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      29  9 153  87  0.001 18.986    1  0.235    1  0.205    1  0.307    1 0.5652   18  1.081    1  0.322    4  0.292
STARS          25 14 139 105 -0.011 19.456    2  0.108    2  0.107    2  0.146    2 0.5329   17  1.092    6  0.175   10  0.117
HURRICANES     24 15 130 115  0.013 19.969    3  0.091    3  0.096    6  0.058    3 0.5305   14  1.114   11  0.113   15  0.003
WILD           24 16 126 104  0.005 20.241    4  0.075    4  0.081    3  0.117    4 0.5228   28  0.908   22 -0.070    3  0.303
LIGHTNING      22 16 126 101  0.011 19.364    5  0.057    5  0.063    4  0.104    5 0.5216   21  1.051   14  0.083    9  0.125
ISLANDERS      22 18 114 110  0.032 20.823    6  0.042    6  0.050    7  0.035    6 0.5169   29  0.889   26 -0.171    5  0.242
RED WINGS      23 17 125 129 -0.040 19.762    7  0.035    7  0.047   20 -0.040    7 0.5155   11  1.151   17  0.061   24 -0.141
PANTHERS       21 18 126 124  0.017 20.102    8  0.025    8  0.035   11  0.013    8 0.5111    7  1.198    7  0.174   25 -0.147
DEVILS         20 19 106 118  0.045 20.635   11  0.017    9  0.025   23 -0.042    9 0.5086   26  0.918   28 -0.217    8  0.133
DUCKS          21 18 134 137 -0.016 19.663   10  0.017   11  0.025   21 -0.041   10 0.5077    1  1.339    2  0.307   32 -0.389
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLYERS         20 18 118 109 -0.013 19.105   12  0.013   13  0.016    9  0.025   11 0.5065   25  0.974   23 -0.087    7  0.136
SABRES         20 18 120 120 -0.010 19.206   13  0.012   12  0.016   18 -0.014   12 0.5062   12  1.131   15  0.063   19 -0.091
CAPITALS       20 19 124 111  0.003 19.798   14  0.008   14  0.011    5  0.074   13 0.5054   19  1.077   12  0.084   13  0.065
CANADIENS      21 18 130 131 -0.014 19.625    9  0.017   10  0.025   14  0.004   14 0.5046    5  1.218    4  0.191   26 -0.183
BRUINS         20 20 124 132  0.003 20.462   15  0.001   15  0.002   19 -0.028   15 0.5021   10  1.159   13  0.084   23 -0.140
OILERS         20 20 135 132 -0.001 20.312   17 -0.002   17 -0.002   10  0.024   16 0.5005    2  1.255    3  0.259   29 -0.211
SHARKS         19 20 120 136  0.024 20.367   16 -0.001   16 -0.001   28 -0.077   17 0.4988    3  1.224   10  0.119   31 -0.272
RANGERS        19 22 106 110  0.024 21.358   18 -0.019   18 -0.022   24 -0.050   18 0.4948   31  0.736   32 -0.418    2  0.318
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 17 20 117 115  0.012 18.949   20 -0.024   20 -0.028    8  0.033   19 0.4942   16  1.092   16  0.062   14  0.004
SENATORS       18 20 125 124 -0.025 18.979   19 -0.024   19 -0.028   16 -0.010   20 0.4903    4  1.221    5  0.181   28 -0.201
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUE JACKETS   17 21 116 128  0.022 19.762   21 -0.030   21 -0.034   25 -0.056   21 0.4897   13  1.131   19  0.020   22 -0.132
MAMMOTH        18 22 119 116  0.000 20.373   23 -0.033   23 -0.040   15 -0.006   22 0.4891   24  0.992   24 -0.097   12  0.085
MAPLE LEAFS    18 21 128 129 -0.043 19.195   24 -0.036   24 -0.044   17 -0.013   23 0.4877    6  1.209    8  0.162   27 -0.189
PREDATORS      17 21 109 127  0.015 19.724   22 -0.031   22 -0.035   27 -0.073   24 0.4875   15  1.103   20 -0.031   20 -0.115
PENGUINS       17 21 122 123 -0.023 18.974   25 -0.040   25 -0.048   12  0.007   25 0.4850    9  1.168    9  0.130   21 -0.115
KRAKEN         16 21  95 111 -0.015 18.694   26 -0.050   26 -0.057   26 -0.061   26 0.4813   30  0.832   30 -0.330    6  0.208
KINGS          16 22  99 102  0.009 19.474   27 -0.050   27 -0.059   13  0.004   27 0.4802   32  0.701   31 -0.400    1  0.407
CANUCKS        16 23 112 136  0.003 20.089   30 -0.060   30 -0.069   31 -0.109   28 0.4799    8  1.177   18  0.025   30 -0.243
FLAMES         17 22 103 116 -0.041 19.307   28 -0.055   28 -0.064   29 -0.078   29 0.4789   27  0.909   29 -0.263   11  0.107
JETS           15 22 107 114  0.011 19.065   29 -0.058   29 -0.069   22 -0.042   30 0.4767   20  1.076   21 -0.034   16 -0.051
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          15 25 100 137 -0.055 19.631   31 -0.120   31 -0.118   32 -0.141   31 0.4641   23  1.026   27 -0.192   18 -0.089
BLACKHAWKS     14 25 108 127 -0.034 19.427   32 -0.122   32 -0.122   30 -0.083   32 0.4621   22  1.051   25 -0.104   17 -0.062

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          21 18 134 137 -0.016 19.663   10  0.017   11  0.025   21 -0.041   10 0.5077    1  1.339    2  0.307   32 -0.389
OILERS         20 20 135 132 -0.001 20.312   17 -0.002   17 -0.002   10  0.024   16 0.5005    2  1.255    3  0.259   29 -0.211
SHARKS         19 20 120 136  0.024 20.367   16 -0.001   16 -0.001   28 -0.077   17 0.4988    3  1.224   10  0.119   31 -0.272
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 17 20 117 115  0.012 18.949   20 -0.024   20 -0.028    8  0.033   19 0.4942   16  1.092   16  0.062   14  0.004
KRAKEN         16 21  95 111 -0.015 18.694   26 -0.050   26 -0.057   26 -0.061   26 0.4813   30  0.832   30 -0.330    6  0.208
KINGS          16 22  99 102  0.009 19.474   27 -0.050   27 -0.059   13  0.004   27 0.4802   32  0.701   31 -0.400    1  0.407
CANUCKS        16 23 112 136  0.003 20.089   30 -0.060   30 -0.069   31 -0.109   28 0.4799    8  1.177   18  0.025   30 -0.243
FLAMES         17 22 103 116 -0.041 19.307   28 -0.055   28 -0.064   29 -0.078   29 0.4789   27  0.909   29 -0.263   11  0.107

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      29  9 153  87  0.001 18.986    1  0.235    1  0.205    1  0.307    1 0.5652   18  1.081    1  0.322    4  0.292
STARS          25 14 139 105 -0.011 19.456    2  0.108    2  0.107    2  0.146    2 0.5329   17  1.092    6  0.175   10  0.117
WILD           24 16 126 104  0.005 20.241    4  0.075    4  0.081    3  0.117    4 0.5228   28  0.908   22 -0.070    3  0.303
MAMMOTH        18 22 119 116  0.000 20.373   23 -0.033   23 -0.040   15 -0.006   22 0.4891   24  0.992   24 -0.097   12  0.085
PREDATORS      17 21 109 127  0.015 19.724   22 -0.031   22 -0.035   27 -0.073   24 0.4875   15  1.103   20 -0.031   20 -0.115
JETS           15 22 107 114  0.011 19.065   29 -0.058   29 -0.069   22 -0.042   30 0.4767   20  1.076   21 -0.034   16 -0.051
BLUES          15 25 100 137 -0.055 19.631   31 -0.120   31 -0.118   32 -0.141   31 0.4641   23  1.026   27 -0.192   18 -0.089
BLACKHAWKS     14 25 108 127 -0.034 19.427   32 -0.122   32 -0.122   30 -0.083   32 0.4621   22  1.051   25 -0.104   17 -0.062

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     24 15 130 115  0.013 19.969    3  0.091    3  0.096    6  0.058    3 0.5305   14  1.114   11  0.113   15  0.003
ISLANDERS      22 18 114 110  0.032 20.823    6  0.042    6  0.050    7  0.035    6 0.5169   29  0.889   26 -0.171    5  0.242
DEVILS         20 19 106 118  0.045 20.635   11  0.017    9  0.025   23 -0.042    9 0.5086   26  0.918   28 -0.217    8  0.133
FLYERS         20 18 118 109 -0.013 19.105   12  0.013   13  0.016    9  0.025   11 0.5065   25  0.974   23 -0.087    7  0.136
CAPITALS       20 19 124 111  0.003 19.798   14  0.008   14  0.011    5  0.074   13 0.5054   19  1.077   12  0.084   13  0.065
RANGERS        19 22 106 110  0.024 21.358   18 -0.019   18 -0.022   24 -0.050   18 0.4948   31  0.736   32 -0.418    2  0.318
BLUE JACKETS   17 21 116 128  0.022 19.762   21 -0.030   21 -0.034   25 -0.056   21 0.4897   13  1.131   19  0.020   22 -0.132
PENGUINS       17 21 122 123 -0.023 18.974   25 -0.040   25 -0.048   12  0.007   25 0.4850    9  1.168    9  0.130   21 -0.115

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      22 16 126 101  0.011 19.364    5  0.057    5  0.063    4  0.104    5 0.5216   21  1.051   14  0.083    9  0.125
RED WINGS      23 17 125 129 -0.040 19.762    7  0.035    7  0.047   20 -0.040    7 0.5155   11  1.151   17  0.061   24 -0.141
PANTHERS       21 18 126 124  0.017 20.102    8  0.025    8  0.035   11  0.013    8 0.5111    7  1.198    7  0.174   25 -0.147
SABRES         20 18 120 120 -0.010 19.206   13  0.012   12  0.016   18 -0.014   12 0.5062   12  1.131   15  0.063   19 -0.091
CANADIENS      21 18 130 131 -0.014 19.625    9  0.017   10  0.025   14  0.004   14 0.5046    5  1.218    4  0.191   26 -0.183
BRUINS         20 20 124 132  0.003 20.462   15  0.001   15  0.002   19 -0.028   15 0.5021   10  1.159   13  0.084   23 -0.140
SENATORS       18 20 125 124 -0.025 18.979   19 -0.024   19 -0.028   16 -0.010   20 0.4903    4  1.221    5  0.181   28 -0.201
MAPLE LEAFS    18 21 128 129 -0.043 19.195   24 -0.036   24 -0.044   17 -0.013   23 0.4877    6  1.209    8  0.162   27 -0.189

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      157 154 0.505    1  0.064
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 159 153 0.510    2  0.016
ATLANTIC DIVISION     163 148 0.524    3  0.005
PACIFIC DIVISION      142 166 0.461    4 -0.092

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Wed Dec 31 05:30:14 2025
games through: Tue Dec 30 2025

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