Why not overtime instead of the shootout?

Question

I don't mean this as a rant. I'm not a fan of the shootout, any more than I want to see a home-run contest instead of extra innings in baseball, but I'm curious as to why they don't continue with 4-on-4.

I don't have the stats in front of me, but it seemed like a fairly large chunk of games last season were decided in the five-minute overtime. Given that, why not keep playing? Is it because they worry about the effects of a possible long overtime game on a team playing the next night? Is it just to add drama and possibly attract more fans?

Just curious, really, what others think.

LITY - I'd be more than happy to just go back to ties, too. I had no problem with the pre-overtime days.

Bob - Didn't notice at first that you mentioned keeping ties. I'm glad to see some of the brighter minds on here in support of them. I just don't see overtime/shootout as an improvement on the old way of doing things.

cyrenaica - Thanks for providing the stats.

Answer 1

I like it. I would prefer ties but this would be my second choice. I saw the % of games that end in the first few minutes of OT and it is high. Even in the play-offs, a good chunk of games are ended early. It seems they either end early or drag on forevever seems to be the rule of thumb. I would like to see them earn their money.
However, these guys have flights to catch alot of times and the odd game would surely throw a wrench into it.
Alot of games went multiple periods of OT in the play-offs last year but that was an exception to the norm. What is more exciting than sudden death?
In our dreams though I am afraid.

Answer 2

There are two problems faced with extended Overtime. First off is the obvious problem with tired teams. If your on a 6 game road trip and go into triple overtime in your first game, it is very likely that one game will cause a team to collapse. Second is the problem with the arena. Many arenas will have hockey one night and basketball the next night. In order to coordinate this an arena uses the night hours to set up the playing surface. With an extended overtime this can cause problems with the lease. So I agree that a shootout is the only possibility to bring the game to an end without a tie. However, my biggest problem with a shootout, is it isolates, only one part of the game, and completely ignores the fact that hockey is a team sport. Right now it is one of the best things working for the NHL so I say leave it as is for the time being.

Answer 3

Ironically it was a semi-result of the anger over the Baseball All-star game in Milwaukee a few years back ending in an tie, plus like was mentioned before a gimiick to get fans in the stands after the lockout season. Basically it came out to having no more ties, to ensure this is done as quickly as possible, a 5 minute sudden death with a shootout if needed format was chosen. Otherwise you could potentially be in an overtime situation for an hour or two, as has happened in playoffs in the recent past (Some playoff games going into a 4th 20 minute overtime)

Answer 4

There are a few main reasons that they don't have overtimes that go on and on. TV-Wise, they want to keep the games fairly structured for the TV contracts so they don't interfere with their other programming for reg season games. Health issues and travel issues. They can't risk fatiguing their players to too high an extreme and then have them travel. The travel and fatigue factors are already being looked into and ongoing overtimes all season would risk players getting more tired and thus causing more injuries. It could also create unfair advantages that don't occur during the playoffs. In the playoffs if two teams go for 4 OTs, both teams will be in the same condition the next game (generally 2 days later), in the reg season, 1 of those teams could well have to catch a flight to play their next opponent the next day who could well be completely rested. The potential hazards with travel and the like just make it unfeasible.

However, I hate shootouts as they are a bastardization of what's SUPPOSED to be a team sport. It takes a team sport and turns it into an individual skills contest. Who's to say the 94 Devils weren't as good a team as the 91 Penguins? But they sure as heck couldn't roll out Mario, Francis and Jagr (for example) to fire away in a shootout situation (nor a Recchi, Stevens etc). Defensive teams are at a disadvantage.

My own solution if they want fewer ties (what's wrong with ties anyway?) would be to make it a 5 on 5 (as that is what hockey is) OT period that lasts for either 10 or 20 minutes depending on how rigid they wanted to be with time. it would create more results and fewer ties and would allow the team sport of hockey to be decided by the teams as opposed to the top 3 individuals.

And what the hell is it with giving points to teams that lose in OT? That's stupid.. but wait, this is Bettman and the NHL, who brought us the glowpuck and renamed divisions so they'd be easier to remember than the Adams, Patrick, Smythe and Norris. Now I can't remember what the hell they are anymore.

Answer 5

Why does it have to be one or the other? Why not go back to Ties? Ties made the most sense point wise where a maximum amount of points per game was 2. If they want to keep a 5 minute overtime fine, but the winner should get 2 and the loser nothing. Extending overtime won't help, because even if statistics showed that most games end quickly, there would be those few that hit triple OT and beyond. During the playoffs when it's get wins or go home then most fans can stomach the triple OT's and beyond, but a regular season game that does that isn't fair to the players or fans.

Answer 6

80% of all games that went to OT last year ended up in the shootout.

The reason we have a shootout is apparently I am the only one on the planet who likes ties. Everybody else wants to see a winner. And in the essence of getting things wrapped up at a decent time, the owners and players agreed to shootouts. Now there is a faction in the NHLPA that would like to see them in the playoffs (and most of the factions members are Canadian) as well.


Bob - I was unaware that Kariya was one of them. Heatley, Spezza, Datsyuk, Lidstrom, Cammaleri, Doan, and Iginla are the ones I've heard about. I'd love to know how the goalies feel though :)

Well Bob - Cyren has corrected my numbers.
So, if 60% go to a shootout, that means 40% end within 5 minutes, so extrapolation suggests that 80% would end within 10 minutes.

Me...take away the shootout and let us have ties, and eliminate the extra point!

Answer 7

LITY, you are not the only one that likes ties. I do too. I believe that hockey and soccer are two sports that need to have ties. I mean what is better getting a point for losing in a shootout or getting a point for a tie game? Personally I would prefer the latter. Another thing of hockey I dislike is getting two points for a win. I say it should be just like soccer where the winner gets three points.Two points does not seem like much for a win.

Answer 8

The lockout a few years ago angered a lot of people and they were looking for gimmicks to bring them back. I don't like the shootout either but I guess we'll have to live with it.

The other thing I don't like is the point for an overtime loss. If you play a game and lose, whether it's in overtime or not, you shouldn't have more points than you had before the game.

Answer 9

I didn't think I would like the shootout when it was introduced, but I do. I guess I like knowing that I didn't spend 3 hours watching a game to see it end in a tie.

As for continuing the overtime - with 82 games already played, plus playoffs, adding more minutes to more games would end up causing ealrier retirements, more injuries, and slower play.

And although fans might like it, they wouldn't like games going into multiple overtimes before they work the next day.

I think we should save that fun for the playoffs.

Answer 10

Are you saying consecutive 5 minute OTs? That doesn't make any sense so I'm hoping you're saying 20 minutes like in the playoffs. Basketball OTs like that work because of the scoring. There's not as many OT in bball. Hockey would drag out forever. One game could take 8 OTs on a normal night and that's just not fair to anyone. Shoot outs are not going to be around long. Ties will make a comeback!