NHL standings at the end of December 20, 1972
| Eastern Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Montreal Canadiens |
33 | 20 | 5 | 8 | 48 | 132 | 77 | -0.23 | 1.43 | 11-2-3 | 9-3-5 | 5-2-3 | Won 3 | ||||||
 Boston Bruins |
32 | 21 | 8 | 3 | 45 | 145 | 105 | -0.31 | 0.94 | 12-4-0 | 9-4-3 | 8-1-1 | Won 3 | ||||||
 New York Rangers |
34 | 21 | 10 | 3 | 45 | 132 | 91 | -0.14 | 1.06 | 13-2-1 | 8-8-2 | 6-3-1 | Won 2 | ||||||
 Buffalo Sabres |
33 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 43 | 127 | 95 | -0.15 | 0.82 | 15-0-3 | 3-8-4 | 8-2-0 | Won 8 | ||||||
 Detroit Red Wings |
31 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 31 | 99 | 104 | 0.02 | -0.14 | 9-5-2 | 5-9-1 | 4-5-1 | Won 3 | ||||||
 Toronto Maple Leafs |
32 | 9 | 18 | 5 | 23 | 98 | 109 | 0.18 | -0.16 | 6-5-4 | 3-13-1 | 2-6-2 | Lost 5 | ||||||
 Vancouver Canucks |
33 | 9 | 20 | 4 | 22 | 96 | 138 | 0.25 | -1.03 | 7-9-1 | 2-11-3 | 2-6-2 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 New York Islanders |
31 | 3 | 25 | 3 | 9 | 60 | 152 | 0.33 | -2.64 | 2-12-2 | 1-13-1 | 0-9-1 | Lost 4 | ||||||
| Western Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Chicago Black Hawks |
32 | 20 | 10 | 2 | 42 | 122 | 83 | -0.18 | 1.04 | 12-3-1 | 8-7-1 | 8-2-0 | Won 3 | ||||||
 Minnesota North Stars |
33 | 18 | 12 | 3 | 39 | 117 | 94 | -0.06 | 0.64 | 12-2-2 | 6-10-1 | 5-5-0 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Philadelphia Flyers |
34 | 15 | 15 | 4 | 34 | 119 | 121 | 0.04 | -0.02 | 13-4-1 | 2-11-3 | 5-4-1 | Lost 2 | ||||||
 Pittsburgh Penguins |
32 | 15 | 14 | 3 | 33 | 121 | 106 | -0.20 | 0.27 | 11-4-1 | 4-10-2 | 4-5-1 | Lost 2 | ||||||
 Atlanta Flames |
35 | 14 | 16 | 5 | 33 | 89 | 105 | -0.00 | -0.46 | 8-5-3 | 6-11-2 | 4-4-2 | Won 2 | ||||||
 Los Angeles Kings |
33 | 14 | 15 | 4 | 32 | 101 | 104 | 0.07 | -0.02 | 11-3-3 | 3-12-1 | 4-5-1 | Lost 3 | ||||||
 St. Louis Blues |
31 | 10 | 15 | 6 | 26 | 82 | 102 | 0.20 | -0.44 | 6-8-3 | 4-7-3 | 4-5-1 | Lost 3 | ||||||
 California Golden Seals |
31 | 4 | 20 | 7 | 15 | 81 | 135 | 0.21 | -1.53 | 2-7-5 | 2-13-2 | 1-6-3 | Lost 3 | ||||||