Avalanche Journal: NHL’s rash of overtime games needs a solution

Avalanche Journal: NHL’s rash of overtime games needs a solution

The NHL loves the parity in the league, but too much of it can make a parody of the standings. There has been a rash of games going beyond the allotted 60 minutes of regulation early in the 2025-26 season. It’s a symptom a significant league-wide trend — there is a lot of parity, even if this version of the Colorado Avalanche exists. Nine teams have already played in double-digit games that went to overtime. Twenty — yes, that’s 20, out of 32 — …

Avalanche Journal: NHL's Overtime Games Surge Sparks Proposed Changes

The NHL is experiencing a surge in overtime games early in the 2025-26 season, with 20 out of 32 teams already playing several 3-on-3 matchups. This trend highlights the league's parity, resulting from factors like the flat salary cap. While the system aims to reward teams for skills in overtime, it complicates standings, affecting playoff races. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar suggests a restructuring of the point system to award three points for …