The loser point is a holdover from traditionalists who believe an NHL game should be decided 5 on 5 - whether in regular time or in OT. When a regular season game ended tied - each team got a point. Still do. Obviously, tradition still rules absolutely in the playoffs where you must win 5 on 5.
The traditionalists compromised for the regular season and allowed an NHL game to be decided in a situation other than 5 on 5, but that compromise came with the deal that a team that played to a tie after regular time - still gets a point.
Nowadays we call it the loser point - but a traditionalists perspective would focus on the 'extra' bonus point for a win that occurs during 3 on 3 or the SO - and say that is perhaps the problem here - not the point earned in regular time.
I don't know if i agree with this perspective or not - but its interesting that these discussions tend to focus on whether the point earned in regulation time is the problem - IMO that point will never be taken away - at least not until the last of tradition is gone from the debate.
Personally - i prefer a straight winning percentage like MLB or the NBA - then perhaps use regulation wins as a tie-breaker.
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