The Scoring this year...

[ESH]

So, what's changed this year?
Well, as far as rules, there are 2 things:
1- Goalie equipment
2- Emphasis on slashing puck carrier's hands.

There isn't anything else, really.

No other idea that I can think of to explain it.

I think a lot of it might be due to the shift in strategies towards more offensive approaches. There’s been lots of talk about trying to increase scoring over the past few years and it kinda feels like it’s beginning to come to fruition. With the success of the Penguins recently, I feel like more teams are trying to replicate that style. High-flying and fast. You can see how the league’s scoring went downhill with the success of good defensive teams like the Devils and the Red Wings in the mid-90s. I feel like speed and fast transitions are becoming the new norm, which is leading to more goals.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

If we add shootout goals,

Why in the world would you do that?

 

[BlueBull]

Why in the world would you do that?

Oh hail the mighty god of HF Boards!
+++++++++
because Hockey Reference Does: NHL League Averages | Hockey-Reference.com

 

[SniperOnTheWing]

Maybe more teams going with four forwards and one D on the powerplay has somewhat of an effect? Certainly gives an extra forward a chance for more points that would have gone to a second defenseman in the past.

 

[KingsFan7824]

NHL.com - Stats

5 of the top 10 PP scorers since 13-14 are from this season. 10 of the top 20. 19 of the top 50. 29 of the top 100.

 

[HenrikW]

Over the year I have been looking at just how high scoring is.
Here is an example I did in Mid-November: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threa...on-lets-acknowledge-the-high-scoring.2410751/
The scoring around then was 2.98 goals per game. The scoring now, at the end of the year, is 2.93 goals per game (subtracting each of the 1 added goals from games going into shootouts). If we add shootout goals, the average is 2.97 goals per game, the most in a season since 2006. 24 players this season averaged a point per game in at least 56 games. In the 3 years prior, combined, just as many players in at least 45 games have done that (23 for at least 57 games... McDavid's Rookie Year.).
The leading scorer this year, coincidentally, is Connor McDavid with 108, the most since 2012 when Malkin had 109. Going with these connections, Barzal scored 85 points as a rookie, the most since Malkin in 2007 had just as many. 3 players had 100 points (McDavid, Kucherov and Giroux), the most 100 point seasons since 2010 (Henrik Sedin, Crosby, Ovechkin and Backstrom). While there may have been no 50 Goal season, 8 people had 40 goal season, the most since 2009, which also had 8. Meanwhile, 29 players had at least 50 assists, the most since 2007, which again, also had 29. What do you think has happened? Is there a lot of Offensive Talent now in the NHL, or is it something else?
Yes I just showed a bunch of stats and facts about how good the scoring is. I just like it that way. I may even love it. I love it when Team A wins 6-4 over Team B. I also love it when the goalies are still playing well. So that brings us to our two last stats, this season had the most Shots against (31.8) since they started tracking it in 1983, the next most being 1986 with 31.0, and this season had the 7th best save % since they started tracking that in the 1983, also.
-BlueBull

NHL has cracked down on slashing this year, in an attempt to increase scoring and prevent injuries. Every slashing gets called with impunity which has led to players not using a very disruptive play, which in turn has allowed more speed and more skill. This is actually all there is too it.

The meta changed over night, hockey is now a much faster game

 

[Trojans86]

NHL has cracked down on slashing this year, in an attempt to increase scoring and prevent injuries. Every slashing gets called with impunity which has led to players not using a very disruptive play, which in turn has allowed more speed and more skill. This is actually all there is too it.

The meta changed over night, hockey is now a much faster game

This would be my guess