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      57 27 306 205 -0.017 41.099    1  0.272    1  0.278    1  0.379    1 0.5410   24  1.020    2  0.295    1  0.463
HURRICANES     55 29 301 242  0.009 42.224    2  0.254    2  0.255    3  0.201    2 0.5386   10  1.156    3  0.284    8  0.118
SABRES         51 33 294 248  0.013 42.386    3  0.195    3  0.181    4  0.174    4 0.5278    8  1.167    4  0.271   10  0.078
LIGHTNING      51 33 296 237  0.013 42.366    4  0.195    4  0.179    2  0.211    3 0.5283   11  1.129    5  0.260    5  0.163
STARS          52 33 288 237 -0.002 42.343    5  0.193    5  0.178    5  0.172    5 0.5260   19  1.058   11  0.133    3  0.210
CANADIENS      49 35 289 262  0.024 42.829    6  0.157    6  0.149    8  0.111    6 0.5229    7  1.177    7  0.220   20  0.001
BRUINS         46 38 279 256  0.025 42.851    7  0.081    7  0.090    9  0.108    7 0.5146   12  1.126   10  0.152   12  0.063
WILD           47 38 283 249 -0.003 42.366    8  0.072    8  0.082    6  0.134    8 0.5121   17  1.084   12  0.128    7  0.141
FLYERS         46 39 261 247  0.017 43.191    9  0.065    9  0.077   13  0.055    9 0.5116   29  0.967   21 -0.090    4  0.200
SENATORS       44 40 280 251  0.015 42.510   10  0.041   10  0.048    7  0.127   10 0.5083   13  1.125    8  0.171    9  0.083
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.006 41.250   11  0.034   12  0.040   10  0.091   11 0.5073   15  1.102   13  0.105   11  0.076
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.009 41.499   12  0.033   11  0.043   17 -0.025   12 0.5073   30  0.943   25 -0.197    6  0.148
MAMMOTH        44 40 273 246 -0.008 41.801   13  0.024   13  0.031   12  0.056   14 0.5041   16  1.099   14  0.068   14  0.044
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.016 41.842   14  0.020   14  0.028   25 -0.112   13 0.5049   27  0.991   27 -0.230   19  0.006
DUCKS          44 40 282 296 -0.026 41.456   15  0.014   15  0.019   24 -0.099   15 0.5028    1  1.295    9  0.164   31 -0.363
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.013 41.676   16  0.007   16  0.009   18 -0.047   16 0.5016   21  1.031   22 -0.117   17  0.023
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.013 41.616   17 -0.005   18 -0.012   16 -0.007   17 0.4991   20  1.055   19 -0.049   15  0.035
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.015 41.782   18 -0.005   17 -0.010   22 -0.079   18 0.4989    6  1.188   16  0.043   28 -0.202
PENGUINS       41 44 297 279  0.012 42.970   19 -0.009   20 -0.021   11  0.074   19 0.4978    2  1.266    1  0.300   26 -0.151
OILERS         42 42 290 278 -0.031 41.075   20 -0.009   19 -0.020   15  0.032   20 0.4970    3  1.258    6  0.246   27 -0.181
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 40 44 271 255 -0.021 41.395   21 -0.033   21 -0.051   14  0.040   21 0.4917   18  1.082   17  0.031   13  0.049
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.022 40.675   22 -0.043   22 -0.054   29 -0.170   22 0.4915    5  1.213   18 -0.016   29 -0.325
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.009 41.025   23 -0.051   23 -0.065   23 -0.095   23 0.4896   14  1.121   20 -0.056   25 -0.133
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.017 40.704   24 -0.074   24 -0.088   19 -0.063   24 0.4861   22  1.026   23 -0.139   18  0.014
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.007 41.116   25 -0.118   25 -0.121   26 -0.117   26 0.4810   23  1.021   26 -0.199   23 -0.035
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.017 41.799   26 -0.122   26 -0.125   20 -0.064   25 0.4815   25  1.010   24 -0.159   16  0.031
KINGS          35 49 227 251 -0.013 41.859   27 -0.145   27 -0.143   21 -0.067   27 0.4782   32  0.843   31 -0.350    2  0.215
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.016 40.875   28 -0.156   28 -0.148   30 -0.188   28 0.4773   31  0.929   32 -0.375   21  0.000
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.020 40.694   29 -0.158   29 -0.151   27 -0.137   29 0.4768   26  0.995   28 -0.249   22 -0.025
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.016 41.866   30 -0.175   30 -0.165   28 -0.141   30 0.4756    4  1.236   15  0.044   30 -0.326
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.013 41.036   31 -0.244   31 -0.243   31 -0.221   31 0.4627   28  0.984   30 -0.346   24 -0.096
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.018 41.082   32 -0.311   32 -0.325   32 -0.385   32 0.4506    9  1.159   29 -0.300   32 -0.471

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          44 40 282 296 -0.026 41.456   15  0.014   15  0.019   24 -0.099   15 0.5028    1  1.295    9  0.164   31 -0.363
OILERS         42 42 290 278 -0.031 41.075   20 -0.009   19 -0.020   15  0.032   20 0.4970    3  1.258    6  0.246   27 -0.181
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 40 44 271 255 -0.021 41.395   21 -0.033   21 -0.051   14  0.040   21 0.4917   18  1.082   17  0.031   13  0.049
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.022 40.675   22 -0.043   22 -0.054   29 -0.170   22 0.4915    5  1.213   18 -0.016   29 -0.325
KINGS          35 49 227 251 -0.013 41.859   27 -0.145   27 -0.143   21 -0.067   27 0.4782   32  0.843   31 -0.350    2  0.215
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.016 40.875   28 -0.156   28 -0.148   30 -0.188   28 0.4773   31  0.929   32 -0.375   21  0.000
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.020 40.694   29 -0.158   29 -0.151   27 -0.137   29 0.4768   26  0.995   28 -0.249   22 -0.025
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.018 41.082   32 -0.311   32 -0.325   32 -0.385   32 0.4506    9  1.159   29 -0.300   32 -0.471

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      57 27 306 205 -0.017 41.099    1  0.272    1  0.278    1  0.379    1 0.5410   24  1.020    2  0.295    1  0.463
STARS          52 33 288 237 -0.002 42.343    5  0.193    5  0.178    5  0.172    5 0.5260   19  1.058   11  0.133    3  0.210
WILD           47 38 283 249 -0.003 42.366    8  0.072    8  0.082    6  0.134    8 0.5121   17  1.084   12  0.128    7  0.141
MAMMOTH        44 40 273 246 -0.008 41.801   13  0.024   13  0.031   12  0.056   14 0.5041   16  1.099   14  0.068   14  0.044
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.009 41.025   23 -0.051   23 -0.065   23 -0.095   23 0.4896   14  1.121   20 -0.056   25 -0.133
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.017 40.704   24 -0.074   24 -0.088   19 -0.063   24 0.4861   22  1.026   23 -0.139   18  0.014
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.007 41.116   25 -0.118   25 -0.121   26 -0.117   26 0.4810   23  1.021   26 -0.199   23 -0.035
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.013 41.036   31 -0.244   31 -0.243   31 -0.221   31 0.4627   28  0.984   30 -0.346   24 -0.096

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     55 29 301 242  0.009 42.224    2  0.254    2  0.255    3  0.201    2 0.5386   10  1.156    3  0.284    8  0.118
FLYERS         46 39 261 247  0.017 43.191    9  0.065    9  0.077   13  0.055    9 0.5116   29  0.967   21 -0.090    4  0.200
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.006 41.250   11  0.034   12  0.040   10  0.091   11 0.5073   15  1.102   13  0.105   11  0.076
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.009 41.499   12  0.033   11  0.043   17 -0.025   12 0.5073   30  0.943   25 -0.197    6  0.148
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.016 41.842   14  0.020   14  0.028   25 -0.112   13 0.5049   27  0.991   27 -0.230   19  0.006
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.013 41.616   17 -0.005   18 -0.012   16 -0.007   17 0.4991   20  1.055   19 -0.049   15  0.035
PENGUINS       41 44 297 279  0.012 42.970   19 -0.009   20 -0.021   11  0.074   19 0.4978    2  1.266    1  0.300   26 -0.151
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.017 41.799   26 -0.122   26 -0.125   20 -0.064   25 0.4815   25  1.010   24 -0.159   16  0.031

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
SABRES         51 33 294 248  0.013 42.386    3  0.195    3  0.181    4  0.174    4 0.5278    8  1.167    4  0.271   10  0.078
LIGHTNING      51 33 296 237  0.013 42.366    4  0.195    4  0.179    2  0.211    3 0.5283   11  1.129    5  0.260    5  0.163
CANADIENS      49 35 289 262  0.024 42.829    6  0.157    6  0.149    8  0.111    6 0.5229    7  1.177    7  0.220   20  0.001
BRUINS         46 38 279 256  0.025 42.851    7  0.081    7  0.090    9  0.108    7 0.5146   12  1.126   10  0.152   12  0.063
SENATORS       44 40 280 251  0.015 42.510   10  0.041   10  0.048    7  0.127   10 0.5083   13  1.125    8  0.171    9  0.083
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.013 41.676   16  0.007   16  0.009   18 -0.047   16 0.5016   21  1.031   22 -0.117   17  0.023
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.015 41.782   18 -0.005   17 -0.010   22 -0.079   18 0.4989    6  1.188   16  0.043   28 -0.202
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.016 41.866   30 -0.175   30 -0.165   28 -0.141   30 0.4756    4  1.236   15  0.044   30 -0.326

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     354 312 0.532    1  0.080
CENTRAL DIVISION      339 327 0.509    2  0.040
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 344 320 0.518    3  0.037
PACIFIC DIVISION      293 371 0.441    4 -0.166

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.055 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: Thu Apr 23 05:30:08 2026
games through: Wed Apr 22 2026

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