The NHL standings work such that a team receives 2 points if they win the game, 1 point for a loss in overtime/shootout, and 0 points for a loss in regulation time. This is regardless of whether the team wins in regulation time, overtime, or a shootout because all these games carry 2 points each. This is not the only definition of this word. Points for players mean goals and assists because 1 point goes to a player who scores a goal and 1 point for an assist, up to a maximum of 2 assists per goal. Both will be discussed below.
NHL Points at a Glance:
Both systems in one place, current for the 2026-27 season.
| Win, any kind | 2 points. Regulation, overtime or shootout, it makes no difference |
|---|---|
| Overtime loss | 1 point |
| Shootout loss | 1 point |
| Regulation loss | 0 points |
| Ties | Abolished after 2004-05. Every game now has a winner |
| Points in a regulation game | 2 in total, all to the winner |
| Points in an overtime or shootout game | 3 in total, 2 to the winner and 1 to the loser |
| Maximum points, 2026-27 | 168, from 84 games |
| First tiebreaker | Regulation wins, shown as RW |
| Second tiebreaker | Regulation plus overtime wins, shown as ROW |
| Points percentage | Points earned divided by points available. Used to compare teams with different games played |
| Trophy for most points | The Presidents’ Trophy |
| When the loser point began | 1999-2000 |
| Player points | A different thing entirely. One point for a goal, one for an assist |
| Assists per goal | A maximum of two, so one goal can produce three player points |
| Trophy for most player points | The Art Ross Trophy |
| Career player points record | Wayne Gretzky, 2,857 |
| Single-season player points record | Wayne Gretzky, 215 in 1985-86 |
Standings Points: the 2-1-0 System:
Every regular-season game distributes points as follows.
- Win in regulation: 2 points to the winner, 0 to the loser.
- Win in overtime: 2 points to the winner, 1 to the loser.
- Win in a shootout: 2 points to the winner, 1 to the loser.
Standings tables show this as a three-number record, such as 44-27-11. That is 44 wins, 27 regulation losses and 11 overtime or shootout losses. The points total is the wins doubled plus the overtime losses: in that example, 88 plus 11, giving 99 points. With 84 games in 2026-27, the theoretical maximum is 168 points. No team has ever come close to a perfect season, and totals above 120 are exceptional.
The Loser Point, and Why People Argue About It:
The single point awarded in the event of an overtime or shootout loss is the most controversial part of the system. It is referred to as the loser point or the Bettman point in some cases, after the name of the commissioner. The peculiarity of the system can be described in the following way. A win in regulation time means 2 points being awarded for the standings. An overtime game gets 3 points, since the team that loses still earns 1 point. This means not all games have equal weight in terms of contributions to the standings, which is not common among the other sports.
Opponents of this system claim that this approach distorts the standings artificially and encourages teams to adopt a conservative strategy towards the end of a tied third period, as an overtime gives at least 1 point. Supporters of the system believe that it helps to keep more teams in the running for the playoffs throughout the season, which is exactly what the league aims at. The most widespread alternative is a 3-2-1-0 system – 3 points for a regulation win, 2 points for an overtime/shootout win, 1 point for an overtime/shootout loss and no points for a regulation loss. It would equalize the importance of every game at 3 points. This idea has been suggested several times during recent years.
A Warning If You Are Researching This:
As one searches for a new NHL points system for the upcoming 2026-27 season, an important announcement that highlights a change to the 2-1-0 points system is revealed. The said announcement comes from the Federal Prospects Hockey League, which is a minor professional league, not the NHL. The league is adopting the points system that the NHL has adopted. From just reading the headlines, one gets the impression that the NHL changed their points system. This is not true since the NHL points system remains the same for 2026-27.
How the History Got Here:
The current structure has been around for less time than most people realize. Until the 2004-05 lockout season, games that remained tied at the end of regulation would be called as such, with both teams receiving a point. The introduction of the “loser” point in 1999-2000 allowed for a point to be awarded to teams who lost a game in overtime play, in an attempt to reward teams playing for goals in the extra minutes. This is when games worth three points to the standings appeared.
After the 2004-05 lockout, ties were banned in the NHL altogether and the shootout was implemented, ensuring that every game would have a winner. There have not been any ties in the NHL since the 2005-06 season.
Tiebreakers: What Happens When Teams Are Level:
Points alone are usually not enough to distinguish between the teams, hence the use of an order of tiebreakers in the NHL. First of all, there are regulation wins, known as RW in standing charts. As you may notice, it is intentional for rewarding the teams with wins in the actual games and not in overtime. Then comes regulation and overtime wins, known as ROW. It does not take into account the shootout wins because it is not hockey, but a skills test. You will find both categories in any standing chart because of the following explanation.
Points Percentage:
Teams do not play the same number of games at a particular time during the season, and as such, the order in the league tables can be based on the percentage of points. A team that is sitting on 60 points from 40 games has played 60 out of 80 available, which makes its points percentage equal to .750. It is the best way to judge teams while they are still playing during the season.
The Presidents’ Trophy:
The winning team for the Presidents’ Trophy will be the one that earns the most points during the regular season. This comes with home ice throughout the play-offs, but with no additional awards besides the obvious drawback of not predicting a Stanley Cup.
Player Points: Goals and Assists:
This is another interpretation of what people refer to as NHL points, and it is quite different from the other. Points are given based on how many goals and assists a player makes. It is just that simple. A player gets one point for each goal scored and one point for each assist. So a player who scores 30 goals and 45 assists ends up with 75 points.
The maximum number of assists per goal is two, which goes to the players who last had control of the puck before the goal was made. That way, a goal may give three points to three different players, but will only give two points to the team in the standings.
Records and Trophies:
The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the leading point-scorer in the regular season for the whole season. Both Wayne Gretzky has achieved the records with a total number of 2,857 points in his career and 215 points in one season (1985-86). None of them are in danger. Points per game, or P/GP, is the measure to be compared by players who missed games because of injuries.
Which Kind of Points Did You Mean:
A quick way to tell them apart when reading.
- If the number belongs to a team and sits in a standings table: standings points. Two for a win, one for an overtime loss.
- If the number belongs to a player and sits next to goals and assists: player points. Goals plus assists.
The word is the same and the systems have nothing to do with each other, which is the main reason this question gets asked at all.
Final Take:
Points worth two for a win of any type, one for an overtime or shootout defeat, zero for a regulation loss, with 168 total points available over 84 games. No more ties, no more loser point, and the 3-2-1-0 system continues to be talked about but never implemented. For the players, points equal goals and assists. The same term, but an entirely new system.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do NHL points work?
Teams get 2 points for a win, whether in regulation, overtime or a shootout, 1 point for losing in overtime or a shootout, and 0 points for a regulation loss.
Why do NHL teams get a point for losing?
The overtime loss point was introduced in 1999-2000 to encourage teams to attack in overtime rather than protect a tie. It means a game reaching overtime distributes three points in total, while a regulation game distributes two.
What does 44-27-11 mean in the NHL standings?
44 wins, 27 regulation losses and 11 overtime or shootout losses. That equals 99 points, from 88 for the wins plus 11 for the overtime losses.
What is the maximum number of points an NHL team can get?
168 in 2026-27, from 84 games at 2 points each.
What is the first NHL tiebreaker?
Regulation wins, shown as RW. The second is regulation plus overtime wins, shown as ROW, which excludes shootout victories.
Are there ties in the NHL?
No. Ties were abolished after the 2004-05 lockout and the shootout was introduced so that every game has a winner.
How do player points work in the NHL?
One point for a goal and one for an assist, added together. A maximum of two assists can be given on any goal, so one goal can produce three player points.
Who has the most points in NHL history?
Wayne Gretzky, with 2,857 career points. He also holds the single-season record of 215, set in 1985-86.
What is the 3-2-1-0 system?
A proposed alternative awarding three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime or shootout win, one for an overtime or shootout loss and none for a regulation loss. It has been discussed for years but the NHL has not adopted it.
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