NFL Shorthanded Teams & Overtime: A Deep Dive

Send us your questions

The “minus” in numerical inferiority

In the situation where a player is penalized and the opposing team scores a goal, the four players on the ice receive a “minus” on their record. What about the player in the penalty box? Although he is not physically on the ice, it is his fault that his team allowed a goal.

Stéphan Labbé

Response from Mathias Brunet:

Players do not have a “minus” on their record in a numerical inferiority situation, only tied. A “minus” is however awarded on empty-net goals, which can advantage defensive players, generally on the ice at the end of the game to protect an empty-net lead at the opponent’s side, compared to the offensive player, sent into the fray to cause the tie, but without a goalie behind him to add a player to the lineup.

More letters

Is there a maximum or minimum amount of assistant captains who can or must wear the “A” during a match?

Alain Belzile

Response from Alexandre Pratt:

For each game, the National League allows teams to field one captain and two assistants, or no captain and three assistants. Some teams have more than two assistants. Last season, the Calgary Flames even named five! In these cases, teams rotate assistants.

Points in consecutive matches

At the start of the season, Nick Suzuki collected points in 12 consecutive games. What is the Canadian’s team record? And the NHL record?

Raymond Deneault

Response from Simon-Olivier Lorange:

Suzuki’s streak, as admirable as it is, is fairly anecdotal in the history of the NHL, since 593 series of at least 12 games with a point have been recorded on an individual level. The captain didn’t even come close to the Canadian record, held by Guy Lafleur – 28 games in 1976-1977. Second place in the history of the franchise is also occupied by Lafleur – 23 games in 1978-1979 –, and third, by Mats Näslund – 18 games in 1985-1986. No one will be surprised to learn that Wayne Gretzky holds the longest streak of all time: in 51 games played from October 5, 1983 to January 27, 1984, the Wonder amassed 153 points. This 51-game haul alone would rank 15th^e rank in circuit history for the most points in a full season.

The visitors’ locker room

Why are visiting team locker rooms smaller and uncomfortable? And why doesn’t the NHL force teams to make these locker rooms more spacious and pleasant?

Jean Marceau

Response from Guillaume Lefrançois:

Visitor locker rooms are often smaller in fact, although in recent arenas – in Edmonton and Detroit, for example – the players are no longer cramped. That of the Bell Center, on the other hand, with its immense concrete column which cuts the space in two, presents one of the worst configurations of the circuit. Please note, however, that the NHL imposes certain specifications. In the collective agreement binding the players to the League, an appendix provides a list of equipment – treatment tables, for example – to be provided to visiting teams. The list is detailed; Clubs are even required to provide “professional quality shower equipment” as well as “premium quality towels, to be replaced when necessary”. Which obviously makes us wonder which team owner was stingy enough for a collective agreement to include such requirements.

Overtime in the NFL

In the NFL, the overtime period is 10 minutes and each team is allowed at least one possession of the ball. What happens if the first team uses the entire 10 minutes without the second having had possession of the ball?

Sylvain Loiseau

Response from Guillaume Lefrançois:

The NFL rules are merciless. Overtime lasts 10 minutes, “even if the second team has not been able to regain the ball or if its first possession is not completed”. In other words, it is up to the defensive unit to ensure that the offense regains the ball within a reasonable time frame to orchestrate an offensive push.