When you think about the NHL season, one of the most important things to keep track of is the NHL standings.

These standings are more than just a ranking system—they’re a reflection of each team’s journey through the ups and downs of a long, grueling season.

Every win, every loss, every overtime point tells part of the story, making the NHL standings the heartbeat of the season.

Let’s break down what the NHL standings really mean, how they work, and why they’re so important to every hockey fan.

How NHL Standings Work

The NHL standings rank teams based on points.

It’s a straightforward system:

• Two points for a win (whether it’s in regulation, overtime, or a shootout).
• One point for an overtime or shootout loss.
• Zero points for a regulation loss.

While simple, this point system leads to intense competition throughout the season, as every game contributes to a team’s position in the standings.

For fans, checking the NHL standings becomes a routine.

Whether your team is sitting comfortably at the top or clawing for a wild-card spot, the standings are always shifting, and it can be thrilling (or nerve-wracking) to follow.

The Battle for Playoff Spots

One of the biggest reasons fans keep an eye on the NHL standings is because they determine playoff spots.

The top three teams from each division automatically qualify for the playoffs.

After that, the next two best teams in each conference, regardless of division, earn the wild-card spots.

The race for these final spots is where the drama truly unfolds.

Imagine your team is just a few points behind in the standings, teetering on the edge of making the playoffs.

Every point matters.

Every overtime loss that grabs a single point becomes crucial.

Take the Nashville Predators in the 2021-2022 season, for example.

They were in the thick of the wild-card race in the Western Conference, where even one point gained or lost could have meant the difference between making the playoffs or being left on the outside.

This is why the NHL standings are so engaging.

For fans, it’s not just about who’s winning the most games, but also about how teams scrape together points and climb up the rankings.

Divisions and Conferences: A Unique Race

The NHL standings are divided into divisions and conferences.

Each division has its own set of standings, and teams compete fiercely to land one of the top three spots in their division.

These spots are automatic tickets to the playoffs.

However, if a team can’t crack the top three in its division, they can still chase a wild-card spot.

This makes following the NHL standings a double-edged sword.

A team could be sitting fourth or fifth in their division but still be in the playoff hunt via the wild card.

Conversely, a team could be safely in the top three for most of the season, only to fall out at the last minute due to a losing streak.

The dynamic nature of the NHL standings means fans never know for sure who’s in or out until the very end.

Emotional Highs and Lows: The Fan Experience

There’s an emotional rollercoaster that comes with following the NHL standings.

Hockey is a game of streaks, and every fan knows the joy of watching their team go on a winning run and shoot up the standings.

But there’s also the dread of watching your team fall, losing crucial games and slipping out of playoff contention.

A perfect example of this is the 2018-2019 St. Louis Blues.

They found themselves at the bottom of the NHL standings midway through the season.

Most fans had written them off.

But a miraculous second-half surge saw the Blues climb from last place to a playoff spot, eventually going on to win the Stanley Cup.

That’s the kind of drama that keeps fans glued to the NHL standings—you never know when things can turn around.

Hot Streaks vs. Cold Slumps: The Story in the Standings

Momentum is everything in hockey, and the NHL standings reflect that.

A team on a hot streak can leapfrog several places in the standings in just a week or two.

But a cold slump can send even the most talented teams tumbling.

Take, for instance, the 2020-2021 Toronto Maple Leafs.

They had a stellar regular season, dominating their division and sitting high in the NHL standings.

However, when they hit a rough patch during the playoffs, their season ended abruptly, despite their strong regular-season standing.

This is why tracking the NHL standings is both exhilarating and frustrating.

You might feel on top of the world after a great month of hockey, only to be brought back down when your team hits a cold streak.

Tiebreakers: Regulation Wins and Their Importance

One of the more interesting aspects of the NHL standings is how ties in points are broken.

When two teams are tied, the first tiebreaker is regulation wins—that is, how many games a team won without needing overtime or a shootout.

This adds an extra layer of intensity to the standings.

A team that wins more in regulation is rewarded over a team that racks up shootout wins.

It’s why, as a fan, you might find yourself hoping your team can win in regulation rather than dragging the game into overtime.

Because at the end of the season, those regulation wins could be the deciding factor in where a team finishes in the NHL standings.

How Injuries Can Impact the NHL Standings

One of the harsh realities of professional sports is that injuries happen.

And when key players get hurt, it can drastically affect a team’s performance—and their place in the NHL standings.

Look at the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2021-2022 season.

Injuries to star players like Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty hurt their performance, causing them to slide down the NHL standings and miss the playoffs.

No matter how good a team looks on paper, injuries can derail their season.

And for fans, it adds another layer of uncertainty when following the standings.

Your team might look like a lock for the playoffs one week, only to be struggling to stay in the race the next due to a key injury.

The Trade Deadline: A Shift in the NHL Standings

The NHL standings take on a special significance around the trade deadline.

Teams look at their position in the standings to determine whether they should make a push for the playoffs or start planning for the future.

Contenders at the top of the standings often look to add players who can help them make a deep playoff run.

Meanwhile, teams lower in the standings might sell off key players to stockpile draft picks and prospects for a rebuild.

The trade deadline can dramatically shift the NHL standings.

A team that picks up a key player could go on a late-season run and secure a playoff spot, while a team that sells might fall out of the race altogether.

For fans, the trade deadline is one of the most exciting and nerve-wracking times of the year, as it can drastically change the balance of power in the league.

The Role of Goal Differential in NHL Standings

Another statistic you’ll notice in the NHL standings is goal differential—the difference between how many goals a team scores and how many they allow.

This is a good indicator of a team’s overall strength.

Teams with a high goal differential are generally more dominant, while teams with a negative goal differential are often just scraping by.

During the 2021-2022 season, the Colorado Avalanche had a high goal differential, reflecting their dominance in the league.

In contrast, teams lower in the standings often have a poor goal differential, showing that they’ve struggled to keep up with their competition.

The Fan’s Guide to Living by the NHL Standings

As a fan, the NHL standings can feel like a living, breathing entity.

They change with every game, and each shift in the standings comes with its own set of emotions.

Whether you’re riding high as your team leads the league or biting your nails as they fight for a wild-card spot, the standings add drama to every single game.

The beauty of the NHL standings is that no position is guaranteed.

A team at the top today could fall to the middle of the pack tomorrow, and a team barely hanging on could make a Cinderella run to the playoffs.

That unpredictability is what makes hockey so thrilling.

Conclusion: The NHL Standings Tell the Story of a Season

The NHL standings are far more than just a simple list of wins and losses.

They reflect the twists and turns of a team’s season—the triumphs, the setbacks, and everything in between.

For fans, following the NHL standings is an emotional journey.

From the excitement of climbing the standings to the heartache of slipping down, the standings are a reflection of every team’s fight to make the playoffs.

Whether you’re checking the standings daily or keeping an eye on your team’s progress from a distance, one thing’s for sure—the NHL standings are the pulse of every hockey season, and they tell a story that’s as thrilling as the games themselves.