I've got a more detailed examination in the works, but for now here's a look at how the NHL standings would look under different point systems:

Under the current NHL point system, with shootouts and charity points:

• Only 4 teams are under .500 (Florida, Anaheim, Toronto, Carolina)
• 6 teams are at .500 (Philadelphia, NY Rangers, NY Islanders, Minnesota, Montreal, Edmonton)
• 20 teams are considered "above" .500 (two-thirds the league)
• Philadelphia is a lottery team with a 13-13-1 record
• Phoenix would be 3rd in the Pacific, 6th in the West, and 9th overall
• Carolina is 7-17-5 for 19 points

Since all games that go to a shootout would be ties in the "old NHL", using the pre-lockout scoring system (2 points for a win, 0 for a regulation loss, and 1 for tie or overtime loss):

• 11 teams would be under .500
• 2 would be .500 (Columbus, Tampa Bay)
• 17 would be above .500
• The top 8 seeds in each conference would be the same teams, but Boston would drop from 3rd to 7th
• Pittsburgh would be ahead of New Jersey in the Atlantic Division
• Phoenix would be still be 3rd in the Pacific, 6th in the West, and 9th overall
• Carolina would be 4-17-6-2 for 16 points

If we go back to the pre-1999 system with no charity points (2 points win, 0 points loss in regulation or overtime, 1 point for a tie):

• 13 teams would be below .500
• 2 teams would be .500 (Columbus, Boston)
• 15 teams (half the league) would be above .500
• Philadelphia would be 24th overall, the Islanders 25th, and St. Louis would have a lottery pick
• Nashville and Tampa Bay would miss the playoffs
• Vancouver and the Rangers would be playoff teams
• Phoenix would again be 3rd in the Pacific, 6th in the West, and 9th overall
• Carolina would be 4-19-6 for 14 points after last night's win against Pittsburgh

The most telling microcosm is between Vancouver, Nashville, and Dallas. All have played 29 games. Vancouver has gone to OT twice, SO both times. Nashville has gone to OT seven times, SO four times. Dallas has gone to OT eleven times, shootout seven times.

Current system

• (7th) Nashville: 16-11-2, 34 PTS
• (8th) Dallas: 13-8-8, 34 PTS
• (10th) Vancouver: 16-13-0, 32 PTS

Pre-lockout system

• (7th) Dallas: 12-8-7-2, 33 PTS
• (8th) Nashville: 13-11-4-1, 31 PTS
• (9th) Vancouver: 14-13-2-0, 30 PTS

Pre-1999 system

• (7th) Dallas: 12-10-7, 31 PTS
• (8th) Vancouver: 14-13-2, 30 PTS
• (9th) Nashville: 13-12-4, 30 PTS

What you'll notice is that as the shootout is removed and the charity point eliminated, Vancouver inches up from 10th all the way into a playoff position. Nashville was 3-1 in the shootout, all of which become ties, dropping them down to 8th. Remove the charity point completely and they're out of a playoff spot. Dallas is a wretched 1-6 in shootouts, but once the 6 extra points to the winners of those shootouts are eliminated, Dallas actually goes up a seed. When charity points are eliminated altogether, Dallas still holds that 7th seed.

Another interesting note is that Detroit actually drops from 9th right now to 10th in the pre-lockout system, and 11th when charity points are removed altogether.

 

Standings are as of 7am, Tuesday December 8, 2009.