NHL standings at the end of December 26, 1971
| Eastern Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 New York Rangers |
35 | 24 | 5 | 6 | 54 | 155 | 80 | -0.10 | 2.04 | 14-1-3 | 10-4-3 | 7-1-2 | Won 3 | ||||||
 Boston Bruins |
33 | 23 | 6 | 4 | 50 | 136 | 76 | -0.17 | 1.65 | 14-3-2 | 9-3-2 | 7-1-2 | Won 2 | ||||||
 Montreal Canadiens |
33 | 20 | 6 | 7 | 47 | 123 | 78 | -0.12 | 1.24 | 12-0-3 | 8-6-4 | 6-3-1 | Lost 2 | ||||||
 Toronto Maple Leafs |
35 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 40 | 104 | 95 | -0.05 | 0.21 | 9-5-4 | 7-6-4 | 7-3-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 Detroit Red Wings |
35 | 12 | 17 | 6 | 30 | 97 | 112 | -0.06 | -0.49 | 9-5-1 | 3-12-5 | 5-4-1 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Buffalo Sabres |
37 | 8 | 21 | 8 | 24 | 100 | 142 | -0.06 | -1.19 | 6-8-3 | 2-13-5 | 2-5-3 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Vancouver Canucks |
34 | 9 | 21 | 4 | 22 | 79 | 120 | 0.23 | -0.97 | 7-10-2 | 2-11-2 | 3-7-0 | Won 1 | ||||||
| Western Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Chicago Black Hawks |
35 | 25 | 7 | 3 | 53 | 115 | 59 | -0.25 | 1.35 | 15-0-2 | 10-7-1 | 9-0-1 | Won 8 | ||||||
 Minnesota North Stars |
35 | 20 | 11 | 4 | 44 | 94 | 69 | -0.08 | 0.64 | 11-5-1 | 9-6-3 | 2-7-1 | Lost 2 | ||||||
 California Golden Seals |
36 | 11 | 18 | 7 | 29 | 105 | 141 | 0.14 | -0.86 | 6-8-6 | 5-10-1 | 3-3-4 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 Philadelphia Flyers |
33 | 11 | 17 | 5 | 27 | 75 | 100 | 0.15 | -0.61 | 9-7-3 | 2-10-2 | 4-6-0 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Pittsburgh Penguins |
36 | 11 | 20 | 5 | 27 | 91 | 111 | 0.18 | -0.37 | 7-6-3 | 4-14-2 | 1-6-3 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 St. Louis Blues |
36 | 9 | 21 | 6 | 24 | 94 | 121 | 0.03 | -0.72 | 6-8-4 | 3-13-2 | 0-8-2 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 Los Angeles Kings |
35 | 8 | 26 | 1 | 17 | 73 | 137 | 0.14 | -1.69 | 4-12-0 | 4-14-1 | 3-7-0 | Lost 2 | ||||||