NHL standings at the end of December 5, 1972
| Eastern Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Montreal Canadiens |
26 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 37 | 109 | 62 | -0.10 | 1.71 | 8-2-3 | 7-2-4 | 4-3-3 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 New York Rangers |
26 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 35 | 101 | 69 | -0.08 | 1.15 | 11-1-1 | 5-6-2 | 5-3-2 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Boston Bruins |
25 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 33 | 113 | 84 | -0.37 | 0.79 | 9-4-0 | 6-3-3 | 8-1-1 | Won 2 | ||||||
 Buffalo Sabres |
26 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 29 | 93 | 81 | -0.22 | 0.24 | 10-0-3 | 1-8-4 | 4-5-1 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Detroit Red Wings |
24 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 24 | 81 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.09 | 7-4-1 | 4-7-1 | 4-5-1 | Lost 2 | ||||||
 Toronto Maple Leafs |
26 | 9 | 13 | 4 | 22 | 84 | 82 | 0.21 | 0.29 | 6-3-3 | 3-10-1 | 3-5-2 | Won 2 | ||||||
 Vancouver Canucks |
26 | 8 | 16 | 2 | 18 | 76 | 107 | 0.25 | -0.94 | 6-7-1 | 2-9-1 | 3-6-1 | Lost 2 | ||||||
 New York Islanders |
24 | 3 | 19 | 2 | 8 | 50 | 121 | 0.24 | -2.72 | 2-10-1 | 1-9-1 | 1-8-1 | Lost 5 | ||||||
| Western Division | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | SOS | SRS | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Minnesota North Stars |
25 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 31 | 83 | 66 | -0.18 | 0.50 | 9-2-2 | 5-6-1 | 7-2-1 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 Chicago Black Hawks |
25 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 30 | 90 | 73 | -0.07 | 0.61 | 8-3-1 | 6-6-1 | 7-3-0 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Pittsburgh Penguins |
26 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 28 | 99 | 83 | -0.15 | 0.46 | 9-3-1 | 4-8-1 | 6-3-1 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 Los Angeles Kings |
27 | 12 | 11 | 4 | 28 | 93 | 87 | -0.10 | 0.12 | 9-2-3 | 3-9-1 | 3-4-3 | Won 2 | ||||||
 Philadelphia Flyers |
26 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 26 | 92 | 93 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 10-2-1 | 1-9-3 | 3-5-2 | Won 1 | ||||||
 Atlanta Flames |
28 | 10 | 13 | 5 | 25 | 65 | 88 | 0.16 | -0.66 | 5-4-3 | 5-9-2 | 3-5-2 | Lost 1 | ||||||
 St. Louis Blues |
24 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 21 | 61 | 74 | 0.31 | -0.23 | 5-6-3 | 3-5-2 | 5-5-0 | Won 1 | ||||||
 California Golden Seals |
24 | 4 | 15 | 5 | 13 | 61 | 101 | 0.03 | -1.63 | 2-5-3 | 2-10-2 | 2-7-1 | Tied 1 | ||||||