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
OILERS          8  2 47 32 -0.014  4.805    2  0.147    2  0.135    2  0.141    1 0.5612    4  1.401    2  0.567   28 -0.285 P
LIGHTNING       7  2 31 23  0.065  4.623    1  0.147    1  0.136    4  0.114    2 0.5589   17  1.103   13  0.146   10  0.081 P
BRUINS          8  3 42 22  0.051  5.515    3  0.133    3  0.121    1  0.208    3 0.5482   18  1.082   11  0.216    7  0.201 P
MAMMOTH         7  4 41 36  0.092  5.822    4  0.084    4  0.081    9  0.065    4 0.5378    8  1.228    9  0.256   20 -0.125 P
KRAKEN          7  4 44 37 -0.018  5.368    7  0.061    7  0.056   13  0.029    5 0.5310    3  1.406    3  0.462   30 -0.403 P
HURRICANES      8  4 47 33 -0.122  5.249    6  0.072    6  0.064    6  0.109    6 0.5275   13  1.195    8  0.257   14 -0.038 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  8  4 46 36 -0.092  5.453    5  0.077    5  0.070   10  0.061    7 0.5261   11  1.200   10  0.217   17 -0.094 P
RANGERS         7  5 37 29  0.056  6.166   10  0.057   10  0.052    7  0.090    8 0.5242   28  0.877   20 -0.140    5  0.319 P
SENATORS        7  4 31 30 -0.060  5.210    8  0.061    8  0.055   17  0.003    9 0.5198   20  1.047   17 -0.031   13  0.038 P
WILD            6  5 32 27  0.065  5.693   12  0.038   12  0.030    8  0.087   10 0.5178   29  0.842   24 -0.180    4  0.353 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CAPITALS        5  4 30 29  0.057  4.682   11  0.039   11  0.031   14  0.029   11 0.5163   12  1.198   12  0.181   19 -0.124 P
STARS           6  4 26 17  0.036  5.030    9  0.060    9  0.054    5  0.112   12 0.5157   32  0.239   31 -0.700    1  0.923 P
DEVILS          6  4 33 31 -0.069  4.732   13  0.036   13  0.028   19 -0.026   13 0.5089   14  1.167   15  0.086   22 -0.138 P
SHARKS          6  5 33 37  0.071  5.917   14  0.028   14  0.023   26 -0.099   14 0.5089   19  1.061   19 -0.117   16 -0.081 P
BLUES           5  5 35 31  0.020  5.025   16 -0.003   16 -0.006   11  0.042   15 0.5000    5  1.307    4  0.339   25 -0.254 P
AVALANCHE       5  5 41 31  0.006  4.910   15  0.011   15  0.003    3  0.121   16 0.4966    1  1.501    1  0.690   31 -0.449 P
MAPLE LEAFS     6  6 43 39 -0.036  5.784   17 -0.012   17 -0.015   15  0.023   17 0.4952    7  1.280    5  0.282   24 -0.236 P
ISLANDERS       5  5 29 23 -0.071  4.644   18 -0.016   18 -0.023   12  0.042   18 0.4936   30  0.726   30 -0.346    3  0.429 P
PANTHERS        5  6 31 34 -0.050  5.317   19 -0.029   19 -0.036   21 -0.055   19 0.4918   25  0.916   27 -0.241    8  0.131 P
DUCKS           4  6 27 33  0.030  5.230   22 -0.050   22 -0.057   25 -0.094   20 0.4838   16  1.111   18 -0.052   21 -0.137 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
JETS            4  6 26 29  0.085  5.348   20 -0.032   20 -0.039   16  0.005   21 0.4808   27  0.891   26 -0.209    6  0.219 P
CANADIENS       4  5 30 34 -0.140  4.036   21 -0.047   21 -0.056   23 -0.074   22 0.4766   10  1.205   14  0.086   23 -0.235 P
PREDATORS       3  6 23 30  0.083  4.858   24 -0.065   24 -0.070   22 -0.060   23 0.4740   23  0.989   22 -0.163   12  0.043 P
RED WINGS       4  6 28 30 -0.137  4.482   28 -0.075   28 -0.084   24 -0.076   24 0.4717   26  0.909   29 -0.270    9  0.119 P
KINGS           2  6 20 29  0.170  4.609   27 -0.073   26 -0.079   20 -0.053   25 0.4714   24  0.973   23 -0.175   11  0.068 P
PENGUINS        4  7 37 38 -0.007  5.468   26 -0.071   27 -0.081   18 -0.006   26 0.4706    6  1.290    6  0.268   27 -0.279 P
SABRES          4  6 28 37 -0.139  4.545   25 -0.067   25 -0.077   28 -0.133   27 0.4705    9  1.212   16  0.036   29 -0.303 P
BLUE JACKETS    3  5 20 29 -0.040  3.959   23 -0.058   23 -0.066   27 -0.123   28 0.4699   21  1.021   25 -0.189   15 -0.056 P
FLAMES          3  6 19 38 -0.023  4.570   29 -0.078   30 -0.085   31 -0.193   29 0.4686   22  1.014   28 -0.267   18 -0.119 P
BLACKHAWKS      3  6 21 36  0.039  4.802   30 -0.079   29 -0.085   32 -0.212   30 0.4616   15  1.120   21 -0.158   26 -0.266 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLYERS          3  9 20 37  0.076  6.518   31 -0.124   31 -0.131   29 -0.141   31 0.4566   31  0.477   32 -0.761    2  0.479 P
CANUCKS         2 10 35 56  0.081  6.634   32 -0.170   32 -0.177   30 -0.179   32 0.4447    2  1.411    7  0.261   32 -0.619 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
OILERS          8  2 47 32 -0.014  4.805    2  0.147    2  0.135    2  0.141    1 0.5612    4  1.401    2  0.567   28 -0.285 P
KRAKEN          7  4 44 37 -0.018  5.368    7  0.061    7  0.056   13  0.029    5 0.5310    3  1.406    3  0.462   30 -0.403 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  8  4 46 36 -0.092  5.453    5  0.077    5  0.070   10  0.061    7 0.5261   11  1.200   10  0.217   17 -0.094 P
SHARKS          6  5 33 37  0.071  5.917   14  0.028   14  0.023   26 -0.099   14 0.5089   19  1.061   19 -0.117   16 -0.081 P
DUCKS           4  6 27 33  0.030  5.230   22 -0.050   22 -0.057   25 -0.094   20 0.4838   16  1.111   18 -0.052   21 -0.137 P
KINGS           2  6 20 29  0.170  4.609   27 -0.073   26 -0.079   20 -0.053   25 0.4714   24  0.973   23 -0.175   11  0.068 P
FLAMES          3  6 19 38 -0.023  4.570   29 -0.078   30 -0.085   31 -0.193   29 0.4686   22  1.014   28 -0.267   18 -0.119 P
CANUCKS         2 10 35 56  0.081  6.634   32 -0.170   32 -0.177   30 -0.179   32 0.4447    2  1.411    7  0.261   32 -0.619 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
MAMMOTH         7  4 41 36  0.092  5.822    4  0.084    4  0.081    9  0.065    4 0.5378    8  1.228    9  0.256   20 -0.125 P
WILD            6  5 32 27  0.065  5.693   12  0.038   12  0.030    8  0.087   10 0.5178   29  0.842   24 -0.180    4  0.353 P
STARS           6  4 26 17  0.036  5.030    9  0.060    9  0.054    5  0.112   12 0.5157   32  0.239   31 -0.700    1  0.923 P
BLUES           5  5 35 31  0.020  5.025   16 -0.003   16 -0.006   11  0.042   15 0.5000    5  1.307    4  0.339   25 -0.254 P
AVALANCHE       5  5 41 31  0.006  4.910   15  0.011   15  0.003    3  0.121   16 0.4966    1  1.501    1  0.690   31 -0.449 P
JETS            4  6 26 29  0.085  5.348   20 -0.032   20 -0.039   16  0.005   21 0.4808   27  0.891   26 -0.209    6  0.219 P
PREDATORS       3  6 23 30  0.083  4.858   24 -0.065   24 -0.070   22 -0.060   23 0.4740   23  0.989   22 -0.163   12  0.043 P
BLACKHAWKS      3  6 21 36  0.039  4.802   30 -0.079   29 -0.085   32 -0.212   30 0.4616   15  1.120   21 -0.158   26 -0.266 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
HURRICANES      8  4 47 33 -0.122  5.249    6  0.072    6  0.064    6  0.109    6 0.5275   13  1.195    8  0.257   14 -0.038 P
RANGERS         7  5 37 29  0.056  6.166   10  0.057   10  0.052    7  0.090    8 0.5242   28  0.877   20 -0.140    5  0.319 P
CAPITALS        5  4 30 29  0.057  4.682   11  0.039   11  0.031   14  0.029   11 0.5163   12  1.198   12  0.181   19 -0.124 P
DEVILS          6  4 33 31 -0.069  4.732   13  0.036   13  0.028   19 -0.026   13 0.5089   14  1.167   15  0.086   22 -0.138 P
ISLANDERS       5  5 29 23 -0.071  4.644   18 -0.016   18 -0.023   12  0.042   18 0.4936   30  0.726   30 -0.346    3  0.429 P
PENGUINS        4  7 37 38 -0.007  5.468   26 -0.071   27 -0.081   18 -0.006   26 0.4706    6  1.290    6  0.268   27 -0.279 P
BLUE JACKETS    3  5 20 29 -0.040  3.959   23 -0.058   23 -0.066   27 -0.123   28 0.4699   21  1.021   25 -0.189   15 -0.056 P
FLYERS          3  9 20 37  0.076  6.518   31 -0.124   31 -0.131   29 -0.141   31 0.4566   31  0.477   32 -0.761    2  0.479 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       7  2 31 23  0.065  4.623    1  0.147    1  0.136    4  0.114    2 0.5589   17  1.103   13  0.146   10  0.081 P
BRUINS          8  3 42 22  0.051  5.515    3  0.133    3  0.121    1  0.208    3 0.5482   18  1.082   11  0.216    7  0.201 P
SENATORS        7  4 31 30 -0.060  5.210    8  0.061    8  0.055   17  0.003    9 0.5198   20  1.047   17 -0.031   13  0.038 P
MAPLE LEAFS     6  6 43 39 -0.036  5.784   17 -0.012   17 -0.015   15  0.023   17 0.4952    7  1.280    5  0.282   24 -0.236 P
PANTHERS        5  6 31 34 -0.050  5.317   19 -0.029   19 -0.036   21 -0.055   19 0.4918   25  0.916   27 -0.241    8  0.131 P
CANADIENS       4  5 30 34 -0.140  4.036   21 -0.047   21 -0.056   23 -0.074   22 0.4766   10  1.205   14  0.086   23 -0.235 P
RED WINGS       4  6 28 30 -0.137  4.482   28 -0.075   28 -0.084   24 -0.076   24 0.4717   26  0.909   29 -0.270    9  0.119 P
SABRES          4  6 28 37 -0.139  4.545   25 -0.067   25 -0.077   28 -0.133   27 0.4705    9  1.212   16  0.036   29 -0.303 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      39 41 0.487    1  0.070
ATLANTIC DIVISION     45 38 0.542    2  0.013
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 41 43 0.488    3  0.003
PACIFIC DIVISION      40 43 0.482    4 -0.119

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Fri Oct 23 05:30:11 2026
games through: Thu Oct 22 2026

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