Dolphin Ratings - National Hockey League

Explanation: Each team is listed with its record, overall score differential, and its ratings. Brief explanations of the ratings follow.

Schedule The number in this column is the effective opponent strength of a team. In other words, they would be expected to have the same record had they played all games against an opponent of this predictive rating at a neutral site. Because this calculation depends on the strength of the team in question, it is not possible to rank schedules using these values.
Expected Losses For college teams, this number is the number of losses an average ranked (top 15 hockey; otherwise top 25) team would be expected to have against the team's schedule. For pro teams, this is the number of losses an average team would be expected to have against the team's schedule. Unlike the schedule ranking, this value can be used to rank schedules.
Standard Ranks teams in an order such that a team is "probably better" than all teams ranked lower than it. This calculation uses margin of victory only for computing a team's opponents strengths; the team's rating itself is computed using only wins, losses, and ties relative to its schedule
Median Likelihood Determines the likely ratings for each team, based on its wins, losses, and ties relative to its schedule. This generally produces the same or similar ratings as the standard ranking.
Predictive Both schedule strength and rating vs. schedule strength are determined considering both the wins and losses and the score differentials. This rating contains none of the biases in the standard rating, but does weight recent games slightly more than past games since those are a better indication of the team's current strength. This rating is the best of the first three for seeing how good teams are, and thus is the best for predicting future results.
Improved RPI Rating The improved RPI formula is similar to the standard RPI, except that the schedule strength is carried out to infinite depth instead of ending with opponents' opponents, thus allows for a better comparison of isolated groups of teams than is given by the standard RPI calculation. It is similar to the simple rating, except that all games are given equal weight.
Scoring. This value indicates how many points a team would be expected to score if it played an identical team.
Offense. This combines the predictive and scoring ratings to measure how many points a team scores. The number is the predictive rating of an opponent against whom the team would be expected to score the league average number of points. This does not necessarily rate a team's offensive abilities, as a fast pace in basketball or big-play defense in football can make a team score more points.
Defense. This combines the predictive and scoring ratings to measure how many points a team allows. The number is the predictive rating of an opponent against whom the team would be expected to allow the league average number of points. The same caveat in the predictive-offense rating applies here.

In order to increase early-season stability, the three main rankings, the improved RPI, and the college pseudopoll include priors based on the previous season final predictive ratings and occasionally incorporating preseason predictions of various major publications. The other rankings for college sports do not include priors, and thus can be wildly unstable early in the year. A team whose rankings are affected by this prior is noted with a P following its rankings.

Full Ranking

                                             STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
AVALANCHE      34 14 191 114 -0.003 23.702    1  0.237    1  0.223    1  0.369    1 0.5519   18  1.067    1  0.355    1  0.382
LIGHTNING      31 17 170 121  0.011 24.103    2  0.169    2  0.158    2  0.212    2 0.5381   19  1.055    7  0.184    3  0.240
HURRICANES     31 20 176 149 -0.005 25.469    3  0.118    3  0.118    4  0.103    3 0.5278   12  1.133    9  0.171   13  0.036
RED WINGS      31 21 162 158 -0.018 25.833    4  0.093    4  0.100   16 -0.002    4 0.5222   21  1.043   20 -0.044   12  0.040
BRUINS         29 22 170 159  0.002 25.672    5  0.071    5  0.076    7  0.055    5 0.5170    7  1.186    6  0.190   23 -0.079
SABRES         28 22 167 155 -0.007 25.009    6  0.055    6  0.061   12  0.036    6 0.5151    8  1.171   10  0.151   22 -0.078
WILD           29 23 168 150 -0.010 25.887    7  0.054    7  0.060    5  0.094    8 0.5116   23  1.033   17  0.039    6  0.149
ISLANDERS      27 23 146 141  0.024 25.633    8  0.048    8  0.054   11  0.037    7 0.5124   29  0.935   24 -0.131    4  0.204
STARS          28 23 169 142 -0.009 25.388    9  0.045   10  0.050    3  0.116    9 0.5116   20  1.046   14  0.077    5  0.155
CANADIENS      28 23 174 171 -0.002 25.657   10  0.044    9  0.053   15  0.010   12 0.5101    3  1.244    3  0.219   28 -0.198
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PANTHERS       26 23 148 161  0.022 25.205   11  0.034   12  0.043   22 -0.044   10 0.5103    9  1.153   16  0.048   25 -0.135
DEVILS         26 24 131 151  0.049 26.295   12  0.033   11  0.043   25 -0.071   11 0.5102   30  0.891   29 -0.288    7  0.145
DUCKS          26 24 165 176  0.023 25.756   13  0.025   13  0.032   23 -0.054   13 0.5068    1  1.303    2  0.234   32 -0.342
SHARKS         25 24 153 173  0.036 25.551   14  0.020   14  0.028   27 -0.091   15 0.5048    4  1.239   12  0.112   30 -0.293
MAMMOTH        26 24 158 139 -0.005 25.027   15  0.018   15  0.020    8  0.055   14 0.5053   24  1.010   18 -0.026    8  0.136
PENGUINS       25 25 166 150 -0.032 24.491   16 -0.006   16 -0.014    6  0.068   16 0.4985   14  1.115   13  0.112   15  0.023
PREDATORS      24 26 146 169  0.009 25.574   17 -0.012   17 -0.016   28 -0.106   21 0.4934   10  1.137   19 -0.033   27 -0.178
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 24 25 164 151 -0.022 24.198   18 -0.013   18 -0.022    9  0.053   17 0.4979   11  1.134   11  0.122   18 -0.015
MAPLE LEAFS    24 26 166 166 -0.008 25.040   19 -0.015   19 -0.024   14  0.011   18 0.4958    5  1.211    8  0.177   26 -0.155
OILERS         25 27 173 166 -0.028 25.595   20 -0.023   20 -0.034   13  0.032   22 0.4920    6  1.210    5  0.197   24 -0.133
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLYERS         23 26 147 155 -0.002 24.716   21 -0.026   21 -0.034   19 -0.035   20 0.4934   22  1.037   23 -0.084   16  0.014
CAPITALS       24 27 162 152 -0.009 25.459   22 -0.028   23 -0.038   10  0.052   19 0.4938   15  1.099   15  0.077   14  0.027
BLUE JACKETS   23 27 150 164  0.019 25.685   23 -0.031   22 -0.035   24 -0.065   23 0.4914   16  1.085   22 -0.057   21 -0.073
SENATORS       23 27 166 169 -0.014 24.946   24 -0.041   24 -0.050   17 -0.017   24 0.4895    2  1.258    4  0.210   29 -0.244
KRAKEN         22 27 137 148 -0.020 24.351   25 -0.056   25 -0.065   20 -0.040   25 0.4853   28  0.938   27 -0.203    9  0.124
RANGERS        21 30 138 159  0.028 26.433   26 -0.079   26 -0.085   29 -0.106   26 0.4816   27  0.949   28 -0.258   11  0.045
KINGS          20 29 129 139  0.012 24.981   27 -0.087   27 -0.094   18 -0.024   27 0.4778   32  0.755   32 -0.384    2  0.337
BLACKHAWKS     21 29 139 157 -0.033 24.662   28 -0.098   28 -0.101   26 -0.088   29 0.4761   25  1.002   26 -0.179   17  0.003
FLAMES         21 29 128 149 -0.036 24.622   29 -0.103   29 -0.103   30 -0.116   28 0.4763   31  0.882   31 -0.343   10  0.110
JETS           20 30 148 153 -0.007 25.124   30 -0.108   30 -0.113   21 -0.042   30 0.4729   17  1.070   21 -0.052   19 -0.032
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          19 31 121 171 -0.019 25.077   31 -0.145   31 -0.139   31 -0.181   31 0.4686   26  0.974   30 -0.304   20 -0.058
CANUCKS        17 33 133 183 -0.004 25.447   32 -0.189   32 -0.176   32 -0.231   32 0.4617   13  1.130   25 -0.168   31 -0.294

PACIFIC DIVISION
                                             STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
DUCKS          26 24 165 176  0.023 25.756   13  0.025   13  0.032   23 -0.054   13 0.5068    1  1.303    2  0.234   32 -0.342
SHARKS         25 24 153 173  0.036 25.551   14  0.020   14  0.028   27 -0.091   15 0.5048    4  1.239   12  0.112   30 -0.293
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 24 25 164 151 -0.022 24.198   18 -0.013   18 -0.022    9  0.053   17 0.4979   11  1.134   11  0.122   18 -0.015
OILERS         25 27 173 166 -0.028 25.595   20 -0.023   20 -0.034   13  0.032   22 0.4920    6  1.210    5  0.197   24 -0.133
KRAKEN         22 27 137 148 -0.020 24.351   25 -0.056   25 -0.065   20 -0.040   25 0.4853   28  0.938   27 -0.203    9  0.124
KINGS          20 29 129 139  0.012 24.981   27 -0.087   27 -0.094   18 -0.024   27 0.4778   32  0.755   32 -0.384    2  0.337
FLAMES         21 29 128 149 -0.036 24.622   29 -0.103   29 -0.103   30 -0.116   28 0.4763   31  0.882   31 -0.343   10  0.110
CANUCKS        17 33 133 183 -0.004 25.447   32 -0.189   32 -0.176   32 -0.231   32 0.4617   13  1.130   25 -0.168   31 -0.294

CENTRAL DIVISION
                                             STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
AVALANCHE      34 14 191 114 -0.003 23.702    1  0.237    1  0.223    1  0.369    1 0.5519   18  1.067    1  0.355    1  0.382
WILD           29 23 168 150 -0.010 25.887    7  0.054    7  0.060    5  0.094    8 0.5116   23  1.033   17  0.039    6  0.149
STARS          28 23 169 142 -0.009 25.388    9  0.045   10  0.050    3  0.116    9 0.5116   20  1.046   14  0.077    5  0.155
MAMMOTH        26 24 158 139 -0.005 25.027   15  0.018   15  0.020    8  0.055   14 0.5053   24  1.010   18 -0.026    8  0.136
PREDATORS      24 26 146 169  0.009 25.574   17 -0.012   17 -0.016   28 -0.106   21 0.4934   10  1.137   19 -0.033   27 -0.178
BLACKHAWKS     21 29 139 157 -0.033 24.662   28 -0.098   28 -0.101   26 -0.088   29 0.4761   25  1.002   26 -0.179   17  0.003
JETS           20 30 148 153 -0.007 25.124   30 -0.108   30 -0.113   21 -0.042   30 0.4729   17  1.070   21 -0.052   19 -0.032
BLUES          19 31 121 171 -0.019 25.077   31 -0.145   31 -0.139   31 -0.181   31 0.4686   26  0.974   30 -0.304   20 -0.058

METROPOLITAN DIVISION
                                             STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
HURRICANES     31 20 176 149 -0.005 25.469    3  0.118    3  0.118    4  0.103    3 0.5278   12  1.133    9  0.171   13  0.036
ISLANDERS      27 23 146 141  0.024 25.633    8  0.048    8  0.054   11  0.037    7 0.5124   29  0.935   24 -0.131    4  0.204
DEVILS         26 24 131 151  0.049 26.295   12  0.033   11  0.043   25 -0.071   11 0.5102   30  0.891   29 -0.288    7  0.145
PENGUINS       25 25 166 150 -0.032 24.491   16 -0.006   16 -0.014    6  0.068   16 0.4985   14  1.115   13  0.112   15  0.023
FLYERS         23 26 147 155 -0.002 24.716   21 -0.026   21 -0.034   19 -0.035   20 0.4934   22  1.037   23 -0.084   16  0.014
CAPITALS       24 27 162 152 -0.009 25.459   22 -0.028   23 -0.038   10  0.052   19 0.4938   15  1.099   15  0.077   14  0.027
BLUE JACKETS   23 27 150 164  0.019 25.685   23 -0.031   22 -0.035   24 -0.065   23 0.4914   16  1.085   22 -0.057   21 -0.073
RANGERS        21 30 138 159  0.028 26.433   26 -0.079   26 -0.085   29 -0.106   26 0.4816   27  0.949   28 -0.258   11  0.045

ATLANTIC DIVISION
                                             STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
LIGHTNING      31 17 170 121  0.011 24.103    2  0.169    2  0.158    2  0.212    2 0.5381   19  1.055    7  0.184    3  0.240
RED WINGS      31 21 162 158 -0.018 25.833    4  0.093    4  0.100   16 -0.002    4 0.5222   21  1.043   20 -0.044   12  0.040
BRUINS         29 22 170 159  0.002 25.672    5  0.071    5  0.076    7  0.055    5 0.5170    7  1.186    6  0.190   23 -0.079
SABRES         28 22 167 155 -0.007 25.009    6  0.055    6  0.061   12  0.036    6 0.5151    8  1.171   10  0.151   22 -0.078
CANADIENS      28 23 174 171 -0.002 25.657   10  0.044    9  0.053   15  0.010   12 0.5101    3  1.244    3  0.219   28 -0.198
PANTHERS       26 23 148 161  0.022 25.205   11  0.034   12  0.043   22 -0.044   10 0.5103    9  1.153   16  0.048   25 -0.135
MAPLE LEAFS    24 26 166 166 -0.008 25.040   19 -0.015   19 -0.024   14  0.011   18 0.4958    5  1.211    8  0.177   26 -0.155
SENATORS       23 27 166 169 -0.014 24.946   24 -0.041   24 -0.050   17 -0.017   24 0.4895    2  1.258    4  0.210   29 -0.244

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     220 181 0.549    1  0.060
CENTRAL DIVISION      201 200 0.501    2  0.047
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 200 202 0.498    3 -0.005
PACIFIC DIVISION      180 218 0.452    4 -0.107

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.060 points in main ratings (0.079 for semineutral)
     0.007 points in improved RPI (0.008 for semineutral)
Average of 1.00 points per score

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Fri Jan 23 05:30:10 2026
games through: Thu Jan 22 2026

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