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      39 19 221 146 -0.004 28.647    1  0.231    1  0.219    1  0.350    1 0.5431   18  1.088    1  0.355    1  0.345
LIGHTNING      38 20 209 153  0.006 28.982    2  0.210    2  0.198    2  0.236    2 0.5397   16  1.097    4  0.251    3  0.220
HURRICANES     38 21 207 169 -0.006 29.325    3  0.193    3  0.183    3  0.151    3 0.5357   12  1.135    8  0.214   12  0.088
STARS          36 23 200 163 -0.024 28.913    4  0.131    4  0.128    4  0.140    4 0.5244   21  1.053   13  0.104    5  0.177
SABRES         35 25 206 181  0.015 30.374    5  0.114    5  0.115    7  0.105    5 0.5226    9  1.179    6  0.223   19 -0.013
ISLANDERS      35 26 182 172  0.008 30.794    6  0.093    6  0.100   13  0.044    6 0.5196   28  0.949   21 -0.114    4  0.201
RED WINGS      34 26 178 181  0.013 30.495    7  0.083    7  0.094   17 -0.012    7 0.5173   25  0.982   23 -0.132   11  0.109
WILD           35 26 204 179 -0.015 30.136    8  0.078    9  0.087    6  0.107    8 0.5153   19  1.080   14  0.102   10  0.112
BRUINS         33 26 200 187  0.004 29.651   10  0.066   10  0.077    9  0.065    9 0.5151    6  1.203    7  0.214   22 -0.085
CANADIENS      33 26 208 193  0.024 30.114    9  0.077    8  0.087    8  0.075   10 0.5143    3  1.247    3  0.282   24 -0.132
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
DUCKS          33 26 199 206 -0.003 29.674   11  0.061   11  0.074   22 -0.058   11 0.5133    2  1.311    5  0.234   32 -0.351
MAMMOTH        31 29 190 167  0.003 30.125   12  0.017   12  0.022   10  0.063   12 0.5051   22  1.019   19 -0.015    7  0.140
PENGUINS       31 28 203 173 -0.038 28.628   13  0.011   13  0.014    5  0.124   13 0.5036   13  1.131   10  0.182   13  0.065
PANTHERS       30 30 185 200  0.024 30.811   14  0.008   14  0.013   21 -0.049   14 0.5030    8  1.180   16  0.071   26 -0.169
CAPITALS       31 31 197 186 -0.006 30.943   17 -0.002   18 -0.005   11  0.058   15 0.5014   15  1.098   15  0.076   15  0.040
BLUE JACKETS   29 29 184 185  0.012 29.436   15  0.003   15  0.006   16 -0.005   16 0.5010   14  1.129   18  0.050   20 -0.060
DEVILS         29 31 151 182  0.034 31.141   19 -0.005   17 -0.004   28 -0.131   17 0.4999   30  0.850   31 -0.399    8  0.137
SHARKS         29 29 179 202  0.007 29.483   16  0.001   16  0.005   25 -0.113   18 0.4995    5  1.215   17  0.052   30 -0.278
SENATORS       29 30 197 188  0.010 29.833   18 -0.003   19 -0.006   12  0.045   19 0.4991    7  1.200    9  0.190   23 -0.100
FLYERS         27 32 174 186  0.016 30.110   20 -0.035   20 -0.046   20 -0.042   20 0.4911   24  1.017   22 -0.122   16  0.038
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
KRAKEN         28 31 169 175 -0.034 28.870   22 -0.041   23 -0.051   18 -0.028   21 0.4907   27  0.953   25 -0.182    9  0.125
OILERS         29 32 215 206 -0.034 29.798   21 -0.037   22 -0.050   15  0.026   22 0.4907    1  1.319    2  0.330   29 -0.277
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 28 32 199 191 -0.023 29.564   24 -0.043   24 -0.056   14  0.027   23 0.4906   11  1.158   12  0.119   21 -0.066
MAPLE LEAFS    27 33 193 208  0.010 30.455   25 -0.048   25 -0.058   19 -0.042   24 0.4886    4  1.227   11  0.139   28 -0.222
PREDATORS      27 32 175 203  0.006 29.986   23 -0.041   21 -0.050   26 -0.118   25 0.4880   10  1.161   20 -0.022   27 -0.213
RANGERS        23 36 156 185  0.041 30.792   27 -0.119   27 -0.120   29 -0.137   26 0.4777   29  0.917   29 -0.331   14  0.057
KINGS          24 35 153 175  0.005 29.871   26 -0.113   26 -0.117   23 -0.070   27 0.4774   32  0.794   30 -0.397    2  0.256
JETS           23 36 168 184 -0.006 29.617   29 -0.144   29 -0.145   24 -0.084   28 0.4731   23  1.018   24 -0.163   18 -0.006
FLAMES         24 35 148 175 -0.036 28.950   28 -0.141   28 -0.138   30 -0.144   29 0.4729   31  0.831   32 -0.431    6  0.144
BLACKHAWKS     23 37 161 192 -0.015 29.972   30 -0.161   30 -0.159   27 -0.130   30 0.4695   26  0.974   27 -0.260   17  0.000
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          22 38 156 208 -0.015 30.022   31 -0.187   31 -0.180   31 -0.177   31 0.4654   20  1.070   26 -0.194   25 -0.161
CANUCKS        18 41 152 218 -0.011 29.773   32 -0.253   32 -0.256   32 -0.285   32 0.4522   17  1.096   28 -0.270   31 -0.300

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          33 26 199 206 -0.003 29.674   11  0.061   11  0.074   22 -0.058   11 0.5133    2  1.311    5  0.234   32 -0.351
SHARKS         29 29 179 202  0.007 29.483   16  0.001   16  0.005   25 -0.113   18 0.4995    5  1.215   17  0.052   30 -0.278
KRAKEN         28 31 169 175 -0.034 28.870   22 -0.041   23 -0.051   18 -0.028   21 0.4907   27  0.953   25 -0.182    9  0.125
OILERS         29 32 215 206 -0.034 29.798   21 -0.037   22 -0.050   15  0.026   22 0.4907    1  1.319    2  0.330   29 -0.277
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 28 32 199 191 -0.023 29.564   24 -0.043   24 -0.056   14  0.027   23 0.4906   11  1.158   12  0.119   21 -0.066
KINGS          24 35 153 175  0.005 29.871   26 -0.113   26 -0.117   23 -0.070   27 0.4774   32  0.794   30 -0.397    2  0.256
FLAMES         24 35 148 175 -0.036 28.950   28 -0.141   28 -0.138   30 -0.144   29 0.4729   31  0.831   32 -0.431    6  0.144
CANUCKS        18 41 152 218 -0.011 29.773   32 -0.253   32 -0.256   32 -0.285   32 0.4522   17  1.096   28 -0.270   31 -0.300

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      39 19 221 146 -0.004 28.647    1  0.231    1  0.219    1  0.350    1 0.5431   18  1.088    1  0.355    1  0.345
STARS          36 23 200 163 -0.024 28.913    4  0.131    4  0.128    4  0.140    4 0.5244   21  1.053   13  0.104    5  0.177
WILD           35 26 204 179 -0.015 30.136    8  0.078    9  0.087    6  0.107    8 0.5153   19  1.080   14  0.102   10  0.112
MAMMOTH        31 29 190 167  0.003 30.125   12  0.017   12  0.022   10  0.063   12 0.5051   22  1.019   19 -0.015    7  0.140
PREDATORS      27 32 175 203  0.006 29.986   23 -0.041   21 -0.050   26 -0.118   25 0.4880   10  1.161   20 -0.022   27 -0.213
JETS           23 36 168 184 -0.006 29.617   29 -0.144   29 -0.145   24 -0.084   28 0.4731   23  1.018   24 -0.163   18 -0.006
BLACKHAWKS     23 37 161 192 -0.015 29.972   30 -0.161   30 -0.159   27 -0.130   30 0.4695   26  0.974   27 -0.260   17  0.000
BLUES          22 38 156 208 -0.015 30.022   31 -0.187   31 -0.180   31 -0.177   31 0.4654   20  1.070   26 -0.194   25 -0.161

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     38 21 207 169 -0.006 29.325    3  0.193    3  0.183    3  0.151    3 0.5357   12  1.135    8  0.214   12  0.088
ISLANDERS      35 26 182 172  0.008 30.794    6  0.093    6  0.100   13  0.044    6 0.5196   28  0.949   21 -0.114    4  0.201
PENGUINS       31 28 203 173 -0.038 28.628   13  0.011   13  0.014    5  0.124   13 0.5036   13  1.131   10  0.182   13  0.065
CAPITALS       31 31 197 186 -0.006 30.943   17 -0.002   18 -0.005   11  0.058   15 0.5014   15  1.098   15  0.076   15  0.040
BLUE JACKETS   29 29 184 185  0.012 29.436   15  0.003   15  0.006   16 -0.005   16 0.5010   14  1.129   18  0.050   20 -0.060
DEVILS         29 31 151 182  0.034 31.141   19 -0.005   17 -0.004   28 -0.131   17 0.4999   30  0.850   31 -0.399    8  0.137
FLYERS         27 32 174 186  0.016 30.110   20 -0.035   20 -0.046   20 -0.042   20 0.4911   24  1.017   22 -0.122   16  0.038
RANGERS        23 36 156 185  0.041 30.792   27 -0.119   27 -0.120   29 -0.137   26 0.4777   29  0.917   29 -0.331   14  0.057

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      38 20 209 153  0.006 28.982    2  0.210    2  0.198    2  0.236    2 0.5397   16  1.097    4  0.251    3  0.220
SABRES         35 25 206 181  0.015 30.374    5  0.114    5  0.115    7  0.105    5 0.5226    9  1.179    6  0.223   19 -0.013
RED WINGS      34 26 178 181  0.013 30.495    7  0.083    7  0.094   17 -0.012    7 0.5173   25  0.982   23 -0.132   11  0.109
BRUINS         33 26 200 187  0.004 29.651   10  0.066   10  0.077    9  0.065    9 0.5151    6  1.203    7  0.214   22 -0.085
CANADIENS      33 26 208 193  0.024 30.114    9  0.077    8  0.087    8  0.075   10 0.5143    3  1.247    3  0.282   24 -0.132
PANTHERS       30 30 185 200  0.024 30.811   14  0.008   14  0.013   21 -0.049   14 0.5030    8  1.180   16  0.071   26 -0.169
SENATORS       29 30 197 188  0.010 29.833   18 -0.003   19 -0.006   12  0.045   19 0.4991    7  1.200    9  0.190   23 -0.100
MAPLE LEAFS    27 33 193 208  0.010 30.455   25 -0.048   25 -0.058   19 -0.042   24 0.4886    4  1.227   11  0.139   28 -0.222

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     259 216 0.545    1  0.086
CENTRAL DIVISION      236 240 0.496    2  0.029
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 243 234 0.509    3  0.012
PACIFIC DIVISION      213 261 0.449    4 -0.130

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Mon Mar  2 05:30:08 2026
games through: Sun Mar  1 2026

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