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
RANGERS        10 10 51 49 -0.062  9.578   20 -0.011   20 -0.009   21 -0.028   20 0.4897   32  0.695   31 -0.439    1  0.383 P
KRAKEN          9  9 49 50 -0.046  8.692   18 -0.010   18 -0.007   17 -0.002   19 0.4918   30  0.761   30 -0.347    2  0.342 P
KINGS          10 10 56 57  0.094 10.749   11  0.017   11  0.020   10  0.032   12 0.5036   28  0.832   28 -0.239    3  0.303 P
CAPITALS        9 10 53 49  0.032  9.708   17 -0.006   17 -0.004    9  0.042   17 0.4943   27  0.848   26 -0.212    4  0.296 P
FLYERS          9  9 51 51 -0.098  8.369   23 -0.020   21 -0.016   22 -0.034   24 0.4839   29  0.812   29 -0.326    5  0.258 P
FLAMES          5 15 43 62 -0.106  9.377   32 -0.141   32 -0.136   32 -0.126   32 0.4237   31  0.725   32 -0.508    6  0.256 P
BLACKHAWKS      9  9 59 47 -0.043  8.629   19 -0.011   19 -0.008    7  0.049   18 0.4937   26  0.912   24 -0.135    7  0.233 P
AVALANCHE      13  6 78 47  0.095  9.953    2  0.105    2  0.102    1  0.202    2 0.5534   15  1.101    5  0.239    8  0.165 P
PENGUINS       10  9 62 50 -0.031  9.131   14  0.006   15  0.007    4  0.080   14 0.4992   23  1.015   19  0.014    9  0.146 P
WILD            9 11 56 61 -0.029  9.826   25 -0.030   25 -0.026   18 -0.011   25 0.4809   25  0.961   25 -0.140   10  0.117 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
DEVILS         13  5 61 52  0.136  9.858    1  0.118    1  0.122    3  0.084    1 0.5598   20  1.045   13  0.054   11  0.115 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  8 10 57 53  0.028  9.143   21 -0.018   22 -0.016    8  0.045   22 0.4865   22  1.025   20 -0.009   12  0.100 P
STARS          12  7 64 54 -0.016  9.280    5  0.057    5  0.061    5  0.058    5 0.5252   17  1.066   14  0.053   13  0.063 P
MAMMOTH        10  9 60 58  0.007  9.568   13  0.013   12  0.016   15  0.006   13 0.5003   21  1.039   21 -0.031   14  0.044 P
LIGHTNING       9  9 54 55  0.071  9.512   12  0.014   13  0.015   12  0.026   11 0.5039   16  1.092   16  0.052   15  0.000 P
PREDATORS       6 14 49 70 -0.058  9.772   31 -0.103   31 -0.102   31 -0.115   30 0.4422   24  0.973   27 -0.230   16 -0.001 P
RED WINGS      11  8 58 60 -0.072  9.035    9  0.023    9  0.026   25 -0.039   10 0.5075   18  1.051   22 -0.063   17 -0.016 P
SABRES          7 12 56 65 -0.002  9.636   29 -0.059   29 -0.059   27 -0.051   29 0.4686   19  1.050   23 -0.075   18 -0.026 P
HURRICANES     13  6 70 54  0.083  9.967    3  0.102    3  0.102    2  0.101    3 0.5477    9  1.182    4  0.241   19 -0.038 P
BRUINS         12  9 69 69  0.090 11.260    6  0.052    6  0.057   11  0.027    6 0.5206   13  1.136   11  0.107   20 -0.053 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PANTHERS       10  9 58 59  0.051  9.932   10  0.022   10  0.025   16  0.004    9 0.5086   11  1.146   12  0.097   21 -0.088 P
BLUE JACKETS   10  9 60 60 -0.041  9.270   15  0.004   14  0.007   20 -0.026   16 0.4955   14  1.121   18  0.036   22 -0.089 P
SHARKS          8 11 56 63  0.078 10.210   24 -0.024   24 -0.020   24 -0.036   21 0.4867   12  1.142   15  0.052   23 -0.125 P
ISLANDERS      10  9 61 62  0.089 10.192    8  0.029    8  0.030   14  0.021    7 0.5129    8  1.190   10  0.170   24 -0.129 P
JETS           11  7 59 50 -0.048  8.633    7  0.043    7  0.044   13  0.021    8 0.5125    7  1.199    9  0.182   25 -0.139 P
OILERS          9 12 63 75 -0.024 10.448   26 -0.039   26 -0.037   28 -0.054   26 0.4804   10  1.155   17  0.051   26 -0.158 P
DUCKS          12  7 70 60  0.113 10.322    4  0.077    4  0.081    6  0.052    4 0.5405    5  1.291    2  0.334   27 -0.230 P
CANADIENS      10  9 63 66 -0.079  8.980   16 -0.002   16  0.000   26 -0.039   15 0.4956    6  1.270    6  0.215   28 -0.293 P
SENATORS        9 10 64 65 -0.044  9.215   22 -0.019   23 -0.018   19 -0.015   23 0.4854    3  1.306    3  0.287   29 -0.316 P
CANUCKS         9 12 67 77 -0.039 10.374   27 -0.041   27 -0.039   29 -0.070   28 0.4716    4  1.293    7  0.214   30 -0.353 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES           6 13 53 75 -0.110  8.874   30 -0.100   30 -0.100   30 -0.111   31 0.4381    2  1.318    8  0.206   31 -0.429 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8 11 67 72 -0.067  9.077   28 -0.046   28 -0.044   23 -0.035   27 0.4735    1  1.485    1  0.518   32 -0.589 P

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
KRAKEN          9  9 49 50 -0.046  8.692   18 -0.010   18 -0.007   17 -0.002   19 0.4918   30  0.761   30 -0.347    2  0.342 P
KINGS          10 10 56 57  0.094 10.749   11  0.017   11  0.020   10  0.032   12 0.5036   28  0.832   28 -0.239    3  0.303 P
FLAMES          5 15 43 62 -0.106  9.377   32 -0.141   32 -0.136   32 -0.126   32 0.4237   31  0.725   32 -0.508    6  0.256 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  8 10 57 53  0.028  9.143   21 -0.018   22 -0.016    8  0.045   22 0.4865   22  1.025   20 -0.009   12  0.100 P
SHARKS          8 11 56 63  0.078 10.210   24 -0.024   24 -0.020   24 -0.036   21 0.4867   12  1.142   15  0.052   23 -0.125 P
OILERS          9 12 63 75 -0.024 10.448   26 -0.039   26 -0.037   28 -0.054   26 0.4804   10  1.155   17  0.051   26 -0.158 P
DUCKS          12  7 70 60  0.113 10.322    4  0.077    4  0.081    6  0.052    4 0.5405    5  1.291    2  0.334   27 -0.230 P
CANUCKS         9 12 67 77 -0.039 10.374   27 -0.041   27 -0.039   29 -0.070   28 0.4716    4  1.293    7  0.214   30 -0.353 P

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
BLACKHAWKS      9  9 59 47 -0.043  8.629   19 -0.011   19 -0.008    7  0.049   18 0.4937   26  0.912   24 -0.135    7  0.233 P
AVALANCHE      13  6 78 47  0.095  9.953    2  0.105    2  0.102    1  0.202    2 0.5534   15  1.101    5  0.239    8  0.165 P
WILD            9 11 56 61 -0.029  9.826   25 -0.030   25 -0.026   18 -0.011   25 0.4809   25  0.961   25 -0.140   10  0.117 P
STARS          12  7 64 54 -0.016  9.280    5  0.057    5  0.061    5  0.058    5 0.5252   17  1.066   14  0.053   13  0.063 P
MAMMOTH        10  9 60 58  0.007  9.568   13  0.013   12  0.016   15  0.006   13 0.5003   21  1.039   21 -0.031   14  0.044 P
PREDATORS       6 14 49 70 -0.058  9.772   31 -0.103   31 -0.102   31 -0.115   30 0.4422   24  0.973   27 -0.230   16 -0.001 P
JETS           11  7 59 50 -0.048  8.633    7  0.043    7  0.044   13  0.021    8 0.5125    7  1.199    9  0.182   25 -0.139 P
BLUES           6 13 53 75 -0.110  8.874   30 -0.100   30 -0.100   30 -0.111   31 0.4381    2  1.318    8  0.206   31 -0.429 P

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
RANGERS        10 10 51 49 -0.062  9.578   20 -0.011   20 -0.009   21 -0.028   20 0.4897   32  0.695   31 -0.439    1  0.383 P
CAPITALS        9 10 53 49  0.032  9.708   17 -0.006   17 -0.004    9  0.042   17 0.4943   27  0.848   26 -0.212    4  0.296 P
FLYERS          9  9 51 51 -0.098  8.369   23 -0.020   21 -0.016   22 -0.034   24 0.4839   29  0.812   29 -0.326    5  0.258 P
PENGUINS       10  9 62 50 -0.031  9.131   14  0.006   15  0.007    4  0.080   14 0.4992   23  1.015   19  0.014    9  0.146 P
DEVILS         13  5 61 52  0.136  9.858    1  0.118    1  0.122    3  0.084    1 0.5598   20  1.045   13  0.054   11  0.115 P
HURRICANES     13  6 70 54  0.083  9.967    3  0.102    3  0.102    2  0.101    3 0.5477    9  1.182    4  0.241   19 -0.038 P
BLUE JACKETS   10  9 60 60 -0.041  9.270   15  0.004   14  0.007   20 -0.026   16 0.4955   14  1.121   18  0.036   22 -0.089 P
ISLANDERS      10  9 61 62  0.089 10.192    8  0.029    8  0.030   14  0.021    7 0.5129    8  1.190   10  0.170   24 -0.129 P

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       9  9 54 55  0.071  9.512   12  0.014   13  0.015   12  0.026   11 0.5039   16  1.092   16  0.052   15  0.000 P
RED WINGS      11  8 58 60 -0.072  9.035    9  0.023    9  0.026   25 -0.039   10 0.5075   18  1.051   22 -0.063   17 -0.016 P
SABRES          7 12 56 65 -0.002  9.636   29 -0.059   29 -0.059   27 -0.051   29 0.4686   19  1.050   23 -0.075   18 -0.026 P
BRUINS         12  9 69 69  0.090 11.260    6  0.052    6  0.057   11  0.027    6 0.5206   13  1.136   11  0.107   20 -0.053 P
PANTHERS       10  9 58 59  0.051  9.932   10  0.022   10  0.025   16  0.004    9 0.5086   11  1.146   12  0.097   21 -0.088 P
CANADIENS      10  9 63 66 -0.079  8.980   16 -0.002   16  0.000   26 -0.039   15 0.4956    6  1.270    6  0.215   28 -0.293 P
SENATORS        9 10 64 65 -0.044  9.215   22 -0.019   23 -0.018   19 -0.015   23 0.4854    3  1.306    3  0.287   29 -0.316 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8 11 67 72 -0.067  9.077   28 -0.046   28 -0.044   23 -0.035   27 0.4735    1  1.485    1  0.518   32 -0.589 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 84 67 0.556    1  0.106
CENTRAL DIVISION      76 76 0.500    2  0.039
ATLANTIC DIVISION     76 77 0.497    3 -0.062
PACIFIC DIVISION      70 86 0.449    4 -0.073

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Tue Nov 18 05:30:11 2025
games through: Mon Nov 17 2025

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.