NHL standings at the end of December 26, 1972
| Eastern Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Montreal Canadiens |
35 | 22 | 5 | 8 | 52 | 142 | 81 | -0.21 | 1.53 | 12-2-3 | 10-3-5 | 7-2-1 | Won 5 | ||||||
 Boston Bruins |
34 | 23 | 8 | 3 | 49 | 156 | 107 | -0.30 | 1.14 | 14-4-0 | 9-4-3 | 9-1-0 | Won 5 | ||||||
 New York Rangers |
36 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 47 | 139 | 96 | -0.14 | 1.06 | 14-3-1 | 8-8-2 | 6-4-0 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Buffalo Sabres |
35 | 18 | 10 | 7 | 43 | 129 | 101 | -0.16 | 0.64 | 15-0-3 | 3-10-4 | 8-2-0 | Lost 2 | ||||||
 Detroit Red Wings |
35 | 15 | 16 | 4 | 34 | 106 | 119 | 0.07 | -0.30 | 10-5-3 | 5-11-1 | 4-4-2 | Tied 1 | ||||||
 Toronto Maple Leafs |
34 | 10 | 19 | 5 | 25 | 104 | 117 | 0.21 | -0.17 | 7-5-4 | 3-14-1 | 3-6-1 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 Vancouver Canucks |
36 | 10 | 21 | 5 | 25 | 105 | 150 | 0.12 | -1.13 | 8-9-1 | 2-12-4 | 2-5-3 | Won 1 | ||||||
 New York Islanders |
33 | 4 | 25 | 4 | 12 | 68 | 158 | 0.31 | -2.41 | 3-12-3 | 1-13-1 | 1-7-2 | Won 1 | ||||||
| Western Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Chicago Black Hawks |
34 | 21 | 11 | 2 | 44 | 130 | 89 | -0.17 | 1.03 | 13-3-1 | 8-8-1 | 8-2-0 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Minnesota North Stars |
34 | 18 | 13 | 3 | 39 | 119 | 98 | -0.13 | 0.49 | 12-2-2 | 6-11-1 | 4-6-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 Los Angeles Kings |
36 | 16 | 16 | 4 | 36 | 111 | 113 | 0.05 | -0.01 | 12-3-3 | 4-13-1 | 5-5-0 | Won 2 | ||||||
 Philadelphia Flyers |
36 | 16 | 16 | 4 | 36 | 126 | 130 | 0.04 | -0.07 | 14-4-1 | 2-12-3 | 5-5-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 Atlanta Flames |
37 | 15 | 17 | 5 | 35 | 95 | 110 | 0.05 | -0.36 | 8-5-3 | 7-12-2 | 5-5-0 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 Pittsburgh Penguins |
34 | 15 | 15 | 4 | 34 | 125 | 113 | -0.11 | 0.24 | 11-4-1 | 4-11-3 | 3-5-2 | Tied 1 | ||||||
 St. Louis Blues |
33 | 11 | 16 | 6 | 28 | 89 | 107 | 0.22 | -0.32 | 7-9-3 | 4-7-3 | 4-5-1 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 California Golden Seals |
34 | 5 | 22 | 7 | 17 | 91 | 146 | 0.17 | -1.44 | 3-8-5 | 2-14-2 | 1-7-2 | Lost 2 | ||||||