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      32 11 175  99  0.007 21.463    1  0.254    1  0.229    1  0.354    1 0.5612   20  1.084    1  0.360    1  0.349
LIGHTNING      26 16 146 112  0.016 21.320    2  0.111    3  0.113    2  0.145    2 0.5318   18  1.092    7  0.160    8  0.130
HURRICANES     27 17 152 133  0.017 22.458    3  0.110    2  0.114    5  0.083    3 0.5301    8  1.170    5  0.195   15 -0.029
STARS          26 18 153 124 -0.009 21.954    4  0.073    4  0.081    3  0.133    4 0.5211   16  1.100    9  0.159   11  0.107
WILD           26 19 143 121 -0.007 22.495    5  0.060    5  0.070    4  0.117    5 0.5156   26  0.936   20 -0.050    3  0.284
CANADIENS      25 19 151 144 -0.003 22.189    6  0.051    6  0.062    9  0.034    7 0.5148    5  1.224    4  0.216   26 -0.148
RED WINGS      26 19 141 142 -0.037 22.153    7  0.048    7  0.060   20 -0.027    6 0.5155   14  1.110   18  0.011   18 -0.064
ISLANDERS      24 20 130 122  0.020 22.568    8  0.042    8  0.050    7  0.046    8 0.5143   27  0.919   26 -0.141    5  0.234
SABRES         23 19 135 131 -0.009 21.115    9  0.033    9  0.039   16  0.003    9 0.5112   13  1.144   14  0.082   20 -0.076
SHARKS         22 21 136 151  0.023 22.303   10  0.017   10  0.021   26 -0.077   14 0.5033    3  1.248   10  0.136   31 -0.290
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BRUINS         23 21 141 144 -0.005 22.222   11  0.017   11  0.020   17 -0.010   10 0.5065    7  1.177   12  0.111   23 -0.131
PANTHERS       22 21 132 140  0.021 22.184   12  0.016   12  0.019   19 -0.026   12 0.5057    9  1.166   15  0.081   24 -0.134
FLYERS         22 20 130 120 -0.021 20.878   13  0.015   14  0.014   10  0.026   11 0.5057   25  0.953   25 -0.123    7  0.175
DEVILS         22 22 115 137  0.045 23.218   14  0.014   13  0.018   27 -0.081   13 0.5056   29  0.908   29 -0.280    9  0.118
CAPITALS       22 22 143 129 -0.005 22.098   15  0.002   15 -0.003    6  0.073   15 0.5003   15  1.109   13  0.109   13  0.037
OILERS         22 22 149 148 -0.005 22.182   16  0.001   16 -0.003   12  0.014   17 0.4989    2  1.277    3  0.266   29 -0.238
PENGUINS       21 21 139 132 -0.027 20.771   17 -0.004   17 -0.010    8  0.039   16 0.4991   11  1.151   11  0.127   17 -0.049
MAMMOTH        21 23 133 125  0.001 22.281   18 -0.013   19 -0.021   13  0.011   19 0.4963   24  0.990   24 -0.095   10  0.117
DUCKS          21 23 147 163  0.009 22.571   19 -0.014   18 -0.018   28 -0.082   20 0.4955    1  1.357    2  0.278   32 -0.441
MAPLE LEAFS    21 22 143 140 -0.029 21.269   20 -0.016   20 -0.021   14  0.010   18 0.4965    6  1.198    8  0.159   25 -0.139
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PREDATORS      20 23 122 143  0.008 22.088   21 -0.025   21 -0.028   29 -0.092   23 0.4907   19  1.090   22 -0.079   22 -0.105
KRAKEN         20 22 117 123 -0.026 20.868   22 -0.027   22 -0.032   18 -0.025   22 0.4907   30  0.879   28 -0.256    6  0.206
SENATORS       20 23 139 145 -0.003 21.766   23 -0.028   23 -0.034   21 -0.028   24 0.4903    4  1.230    6  0.161   28 -0.218
RANGERS        20 25 118 125  0.034 23.504   24 -0.033   24 -0.040   22 -0.055   21 0.4908   31  0.780   32 -0.392    4  0.282
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 19 23 133 132 -0.015 20.994   25 -0.040   25 -0.050   11  0.017   25 0.4889   17  1.092   16  0.032   14  0.001
KINGS          18 24 114 117  0.018 21.572   26 -0.048   26 -0.059   15  0.009   26 0.4832   32  0.777   31 -0.330    2  0.349
BLUE JACKETS   18 25 132 147  0.010 22.048   27 -0.061   27 -0.071   25 -0.072   27 0.4817   12  1.148   17  0.013   27 -0.156
BLACKHAWKS     18 25 125 137 -0.030 21.346   28 -0.077   28 -0.085   23 -0.062   28 0.4763   22  1.055   23 -0.091   16 -0.033
FLAMES         18 26 114 134 -0.042 21.684   29 -0.098   29 -0.101   30 -0.117   29 0.4729   28  0.914   30 -0.309   12  0.076
CANUCKS        16 27 121 153 -0.001 22.001   30 -0.121   30 -0.118   31 -0.146   30 0.4707   10  1.158   19 -0.049   30 -0.242
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          17 27 110 153 -0.039 21.786   31 -0.126   31 -0.121   32 -0.157   31 0.4685   23  1.033   27 -0.213   21 -0.101
JETS           15 27 121 134  0.009 21.525   32 -0.132   32 -0.127   24 -0.069   32 0.4644   21  1.076   21 -0.074   19 -0.065

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
SHARKS         22 21 136 151  0.023 22.303   10  0.017   10  0.021   26 -0.077   14 0.5033    3  1.248   10  0.136   31 -0.290
OILERS         22 22 149 148 -0.005 22.182   16  0.001   16 -0.003   12  0.014   17 0.4989    2  1.277    3  0.266   29 -0.238
DUCKS          21 23 147 163  0.009 22.571   19 -0.014   18 -0.018   28 -0.082   20 0.4955    1  1.357    2  0.278   32 -0.441
KRAKEN         20 22 117 123 -0.026 20.868   22 -0.027   22 -0.032   18 -0.025   22 0.4907   30  0.879   28 -0.256    6  0.206
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 19 23 133 132 -0.015 20.994   25 -0.040   25 -0.050   11  0.017   25 0.4889   17  1.092   16  0.032   14  0.001
KINGS          18 24 114 117  0.018 21.572   26 -0.048   26 -0.059   15  0.009   26 0.4832   32  0.777   31 -0.330    2  0.349
FLAMES         18 26 114 134 -0.042 21.684   29 -0.098   29 -0.101   30 -0.117   29 0.4729   28  0.914   30 -0.309   12  0.076
CANUCKS        16 27 121 153 -0.001 22.001   30 -0.121   30 -0.118   31 -0.146   30 0.4707   10  1.158   19 -0.049   30 -0.242

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      32 11 175  99  0.007 21.463    1  0.254    1  0.229    1  0.354    1 0.5612   20  1.084    1  0.360    1  0.349
STARS          26 18 153 124 -0.009 21.954    4  0.073    4  0.081    3  0.133    4 0.5211   16  1.100    9  0.159   11  0.107
WILD           26 19 143 121 -0.007 22.495    5  0.060    5  0.070    4  0.117    5 0.5156   26  0.936   20 -0.050    3  0.284
MAMMOTH        21 23 133 125  0.001 22.281   18 -0.013   19 -0.021   13  0.011   19 0.4963   24  0.990   24 -0.095   10  0.117
PREDATORS      20 23 122 143  0.008 22.088   21 -0.025   21 -0.028   29 -0.092   23 0.4907   19  1.090   22 -0.079   22 -0.105
BLACKHAWKS     18 25 125 137 -0.030 21.346   28 -0.077   28 -0.085   23 -0.062   28 0.4763   22  1.055   23 -0.091   16 -0.033
BLUES          17 27 110 153 -0.039 21.786   31 -0.126   31 -0.121   32 -0.157   31 0.4685   23  1.033   27 -0.213   21 -0.101
JETS           15 27 121 134  0.009 21.525   32 -0.132   32 -0.127   24 -0.069   32 0.4644   21  1.076   21 -0.074   19 -0.065

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     27 17 152 133  0.017 22.458    3  0.110    2  0.114    5  0.083    3 0.5301    8  1.170    5  0.195   15 -0.029
ISLANDERS      24 20 130 122  0.020 22.568    8  0.042    8  0.050    7  0.046    8 0.5143   27  0.919   26 -0.141    5  0.234
FLYERS         22 20 130 120 -0.021 20.878   13  0.015   14  0.014   10  0.026   11 0.5057   25  0.953   25 -0.123    7  0.175
DEVILS         22 22 115 137  0.045 23.218   14  0.014   13  0.018   27 -0.081   13 0.5056   29  0.908   29 -0.280    9  0.118
CAPITALS       22 22 143 129 -0.005 22.098   15  0.002   15 -0.003    6  0.073   15 0.5003   15  1.109   13  0.109   13  0.037
PENGUINS       21 21 139 132 -0.027 20.771   17 -0.004   17 -0.010    8  0.039   16 0.4991   11  1.151   11  0.127   17 -0.049
RANGERS        20 25 118 125  0.034 23.504   24 -0.033   24 -0.040   22 -0.055   21 0.4908   31  0.780   32 -0.392    4  0.282
BLUE JACKETS   18 25 132 147  0.010 22.048   27 -0.061   27 -0.071   25 -0.072   27 0.4817   12  1.148   17  0.013   27 -0.156

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      26 16 146 112  0.016 21.320    2  0.111    3  0.113    2  0.145    2 0.5318   18  1.092    7  0.160    8  0.130
CANADIENS      25 19 151 144 -0.003 22.189    6  0.051    6  0.062    9  0.034    7 0.5148    5  1.224    4  0.216   26 -0.148
RED WINGS      26 19 141 142 -0.037 22.153    7  0.048    7  0.060   20 -0.027    6 0.5155   14  1.110   18  0.011   18 -0.064
SABRES         23 19 135 131 -0.009 21.115    9  0.033    9  0.039   16  0.003    9 0.5112   13  1.144   14  0.082   20 -0.076
BRUINS         23 21 141 144 -0.005 22.222   11  0.017   11  0.020   17 -0.010   10 0.5065    7  1.177   12  0.111   23 -0.131
PANTHERS       22 21 132 140  0.021 22.184   12  0.016   12  0.019   19 -0.026   12 0.5057    9  1.166   15  0.081   24 -0.134
MAPLE LEAFS    21 22 143 140 -0.029 21.269   20 -0.016   20 -0.021   14  0.010   18 0.4965    6  1.198    8  0.159   25 -0.139
SENATORS       20 23 139 145 -0.003 21.766   23 -0.028   23 -0.034   21 -0.028   24 0.4903    4  1.230    6  0.161   28 -0.218

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      175 173 0.503    1  0.056
ATLANTIC DIVISION     186 160 0.538    2  0.027
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 176 172 0.506    3  0.016
PACIFIC DIVISION      156 188 0.453    4 -0.106

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.064 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  9 05:30:15 2026
games through: Thu Jan  8 2026

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