Hi Sens fans, Hope all is well with you all. We were absolutely shafted yesterday against the Habs.
Today I would like to start a discussion on the NHL shootouts. For me they need to go. These are the reasons why.
1. It is like tossing a coin to decide a winner. How many times does a hockey player get to skate unchallenged to the net 1 on 1 with the goalie and pick his spot to score a goal? Even breakaways in regular time see skaters with the puck pressured by at least one defender skating on their heals. For me this is not a true reflection of a hockey game therefore it is deciding a vital point using a poor method.
2. I think it is very unfair that a team who wins in regulation gets rewarded the same amount of points as a team that needs to go to a shootout to win a game. I don’t believe the same reward should be given for each scenario. Needing a shootout to win means you weren’t good enough to win in regulation so why should you get the same points as a team who wins a game in regulation time?
3. Shootout wins being worth 2 points is not a true reflection of where teams should be on the league. Lucky points from shootout victories see teams in higher positions than they deserve to be in. Teams who win games in regulation time are being punished.
My solution to the shootout system is as follows.
– Get rid of the shoot out and replace the shoot out with a 3 on 3, 5 minute period after the first 4 on 4 overtime period.
– Change the points to a 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, system.
– 4 points for a regulation win
– 3 points for an overtime win
– 2 points for a tie/draw after both overtime periods are completed
– 1 point for an overtime loss
– 0 points for a regulation game loss
Hockey fans in a league/table situation it is ok to have a draw/tie. It adds to the excitement of the game. There doesn’t always need to be a winner. If the two teams slug it out at each other over 3 periods of 20 mins and two overtime periods of 5 mins and the scores are still even. You have watched a great game of hockey and I believe the two teams deserve to go home sharing the points.
I am interested in hearing your thoughts Sens fans.
Cheers Nathan
