Shootout Salutations: Are Shootouts Still Exciting In Season 20?
December 7, 2025
Shootout Salutations: Are Shootouts Still Exciting In Season 20?
45 comments
No
No
Absolutely not.
No, continuous 3 vs 3 until someone scores…it will happen!
Shootouts suck but I get why they do them. The 3 on 3 ot is a ton of fun.
Shootouts are only fun because my team is good at them and bad at 3 on 3, but it should go to continuous 3 on 3 until there’s a winner, then they should go to a 3-2-1-0 standings system
It’s gotten pretty stale, honestly. And the players seem pretty uninterested most of the time. But, I’m old enough to remember ties in the nhl and I don’t want to go back that bullshit no matter what.
No, but my team is finally good at the shootout for the first time since its creation, so let’s at least keep it a few more years please.
Shootouts suck. Deciding a team game with a glorified skills competition. I’d rather have a tie tbh, shootout wins aren’t real wins.
Yes they are.
But I favor a 3-2-1 point system for wins in regulation, and OT, shootout.
The problem is shootouts are not hockey. They are just a way to quickly wrap up a hockey game that ended in a tie. It’s not hockey.
I understand why they do it. Why we have a shootout. Why we can’t have regular season games going for an additional 20, 30, or even 60 minutes… we can’t do that. The games need to end.
Now, we need to wrap the games up quickly. All the teams, owners, broadcasters, want this. The games need to wrap up. I get that. So, we need to keep the shootout to get games taken care of.
So, what do we do? We incentivize teams to win in regulation. My vote, is for a 3-2-1-0 point system.
* 3 points for a regulation win
* 2 points for an OT/SO win
* 1 point for an OT/So loss
* 0 points for a regulation loss
This wont make the shootout go away, but it will encourage teams to go for a regulation win. I’d be willing to bet if we introduce this point system, we’ll see a reduction in OT/SO games, especially later into the season. I think this is the best thing we can do to try and get rid of the shootout, but also still make sure games wrap up quickly if need be.
Was exciting for about the first 2 shootouts 20 years ago. I can’t stand them
Habs jets was insanity the other day. Not sure what more you need to know about ot compared to the shootout and which one we should keep
Everyone who says no loves the tie. Because that’s your choice. They won’t do unending OT in regular season. And until they do a 3 point system teams would rather play for the loser point than lose outright.
I don’t like shootouts but the problem with 3v3 now is it seems like teams are afraid to open it up in OT. Seems like more teams are banking on continuous cycle the puck in and out of the offensive zone waiting for that perfect chance and then you end with 5 minutes of teams regrouping unless they have a power play.
I don’t think shootouts are great but they get the game done. IDK which is better losing to a team in a short, lame skills competition or losing to a gassed team in a third 3v3 overtime. Old overtime was miserable too because everyone was too tired to do anything then the game would end from a 4th liner who gave up a rush. The reality is there’s no best way to finish a game. The shootout at least gets it over with. I don’t want to watch 3 overtimes. Not with 87 games.
I personally enjoy them because I like seeing the 1v1s, but from a competitive standpoint I think continuous 3v3 would be better.
I do think a good middle ground could potentially be 15 minutes of 3v3 and then the shootout, with no exiting the offensive zone allowed.
Make wins 3 points and ties 1 point. I’m probably the few that doesn’t mind a tie.
It wasn’t exciting in season 01
Yes, Shoot outs are fun to me.
Shootouts are better than ties. 3-on-3 has been so much better than I thought it would be when the league announced that.
Holy crap has it been 20 seasons already
The Athletic’s tirades against shootouts needs to be studied. Non-hockey fans immediate understand and get them.
The insistence on making a more obtuse and weird point system that does not mirror the point system of any other professional sport league just so they can dissuade shootouts is gross and weird.
Dying on that hill will actually cause more people to not watch hockey than whatever they think their bullshit rules that no other league follows will pull in. They’re fucking delusional
4-4 then 3-3 then 2-2 then 1-1 then 1-1 no goalie 3-bar
Anyone saying “do a tie!” is an idiot who hasn’t watched pro sports in the past decade
Yes! I love them.
No but neither is overtime anymore, the coaches and players ruined that too
I like shootouts
No. It’s a skills competition
Yeah, they’re cool.
Shootout should stay but overtime should be extend to 10 min.
They’ve never been exciting.
Continuous 3-3…. 75% of games would actually end in less time than it takes to do the shootout….
No but it’s still better than a tie like the old days.
I prefer extending 3 on 3 time
Shootouts have never been exciting. They are an embarrassment to the sport.
No
Shootouts have sucked ball bags since time immemorial.
I enjoy shootouts. Keep’em. Just extend the OT, 10 minutes instead of 5. After 5 minutes, swap sides, then go to shootout. Cant have guys keep playing and playing and playing when they’re knackered.
Some of the most iconic highlights in the sport and from crazy shootout goals.
I think it would be a shame to get rid of it.
Hot take, yes. It can get a bit boring at times but it also doesn’t tend to last long and you get to see some filthy hands or great goalie plays.
Even hotter take, 3 on 3 overtime is in most cases more boring than shootouts are.
Shootouts are fun when you don’t have someone go 1mph and stick handle a million times 3 feet from the goalie for an easy score. As long as you don’t have that guy, they’re fun. With that said 3v3 hockey is way more fun and a continuous 3v3 period would be better.
I hate them because of the players who come in slow. Lets add a D-man who starts on the blue line behind the shooter as a chaser.
No more coming in slow or you get caught!
Ditch the shootout and go straight 3v3 till it ends. I say this in part because I don’t really like watching shootouts, and in part because the Canes are so much better at 3v3 than at shootouts that it’s not even funny.
They never were. They were brought in to appease the low IQ of Americans.
45 comments
No
No
Absolutely not.
No, continuous 3 vs 3 until someone scores…it will happen!
Shootouts suck but I get why they do them. The 3 on 3 ot is a ton of fun.
Shootouts are only fun because my team is good at them and bad at 3 on 3, but it should go to continuous 3 on 3 until there’s a winner, then they should go to a 3-2-1-0 standings system
It’s gotten pretty stale, honestly. And the players seem pretty uninterested most of the time. But, I’m old enough to remember ties in the nhl and I don’t want to go back that bullshit no matter what.
No, but my team is finally good at the shootout for the first time since its creation, so let’s at least keep it a few more years please.
Shootouts suck. Deciding a team game with a glorified skills competition. I’d rather have a tie tbh, shootout wins aren’t real wins.
Yes they are.
But I favor a 3-2-1 point system for wins in regulation, and OT, shootout.
The problem is shootouts are not hockey. They are just a way to quickly wrap up a hockey game that ended in a tie. It’s not hockey.
I understand why they do it. Why we have a shootout. Why we can’t have regular season games going for an additional 20, 30, or even 60 minutes… we can’t do that. The games need to end.
Now, we need to wrap the games up quickly. All the teams, owners, broadcasters, want this. The games need to wrap up. I get that. So, we need to keep the shootout to get games taken care of.
So, what do we do? We incentivize teams to win in regulation. My vote, is for a 3-2-1-0 point system.
* 3 points for a regulation win
* 2 points for an OT/SO win
* 1 point for an OT/So loss
* 0 points for a regulation loss
This wont make the shootout go away, but it will encourage teams to go for a regulation win. I’d be willing to bet if we introduce this point system, we’ll see a reduction in OT/SO games, especially later into the season. I think this is the best thing we can do to try and get rid of the shootout, but also still make sure games wrap up quickly if need be.
Was exciting for about the first 2 shootouts 20 years ago. I can’t stand them
Habs jets was insanity the other day. Not sure what more you need to know about ot compared to the shootout and which one we should keep
Everyone who says no loves the tie. Because that’s your choice. They won’t do unending OT in regular season. And until they do a 3 point system teams would rather play for the loser point than lose outright.
I don’t like shootouts but the problem with 3v3 now is it seems like teams are afraid to open it up in OT. Seems like more teams are banking on continuous cycle the puck in and out of the offensive zone waiting for that perfect chance and then you end with 5 minutes of teams regrouping unless they have a power play.
I don’t think shootouts are great but they get the game done. IDK which is better losing to a team in a short, lame skills competition or losing to a gassed team in a third 3v3 overtime. Old overtime was miserable too because everyone was too tired to do anything then the game would end from a 4th liner who gave up a rush. The reality is there’s no best way to finish a game. The shootout at least gets it over with. I don’t want to watch 3 overtimes. Not with 87 games.
I personally enjoy them because I like seeing the 1v1s, but from a competitive standpoint I think continuous 3v3 would be better.
I do think a good middle ground could potentially be 15 minutes of 3v3 and then the shootout, with no exiting the offensive zone allowed.
Make wins 3 points and ties 1 point. I’m probably the few that doesn’t mind a tie.
It wasn’t exciting in season 01
Yes, Shoot outs are fun to me.
Shootouts are better than ties. 3-on-3 has been so much better than I thought it would be when the league announced that.
Holy crap has it been 20 seasons already
The Athletic’s tirades against shootouts needs to be studied. Non-hockey fans immediate understand and get them.
The insistence on making a more obtuse and weird point system that does not mirror the point system of any other professional sport league just so they can dissuade shootouts is gross and weird.
Dying on that hill will actually cause more people to not watch hockey than whatever they think their bullshit rules that no other league follows will pull in. They’re fucking delusional
4-4 then 3-3 then 2-2 then 1-1 then 1-1 no goalie 3-bar
Anyone saying “do a tie!” is an idiot who hasn’t watched pro sports in the past decade
Yes! I love them.
No but neither is overtime anymore, the coaches and players ruined that too
I like shootouts
No. It’s a skills competition
Yeah, they’re cool.
Shootout should stay but overtime should be extend to 10 min.
They’ve never been exciting.
Continuous 3-3…. 75% of games would actually end in less time than it takes to do the shootout….
No but it’s still better than a tie like the old days.
I prefer extending 3 on 3 time
Shootouts have never been exciting. They are an embarrassment to the sport.
No
Shootouts have sucked ball bags since time immemorial.
I enjoy shootouts. Keep’em. Just extend the OT, 10 minutes instead of 5. After 5 minutes, swap sides, then go to shootout. Cant have guys keep playing and playing and playing when they’re knackered.
Some of the most iconic highlights in the sport and from crazy shootout goals.
I think it would be a shame to get rid of it.
Hot take, yes. It can get a bit boring at times but it also doesn’t tend to last long and you get to see some filthy hands or great goalie plays.
Even hotter take, 3 on 3 overtime is in most cases more boring than shootouts are.
Shootouts are fun when you don’t have someone go 1mph and stick handle a million times 3 feet from the goalie for an easy score. As long as you don’t have that guy, they’re fun. With that said 3v3 hockey is way more fun and a continuous 3v3 period would be better.
I hate them because of the players who come in slow. Lets add a D-man who starts on the blue line behind the shooter as a chaser.
No more coming in slow or you get caught!
Ditch the shootout and go straight 3v3 till it ends. I say this in part because I don’t really like watching shootouts, and in part because the Canes are so much better at 3v3 than at shootouts that it’s not even funny.
They never were. They were brought in to appease the low IQ of Americans.
No it’s not even hockey get rid of that trash