Understanding ROW in NHL StandingsWhen it comes to hockey, every win, loss, and point matters. That’s why the NHL standings can sometimes seem like a complicated web of numbers and tiebreakers.
To help make sense of it all, let’s dive into the concept of ROW (Regulation plus Overtime Wins) and its importance in determining a team’s position in the standings. We’ll also explore how ROW is calculated and its relationship to shootout wins.
So, lace up your skates, and let’s get started!
Definition and Importance of ROW
ROW, in simple terms, refers to the number of games a team has won in regulation time or overtime, excluding shootouts. It serves as a tiebreaker in the NHL standings.
Why is ROW important? Well, think of it this way: a win in regulation or overtime showcases a team’s ability to outperform their opponent over the course of a full game.
It demonstrates greater proficiency and overall dominance. Here’s an example to illustrate the importance of ROW: let’s say Team A and Team B both have the same number of points at the end of the season.
If Team A has a higher ROW than Team B, Team A would be ranked higher in the standings. This is because Team A achieved more wins without the assistance of a shootout, which is seen as an individual skill contest rather than a team effort.
Calculation and Relationship to Shootout Wins
Calculating ROW is relatively straightforward. It involves adding a team’s regulation wins and their overtime wins together.
This total represents the number of games won that lasted beyond regulation time, excluding shootouts. It’s worth noting that shootout wins do not count towards ROW.
That’s because the shootout is viewed as a separate entity, distinct from regulation and overtime play. So, how does this affect a team’s overall standings?
Well, while shootout wins contribute to a team’s point total, they do not impact their ROW. This means that a team with a high number of shootout wins might have a lower ROW, which can potentially affect their position in the standings.
The NHL recognizes that shootout wins are not the same as regulation or overtime wins, hence the exclusion from ROW calculations.
Points System in NHL Standings
Different Outcomes and Points Allocation
The NHL employs a points system to determine team rankings in the standings. Each game produces one of four outcomes, and points are allocated accordingly.
A regulation win, where a team wins within the standard 60 minutes, earns them two points. Similarly, a regulation loss results in zero points for the losing side.
Overtime adds an extra layer of excitement to hockey games. In the event of a tie after regulation, teams play a five-minute sudden-death period.
If a team wins in overtime, they are awarded two points, while the losing team receives one point. This encourages both teams to push for a victory before heading into the dreaded shootout.
Speaking of shootouts, they were introduced to determine a winner when games remained tied after overtime. A shootout win earns a team two points, and the losing team receives one point.
However, as mentioned earlier, shootout wins are not counted towards a team’s ROW, but they do contribute to their overall point total.
Criticisms of Shootout Wins
While shootouts bring an element of excitement and suspense to the game, they have faced criticism from fans and experts alike. One of the main concerns is that the shootout reduces the significance of regulation and overtime play.
Instead of a team’s overall performance, shootouts rely heavily on individual skills and goaltending prowess. Critics argue that shootouts fail to fully reflect a team’s capabilities and can lead to undeserving teams earning extra points.
This can create a disparity in the standings, where a team with a higher number of shootout wins may be ranked higher despite potentially having a lower quality of play. Another criticism stems from the belief that shootouts introduce an element of luck into the game.
A single shootout attempt can decide the outcome of a game, leading to a victory that may not accurately reflect the team’s performance throughout the entire contest. Critics argue that this reliance on luck undermines the integrity of the game and places too much emphasis on individual players rather than the collective efforts of the team.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, understanding the ROW in NHL standings is crucial to comprehending how teams are ranked. ROW serves as an important tiebreaker, highlighting a team’s ability to win in regulation or overtime without the assistance of a shootout.
Considering the criticisms surrounding shootout wins, it’s clear that the NHL standings, their points allocation system, and the role of ROW remain topics of debate within the hockey community. So, the next time you take a glance at the NHL standings, you’ll have a better grasp of what those numbers truly mean.of ROW as a Tiebreaker
When it comes to determining team rankings in the NHL standings, tiebreakers play a crucial role.
One tiebreaker that has gained prominence in recent years is ROW, which stands for Regulation plus Overtime Wins. In this section, we will explore the purpose and legitimacy of ROW as a tiebreaker, as well as look at some examples of ROW in standings.
Purpose and Legitimacy of ROW
The introduction of ROW as a tiebreaker was implemented to better reflect a team’s performance in regulation and overtime play. It aims to prioritize teams that achieve wins without the need for a shootout, as shootouts are seen by some as an individual skill contest rather than a true representation of team effort.
By focusing on regulation and overtime wins, ROW provides a fairer assessment of a team’s ability to outperform their opponents over the course of a full game. It recognizes the importance of sustained performance throughout the regulation and overtime periods, where teams have a chance to display their skills and strategy in a more comprehensive manner.
The legitimacy of ROW as a tiebreaker has been widely accepted within the NHL community. It addresses the concern that shootouts could potentially have a significant impact on team rankings, even though they are only a small part of the game.
ROW ensures that teams with a higher number of regulation and overtime wins are rightfully rewarded for their overall performance.
Examples of ROW in Standings
To further understand the application of ROW as a tiebreaker, let’s consider some examples from previous NHL seasons. In the 2020-2021 NHL season, the standings in the Central Division saw the Carolina Hurricanes finish first with 80 points and a ROW of 32.
Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers finished second with 79 points but had a lower ROW of 29. Despite having one less point, the Hurricanes secured the top spot in the division due to their higher number of regulation and overtime wins.
Another example occurred in the 2019-2020 NHL season in the Pacific Division. The Vegas Golden Knights and the Edmonton Oilers both finished with 86 points, but the Golden Knights had a higher ROW of 33 compared to the Oilers’ 31.
As a result, the Golden Knights were ranked higher in the standings and secured the top seed in the division. These examples demonstrate how ROW can make a difference in team rankings.
It emphasizes the importance of wins achieved in regular and overtime play, adding another layer of fairness to the standings.
Tiebreakers If Teams are Tied in ROW
First Tiebreaker: Points in Head-to-Head Games
In situations where teams have the same number of ROW, the NHL employs additional tiebreakers to determine their rankings. The first tiebreaker is based on the points accumulated in head-to-head matchups between the tied teams throughout the season.
For example, if Team A and Team B have an equal number of ROW, their head-to-head record becomes crucial. The NHL looks at the points earned by each team in their head-to-head meetings.
The team with more points in those matchups would be ranked higher in the standings. This tiebreaker adds an exciting dynamic to the standings as it rewards teams that have performed well directly against their tied counterparts.
It emphasizes the significance of head-to-head matchups and creates an element of rivalry and competition among teams. Second Tiebreaker: Goal Differential
If teams are still tied after the first tiebreaker, the NHL resorts to another criterion: goal differential.
This tiebreaker considers the number of goals scored by a team minus the number of goals conceded during the regular season. For instance, if Team A and Team B not only have the same number of ROW, but also an equal head-to-head record, their goal differential becomes crucial.
The team with a higher goal differential would be ranked higher in the standings. Goal differential is an interesting tiebreaker as it reflects a team’s ability to both score goals and prevent goals against them.
It rewards teams that excel in both offensive and defensive aspects of the game. A positive goal differential showcases a team’s ability to outscore their opponents consistently throughout the season.
By employing these tiebreakers, the NHL ensures that teams are ranked in a fair and objective manner. These additional criteria go beyond ROW to consider head-to-head performance and overall goal differential, further refining the standings and placing emphasis on different aspects of a team’s performance.
In conclusion, ROW has become an essential tiebreaker in the NHL standings, reflecting a team’s performance in regulation and overtime play. It adds an element of fairness and recognition for teams that excel in the core aspects of the game.
Additionally, the NHL employs further tiebreakers such as head-to-head points and goal differential to ensure rankings are determined objectively. So, the next time you analyze the NHL standings, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how ROW and other tiebreakers shape the hierarchy of teams.
In conclusion, understanding ROW in NHL standings is crucial for comprehending team rankings. ROW serves as an important tiebreaker, highlighting a team’s ability to win in regulation or overtime without the need for a shootout.
By prioritizing sustained performance and team effort, ROW adds fairness and legitimacy to the standings. Additionally, the NHL employs further tiebreakers such as head-to-head points and goal differential to ensure rankings are determined objectively.
Ultimately, appreciating the significance of ROW allows hockey fans to have a deeper understanding of how team rankings are determined and adds another layer of excitement to the game.