Shootouts

I have two big problems with shootouts.

First and foremost, get rid of it. It’s the worst way to end a game. After a hard fought 65 minute battle, the game comes down to a few shooters and each team’s goalie, and in my mind, that’s not right. If a game goes into overtime, this usually means it’s been a pretty even, well played game. The shootout doesn’t conclude this type of game properly.

Four on four overtime hockey is also extremely exciting to watch, and this is another reason why the NHL should scrap the shootout. Four on four is a great way to end a game, and it offers a much better, more fair alternative to the shootout.

I still haven’t reached my biggest reason for giving the shootout the boot. When playoff time comes around, the shootout disappears. The playoffs are really the only important part of the NHL season, so if the shootout isn’t good enough for the “second season”, then it shouldn’t be good enough for the first. The NHL regular season should stay with their current four on four system. They should just keep the overtime running until someone scores, and take away the shootout.

Now because of the NHL’s stubborn, useless attempt at growing hockey in the Sun Belt (a post for another day), the shootout will not disappear. The NHL will insist on keeping it in, because they know that for some American non-hockey fans, the shootout is the only thing they watch.

Keeping this in mind, here is my other problem with the shootout. If you’re going to keep the shootout in the game, why do you keep it at three players? As I said before, the NHL created the shootout for the excitement factor. You’d think that if it was so exciting, you’d want it to last as long as possible, right?

The five player shootout would not only add excitement, but it would also give the shootout a little more realism. A five player shootout gives a slightly better indication of which team is actually better, an attribute that the shootout sorely lacks. By adding a few players to the shootout, the results will be slightly more consistent with the actual abilities and depth of the teams, which can only be beneficial.

All sports are designed to allow the better team (on that night) to win. The current overtime and shootout format takes away this element, and that’s why it needs to be changed. Every sport makes mistakes (composite basketballs, anyone?), but the key is being able to admit to your mistake and make amends. Take away the shootout, Mr. Bettman, or risk losing your real fans for the regular season.