sport from the outside, I honestly think it would make regular season hockey even more chaotic, strategic, and entertaining.

Especially late in games.

Imagine The Final Minutes Of Regulation

Right now, once games get late and tied, teams sometimes become cautious because both clubs know they’ve already secured at least one point by reaching overtime.

But under a 3-2-1 system?

A regulation win becomes MASSIVE. Now there’s a difference between earning 3 points and earning only 2. That extra point could completely swing a playoff race.

So instead of teams protecting the guaranteed overtime point, fringe playoff teams would become desperate to attack late in regulation.

You’d see:

• more pulled goalies
• more aggressive forechecks
• more offensive pressure
• more risks
• more chaos

And chaos is good for hockey.

The Playoff Implications Would Be Huge

Think about the end of the regular season. Teams jockeying for Wild Card spots, division titles or playoff seeding would suddenly become even more aggressive trying to secure regulation wins.

A team sitting 2 points out of the playoffs wouldn’t simply be trying to “get to overtime.” They’d be hunting the full 3 points. That changes strategy entirely.

And honestly? That sounds awesome.

Reward The Teams That Actually Win

Another thing I like about the 3-2-1 system is that it better rewards truly elite teams.

A club that consistently finishes opponents in regulation should be rewarded over teams constantly surviving into overtime.

Right now, two teams can have identical point totals, despite one having significantly more regulation wins. The proposed system would naturally separate teams more clearly based on actual dominance.

And in a sport where playoff seeding matters as much as hockey?
That feels important.

Hockey Is Already Incredible — This Could Add Even More Drama

One thing I’ve quickly learned as a newer NHL fan is this: the sport doesn’t need gimmicks. Hockey already rules.

But if there’s a way to naturally increase urgency and excitement without fundamentally changing the game itself, I think it’s worth exploring.

The 3-2-1 system doesn’t reinvent hockey. It simply increases the value of winning games outright.

And the result could be, more aggressive endings, clearer standings, more meaningful regulation hockey and even more late-season drama.

Sounds like a win for everybody.

Final Thoughts

Again, I’m still learning hockey. I’m not pretending to be the authority on NHL history or league structure.

But sometimes fresh eyes bring a different perspective. And from where I sit as a growing fan of the sport, the NHL’s current point system feels close to being perfect.

The 3-2-1 format feels cleaner. It rewards regulation excellence.
And most importantly, it could make the final minutes of hockey games even more insane than they already are.