NHL standings at the end of December 23, 1971
| Eastern Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 New York Rangers |
33 | 22 | 5 | 6 | 50 | 148 | 78 | -0.16 | 1.96 | 13-1-3 | 9-4-3 | 6-2-2 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Montreal Canadiens |
31 | 20 | 4 | 7 | 47 | 120 | 69 | -0.20 | 1.45 | 12-0-3 | 8-4-4 | 7-2-1 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Boston Bruins |
31 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 46 | 128 | 74 | -0.16 | 1.58 | 12-3-2 | 9-3-2 | 6-1-3 | Tied 2 | ||||||
 Toronto Maple Leafs |
33 | 15 | 10 | 8 | 38 | 98 | 89 | -0.09 | 0.18 | 8-5-4 | 7-5-4 | 7-3-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 Detroit Red Wings |
33 | 11 | 16 | 6 | 28 | 89 | 106 | -0.07 | -0.59 | 8-5-1 | 3-11-5 | 4-4-2 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Buffalo Sabres |
35 | 7 | 21 | 7 | 21 | 90 | 135 | -0.01 | -1.29 | 5-8-3 | 2-13-4 | 2-6-2 | Tied 1 | ||||||
 Vancouver Canucks |
33 | 8 | 21 | 4 | 20 | 73 | 118 | 0.26 | -1.10 | 6-10-2 | 2-11-2 | 3-7-0 | Lost 5 | ||||||
| Western Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Chicago Black Hawks |
34 | 24 | 7 | 3 | 51 | 109 | 56 | -0.21 | 1.35 | 14-0-2 | 10-7-1 | 8-1-1 | Won 7 | ||||||
 Minnesota North Stars |
33 | 20 | 9 | 4 | 44 | 92 | 62 | -0.13 | 0.78 | 11-4-1 | 9-5-3 | 4-5-1 | Won 1 | ||||||
 California Golden Seals |
34 | 10 | 17 | 7 | 27 | 100 | 134 | 0.23 | -0.77 | 6-8-6 | 4-9-1 | 2-4-4 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 Philadelphia Flyers |
31 | 10 | 16 | 5 | 25 | 68 | 94 | 0.12 | -0.71 | 8-7-3 | 2-9-2 | 3-6-1 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 Pittsburgh Penguins |
34 | 10 | 19 | 5 | 25 | 86 | 103 | 0.17 | -0.33 | 6-6-3 | 4-13-2 | 2-5-3 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 St. Louis Blues |
34 | 9 | 20 | 5 | 23 | 87 | 111 | 0.09 | -0.61 | 6-8-3 | 3-12-2 | 2-7-1 | Lost 6 | ||||||
 Los Angeles Kings |
33 | 8 | 24 | 1 | 17 | 69 | 128 | 0.13 | -1.65 | 4-11-0 | 4-13-1 | 3-7-0 | Won 1 | ||||||