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NHL Standings ordered by combined regulation and overtime wins

The NHL standings are ordered by points instead of an overall win-loss record, but what if they were ordered by the number of overall wins a team earns?

By Sion Fawkes

Jan 4, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers left wing Jimmy Vesey (26) celebrates with
Jan 4, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers left wing Jimmy Vesey (26) celebrates with / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
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In the NHL, points matter more than anything else, and unlike the NFL, NBA, and MLB, the more points a team accumulates — two for a win and one for an overtime or shootout loss — the higher they rank in the standings. But what if the NHL shifted gears and instead sorted out their standings via the number of regulation and overtime wins instead of points? 

You wouldn’t see too much of a deviation from the points-based system, but there are a few interesting discrepancies that are worth noting at the midpoint of the 2023-24 season. Below, you will find the standings sorted by wins, and take note of some differences between them and the number of points each team has.

NHL Standings ordered by overall number of wins

  1. New York Rangers - 26 (53 points)
  2. Colorado Avalanche - 25 (53 points)
  3. Winnipeg Jets - 24 (52 points)
  4. Vancouver Canucks - 24 (51 points)
  5. Florida Panthers - 24 (50 points)
  6. Boston Bruins - 23 (52 points)
  7. Dallas Stars - 22 (49 points)
  8. Vegas Golden Knights - 22 (49 points)
  9. Carolina Hurricanes - 21 (46 points)
  10. Nashville Predators - 21 (43 points)
  11. Los Angeles Kings - 20 (46 points)
  12. New Jersey Devils - 20 (42 points)
  13. Toronto Maple Leafs - 19 (45 points)
  14. Philadelphia Flyers - 19 (44 points)
  15. Tampa Bay Lightning - 19 (43 points)
  16. Pittsburgh Penguins - 19 (42 points)
  17. Detroit Red Wings - 19 (42 points)
  18. Arizona Coyotes - 19 (40 points)
  19. Edmonton Oilers - 19 (39 points)
  20. St. Louis Blues - 19 (39 points)
  21. New York Islanders - 18 (46 points)
  22. Washington Capitals - 18 (42 points)
  23. Calgary Flames - 17 (39 points)
  24. Seattle Kraken - 16 (41 points)
  25. Montreal Canadiens - 16 (37 points)
  26. Minnesota Wild - 16 (36 points)
  27. Buffalo Sabres - 16 (36 points)
  28. Ottawa Senators - 14 (28 points)
  29. Columbus Blue Jackets - 13 (34 points)
  30. Anaheim Ducks - 13 (27 points)
  31. Chicago Blackhawks - 11 (24 points)
  32. San Jose Sharks - 9 (21 points)

As you may have noticed, there isn’t an incredible difference between the points standings and overall number of wins near the top of the standings. The Rangers and Avalanche are one-two in the overall wins category, and they also pace the league with 53 points apiece. 

However, there is some discrepancy with the Bruins, sixth in the overall wins tier, but they are tied with the Jets for third in points totals. This outpaces the Canucks and the Florida Panthers, both of whom are tied with Winnipeg with 24 wins, yet they trail the Bruins in points. 

There is some major turbulence in the middle of the standings with the Islanders and Capitals, who have fewer overall wins, but a higher number of overtime losses. This system would have placed them lower in the overall standings, but thanks to the NHL being based on points, both teams are higher in the real standings. 

(Additional information provided by ESPN.com)

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