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  0.006 21.458    1  0.259    1  0.234    1  0.360    1 0.5612   20  1.083    1  0.365    1  0.355
HURRICANES     27 17 152 133  0.020 22.512    2  0.116    2  0.117    6  0.085    3 0.5304    8  1.170    5  0.197   15 -0.027
LIGHTNING      26 16 146 112  0.016 21.324    3  0.115    3  0.115    2  0.147    2 0.5318   17  1.092    6  0.163    8  0.132
STARS          26 18 153 124 -0.009 21.967    4  0.075    4  0.083    3  0.135    4 0.5211   16  1.100    8  0.161   11  0.110
WILD           26 19 143 121 -0.006 22.521    5  0.063    5  0.072    4  0.119    5 0.5158   26  0.936   20 -0.048    3  0.287
CANADIENS      25 19 151 144 -0.003 22.187    6  0.053    6  0.063    9  0.034    7 0.5148    5  1.224    4  0.216   26 -0.148
RED WINGS      26 19 141 142 -0.037 22.163    7  0.050    7  0.061   19 -0.027    6 0.5155   14  1.110   18  0.010   19 -0.064
ISLANDERS      24 20 130 122  0.023 22.624    8  0.045    8  0.052    7  0.048    8 0.5145   27  0.918   26 -0.139    5  0.236
SABRES         23 19 135 131 -0.006 21.164    9  0.035    9  0.041   15  0.004    9 0.5114   13  1.143   14  0.083   20 -0.074
BRUINS         23 21 141 144 -0.004 22.238   10  0.017   11  0.021   17 -0.010   10 0.5066    7  1.177   13  0.111   23 -0.131
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 22.304   11  0.017   10  0.021   25 -0.078   14 0.5034    3  1.247   10  0.133   31 -0.290
PANTHERS       22 21 132 140  0.019 22.172   12  0.015   12  0.019   20 -0.027   13 0.5056    9  1.166   15  0.080   24 -0.135
FLYERS         22 20 130 120 -0.021 20.886   13  0.014   14  0.014   10  0.026   11 0.5057   25  0.953   25 -0.123    7  0.175
DEVILS         22 22 115 137  0.046 23.233   14  0.013   13  0.019   27 -0.082   12 0.5057   29  0.908   29 -0.281   10  0.117
CAPITALS       23 22 148 130 -0.007 22.565   15  0.010   15  0.008    5  0.091   15 0.5026   15  1.107   12  0.125   13  0.057
OILERS         22 22 149 148 -0.001 22.248   16  0.001   16 -0.002   13  0.016   16 0.4992    2  1.277    3  0.268   29 -0.236
PENGUINS       21 21 139 132 -0.027 20.769   17 -0.005   17 -0.010    8  0.040   17 0.4991   11  1.150   11  0.127   16 -0.048
MAMMOTH        22 23 137 127 -0.007 22.640   18 -0.008   18 -0.014   12  0.016   18 0.4982   24  0.992   23 -0.087    9  0.120
DUCKS          21 23 147 163  0.008 22.554   19 -0.016   19 -0.019   28 -0.084   20 0.4954    1  1.356    2  0.276   32 -0.443
MAPLE LEAFS    21 22 143 140 -0.029 21.279   20 -0.018   20 -0.022   14  0.010   19 0.4965    6  1.198    9  0.159   25 -0.138
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 22.098   21 -0.026   21 -0.028   29 -0.094   23 0.4907   19  1.089   22 -0.082   21 -0.105
KRAKEN         20 22 117 123 -0.027 20.865   22 -0.029   22 -0.033   18 -0.025   22 0.4907   30  0.878   28 -0.257    6  0.206
SENATORS       20 23 139 145 -0.003 21.777   23 -0.030   23 -0.034   21 -0.029   24 0.4903    4  1.230    7  0.161   28 -0.219
RANGERS        20 25 118 125  0.036 23.545   24 -0.034   24 -0.040   23 -0.055   21 0.4910   32  0.780   32 -0.391    4  0.282
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 19 23 133 132 -0.016 20.981   25 -0.042   25 -0.051   11  0.017   25 0.4889   18  1.092   16  0.032   14  0.001
KINGS          18 25 115 122  0.016 22.085   26 -0.061   26 -0.071   16 -0.010   27 0.4802   31  0.785   31 -0.341    2  0.321
BLUE JACKETS   18 25 132 147  0.012 22.097   27 -0.063   27 -0.072   24 -0.072   26 0.4819   12  1.147   17  0.012   27 -0.155
BLACKHAWKS     18 26 126 142 -0.030 21.881   28 -0.092   28 -0.097   26 -0.081   28 0.4738   22  1.054   24 -0.112   17 -0.050
FLAMES         18 26 114 134 -0.041 21.704   29 -0.102   29 -0.103   30 -0.118   29 0.4731   28  0.914   30 -0.311   12  0.074
JETS           16 27 126 135  0.008 21.998   30 -0.115   30 -0.118   22 -0.051   31 0.4675   21  1.083   19 -0.047   18 -0.056
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CANUCKS        16 27 121 153 -0.002 22.000   31 -0.120   31 -0.120   31 -0.148   30 0.4707   10  1.158   21 -0.051   30 -0.245
BLUES          17 28 112 157 -0.039 22.322   32 -0.138   32 -0.133   32 -0.167   32 0.4666   23  1.035   27 -0.220   22 -0.114

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 22.304   11  0.017   10  0.021   25 -0.078   14 0.5034    3  1.247   10  0.133   31 -0.290
OILERS         22 22 149 148 -0.001 22.248   16  0.001   16 -0.002   13  0.016   16 0.4992    2  1.277    3  0.268   29 -0.236
DUCKS          21 23 147 163  0.008 22.554   19 -0.016   19 -0.019   28 -0.084   20 0.4954    1  1.356    2  0.276   32 -0.443
KRAKEN         20 22 117 123 -0.027 20.865   22 -0.029   22 -0.033   18 -0.025   22 0.4907   30  0.878   28 -0.257    6  0.206
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 19 23 133 132 -0.016 20.981   25 -0.042   25 -0.051   11  0.017   25 0.4889   18  1.092   16  0.032   14  0.001
KINGS          18 25 115 122  0.016 22.085   26 -0.061   26 -0.071   16 -0.010   27 0.4802   31  0.785   31 -0.341    2  0.321
FLAMES         18 26 114 134 -0.041 21.704   29 -0.102   29 -0.103   30 -0.118   29 0.4731   28  0.914   30 -0.311   12  0.074
CANUCKS        16 27 121 153 -0.002 22.000   31 -0.120   31 -0.120   31 -0.148   30 0.4707   10  1.158   21 -0.051   30 -0.245

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  0.006 21.458    1  0.259    1  0.234    1  0.360    1 0.5612   20  1.083    1  0.365    1  0.355
STARS          26 18 153 124 -0.009 21.967    4  0.075    4  0.083    3  0.135    4 0.5211   16  1.100    8  0.161   11  0.110
WILD           26 19 143 121 -0.006 22.521    5  0.063    5  0.072    4  0.119    5 0.5158   26  0.936   20 -0.048    3  0.287
MAMMOTH        22 23 137 127 -0.007 22.640   18 -0.008   18 -0.014   12  0.016   18 0.4982   24  0.992   23 -0.087    9  0.120
PREDATORS      20 23 122 143  0.008 22.098   21 -0.026   21 -0.028   29 -0.094   23 0.4907   19  1.089   22 -0.082   21 -0.105
BLACKHAWKS     18 26 126 142 -0.030 21.881   28 -0.092   28 -0.097   26 -0.081   28 0.4738   22  1.054   24 -0.112   17 -0.050
JETS           16 27 126 135  0.008 21.998   30 -0.115   30 -0.118   22 -0.051   31 0.4675   21  1.083   19 -0.047   18 -0.056
BLUES          17 28 112 157 -0.039 22.322   32 -0.138   32 -0.133   32 -0.167   32 0.4666   23  1.035   27 -0.220   22 -0.114

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  0.020 22.512    2  0.116    2  0.117    6  0.085    3 0.5304    8  1.170    5  0.197   15 -0.027
ISLANDERS      24 20 130 122  0.023 22.624    8  0.045    8  0.052    7  0.048    8 0.5145   27  0.918   26 -0.139    5  0.236
FLYERS         22 20 130 120 -0.021 20.886   13  0.014   14  0.014   10  0.026   11 0.5057   25  0.953   25 -0.123    7  0.175
DEVILS         22 22 115 137  0.046 23.233   14  0.013   13  0.019   27 -0.082   12 0.5057   29  0.908   29 -0.281   10  0.117
CAPITALS       23 22 148 130 -0.007 22.565   15  0.010   15  0.008    5  0.091   15 0.5026   15  1.107   12  0.125   13  0.057
PENGUINS       21 21 139 132 -0.027 20.769   17 -0.005   17 -0.010    8  0.040   17 0.4991   11  1.150   11  0.127   16 -0.048
RANGERS        20 25 118 125  0.036 23.545   24 -0.034   24 -0.040   23 -0.055   21 0.4910   32  0.780   32 -0.391    4  0.282
BLUE JACKETS   18 25 132 147  0.012 22.097   27 -0.063   27 -0.072   24 -0.072   26 0.4819   12  1.147   17  0.012   27 -0.155

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 21.324    3  0.115    3  0.115    2  0.147    2 0.5318   17  1.092    6  0.163    8  0.132
CANADIENS      25 19 151 144 -0.003 22.187    6  0.053    6  0.063    9  0.034    7 0.5148    5  1.224    4  0.216   26 -0.148
RED WINGS      26 19 141 142 -0.037 22.163    7  0.050    7  0.061   19 -0.027    6 0.5155   14  1.110   18  0.010   19 -0.064
SABRES         23 19 135 131 -0.006 21.164    9  0.035    9  0.041   15  0.004    9 0.5114   13  1.143   14  0.083   20 -0.074
BRUINS         23 21 141 144 -0.004 22.238   10  0.017   11  0.021   17 -0.010   10 0.5066    7  1.177   13  0.111   23 -0.131
PANTHERS       22 21 132 140  0.019 22.172   12  0.015   12  0.019   20 -0.027   13 0.5056    9  1.166   15  0.080   24 -0.135
MAPLE LEAFS    21 22 143 140 -0.029 21.279   20 -0.018   20 -0.022   14  0.010   19 0.4965    6  1.198    9  0.159   25 -0.138
SENATORS       20 23 139 145 -0.003 21.777   23 -0.030   23 -0.034   21 -0.029   24 0.4903    4  1.230    7  0.161   28 -0.219

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      177 175 0.503    1  0.057
ATLANTIC DIVISION     186 160 0.538    2  0.027
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 177 172 0.507    3  0.021
PACIFIC DIVISION      156 189 0.452    4 -0.111

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.065 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: Sat Jan 10 05:30:12 2026
games through: Fri Jan  9 2026

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