There's been a lot of 'commotion' around the NHL the last few years regarding the 3-point game. With the advent of the "Losers Point" for OT losses and then the "Bonus Point" for SO wins, it's tougher and tougher for teams to catch up to the pack when they fall behind.

The League is now using ROW (Regulation and Overtime) wins as the 2nd tie-breaker. That seems to be a step in the right direction, but I have another idea.

To start out simple, when a team wins the same amout of games it loses they are called '500'. As we know, that is the representation of 50% in the 'Pct.' column.

But with the inclusion of the OT Loss, teams whose record is 11-11-2 (Hello Tampa Bay!) are really NOT .500. In hockey teams, when calculating the winning percentage the total number of points earned was taken against the total number of points the team could have won. Ex: Tampa Bay has 24 points earned in 24 games or 24 points out of 48 which is .500.

However, the actual calculation should take into account the amount of points earned against the total number of points AWARDED. Ex: Tampa Bay has 24 points earned in 18 games ended in regulation and 6 games ended in OT/SO or 24 points out of 42 which is .444.

Taking that into account here is a look at current standings in the East:

Pittsburgh -- 32 points -- .640

Boston -- 31 points -- .647

Florida -- 30 points -- .625

Toronto -- 30 points -- .600

Philadelphia -- 29 points -- .630

Rangers -- 29 points -- .690

Ottawa -- 26 points -- .542

Washington -- 25 points -- .543

New Jersey -- 25 points -- .543

Tampa Bay -- 24 points -- .500

Montreal -- 24 points -- .480

Winnipeg -- 22 points -- .458

Carolina -- 20 points -- .385

Islanders -- 18 points -- .409

Now, if we apply the modified calculations, here are the modified standings:

Boston -- 31 points out of 50 -- .620

Rangers -- 29 points out of 47 -- .617

Philadelphia -- 29 points out of 50 -- .580

Florida -- 30 points out of 53 -- .566

Pittsburgh -- 32 points out of 58 -- .552

Toronto -- 30 points out of 56 -- .536

Buffalo -- 27 points out of 52 -- .519

Ottawa -- 26 points out of 53 -- .491

Washington -- 25 points out of 52 -- .481

New Jersey -- 25 points out of 53 -- .472

Tampa Bay -- 24 points out of 54 -- .444

Montreal -- 24 points out of 57 -- .421

Winnipeg -- 22 points out of 53 -- .415

Islanders -- 18 points out of 48 -- .375

Hurricanes -- 20 points out of 56 -- .357

Using this process, the Top 8 for the playoffs are more apparent with a winning percentage of .500 (or close), where under the old way the top 11 teams are ".500".

Pittsburgh and Toronto are killed by having earned 4 "Loser" points. In the West, Minnesota goes from 1st down to 4th and Chicago falls from 3rd to 7th.

This may give teams more incentive to end the games in regulation. If you win in OT/SO your winning percentage is .667 instead is 1.000, losers are .333 instead of .500. The four teams I mention above have had 8 (PIT), 6 (TOR), 8 (MIN), and 6 (CHI) SO/OT games.