NHL overtime rules, explained: How the OT format works in hockey for regular season, playoffs
After three periods, there are different sets of rules for the regular season and playoffs in the NHL.
www.sportingnews.comHere’s a concise update on the latest NHL overtime rules and recent discussions.
Key points
- Regular-season overtime: 3-on-3 for five minutes, sudden death; if no goal, game goes to a shootout. This format has been in use since 2015-16 and continues to be the standard in the regular season.[3][5]
- Playoffs: OT periods are 5-on-5 and played in full 20-minute periods until a winner is determined, with multiple overtime periods possible, unlike the regular season’s 3-on-3 format.[6][3]
- Trends and management opinions: NHL general managers have largely endorsed keeping the current overtime format, arguing it effectively reduces shootouts and creates exciting back-and-forth action, with experimentation generally viewed as potentially introducing unintended consequences.[1]
- Recent debate about extending OT: There has been discussion about whether to experiment with longer or altered overtime formats (e.g., 10-minute OT or four-on-four 10-minute OT), but these proposals have not been adopted as official policy, and opinions are split among players, coaches, and executives.[2]
Selected explanations and context
- How it works in practice: The five-minute 3-on-3 OT period is played after regulation; if neither team scores in that window, the game proceeds to a shootout, with three shooters per side (and rounds continuing if tied) in the regular season. In the playoffs, games proceed to successive 20-minute, full-ice 5-on-5 OT periods until a goal ends the game.[3]
- Why 3-on-3? The format is designed to increase scoring opportunities and reduce the frequency of shootouts, while maintaining a fast-paced, high-skill environment that rewards speed and anticipation.[1]
- Recent media coverage: Analysts have debated potential extensions to OT (e.g., longer periods or alternate formats), but key figures have not reached consensus, and no formal changes have been enacted for the 2025-26 season or beyond.[2][6]
If you’d like, I can pull the latest official NHL statements or provide a quick side-by-side by-season snapshot of OT outcomes (e.g., average OT length, shootouts, and OT goals) with citations. I can also summarize how other leagues or leagues’ minor affiliates handle OT for comparison.