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      56 27 304 204 -0.015 40.652    1  0.268    1  0.273    1  0.382    1 0.5404   21  1.032    1  0.313    1  0.452
HURRICANES     55 29 301 242  0.009 42.228    2  0.255    2  0.257    3  0.202    2 0.5387   10  1.156    3  0.285    8  0.120
SABRES         51 32 292 244  0.012 41.830    3  0.207    3  0.192    4  0.183    3 0.5295    8  1.167    4  0.279    9  0.088
LIGHTNING      50 33 293 235  0.013 41.831    4  0.187    4  0.171    2  0.211    4 0.5271   11  1.138    5  0.270    5  0.152
STARS          51 33 284 234 -0.004 41.757    5  0.184    5  0.169    5  0.171    5 0.5247   19  1.057   11  0.131    2  0.211
CANADIENS      49 34 287 259  0.021 42.198    6  0.170    6  0.158    8  0.112    6 0.5242    7  1.186    7  0.231   21 -0.008
WILD           47 37 280 245 -0.004 41.795    7  0.084    7  0.092    6  0.136    7 0.5135   18  1.083   12  0.128    7  0.145
BRUINS         45 38 275 254  0.023 42.262    8  0.071    8  0.080    9  0.100    8 0.5130   12  1.126    9  0.145   12  0.055
FLYERS         45 39 256 245  0.018 42.707    9  0.057    9  0.069   13  0.046    9 0.5105   29  0.963   21 -0.104    4  0.196
SENATORS       44 40 280 251  0.016 42.512   10  0.042   10  0.049    7  0.128   10 0.5083   13  1.125    8  0.171   10  0.085
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  0.007 41.250   11  0.035   12  0.041   10  0.091   11 0.5073   16  1.102   13  0.106   11  0.077
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.010 41.499   12  0.034   11  0.044   17 -0.024   12 0.5073   30  0.943   25 -0.197    6  0.149
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.017 41.852   13  0.019   13  0.029   25 -0.111   13 0.5049   27  0.990   27 -0.230   19  0.007
MAMMOTH        43 40 270 244 -0.009 41.270   14  0.016   14  0.022   12  0.052   14 0.5028   15  1.103   14  0.068   14  0.036
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.014 41.676   15  0.005   16  0.009   18 -0.047   15 0.5017   22  1.031   22 -0.118   17  0.024
DUCKS          43 40 276 292 -0.026 40.935   16  0.005   15  0.010   24 -0.107   16 0.5014    1  1.284   10  0.141   31 -0.354
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.014 41.626   19 -0.006   19 -0.011   16 -0.006   17 0.4991   20  1.055   19 -0.049   15  0.036
PENGUINS       41 43 295 274  0.010 42.389   18 -0.004   20 -0.012   11  0.085   18 0.4990    2  1.263    2  0.305   26 -0.135
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.016 41.791   20 -0.007   18 -0.010   22 -0.079   19 0.4990    6  1.187   16  0.043   28 -0.200
OILERS         42 41 286 272 -0.028 40.639   17 -0.003   17 -0.009   15  0.041   20 0.4985    3  1.246    6  0.239   27 -0.157
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 40 43 269 252 -0.021 40.883   21 -0.028   21 -0.042   14  0.045   21 0.4931   17  1.086   17  0.040   13  0.050
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.022 40.683   22 -0.045   22 -0.053   29 -0.170   22 0.4916    5  1.212   18 -0.016   29 -0.324
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.008 41.030   23 -0.053   23 -0.064   23 -0.094   23 0.4896   14  1.120   20 -0.057   25 -0.132
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.016 40.706   24 -0.075   24 -0.087   19 -0.062   24 0.4862   23  1.025   23 -0.139   18  0.015
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.017 41.804   26 -0.122   26 -0.125   20 -0.064   25 0.4816   25  1.010   24 -0.159   16  0.032
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.006 41.122   25 -0.118   25 -0.120   26 -0.117   26 0.4811   24  1.021   26 -0.199   23 -0.034
KINGS          35 48 226 249 -0.018 41.151   27 -0.138   27 -0.138   21 -0.070   27 0.4789   32  0.857   30 -0.338    3  0.198
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.016 40.881   28 -0.156   28 -0.148   30 -0.187   28 0.4774   31  0.929   32 -0.376   20  0.001
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.020 40.700   29 -0.157   29 -0.151   27 -0.137   29 0.4769   26  0.995   28 -0.250   22 -0.023
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.017 41.875   30 -0.174   30 -0.165   28 -0.141   30 0.4757    4  1.235   15  0.043   30 -0.325
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 -0.012 41.040   31 -0.242   31 -0.243   31 -0.221   31 0.4628   28  0.984   31 -0.347   24 -0.096
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.017 41.086   32 -0.309   32 -0.325   32 -0.386   32 0.4507    9  1.158   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          43 40 276 292 -0.026 40.935   16  0.005   15  0.010   24 -0.107   16 0.5014    1  1.284   10  0.141   31 -0.354
OILERS         42 41 286 272 -0.028 40.639   17 -0.003   17 -0.009   15  0.041   20 0.4985    3  1.246    6  0.239   27 -0.157
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 40 43 269 252 -0.021 40.883   21 -0.028   21 -0.042   14  0.045   21 0.4931   17  1.086   17  0.040   13  0.050
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.022 40.683   22 -0.045   22 -0.053   29 -0.170   22 0.4916    5  1.212   18 -0.016   29 -0.324
KINGS          35 48 226 249 -0.018 41.151   27 -0.138   27 -0.138   21 -0.070   27 0.4789   32  0.857   30 -0.338    3  0.198
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.016 40.881   28 -0.156   28 -0.148   30 -0.187   28 0.4774   31  0.929   32 -0.376   20  0.001
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.020 40.700   29 -0.157   29 -0.151   27 -0.137   29 0.4769   26  0.995   28 -0.250   22 -0.023
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.017 41.086   32 -0.309   32 -0.325   32 -0.386   32 0.4507    9  1.158   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      56 27 304 204 -0.015 40.652    1  0.268    1  0.273    1  0.382    1 0.5404   21  1.032    1  0.313    1  0.452
STARS          51 33 284 234 -0.004 41.757    5  0.184    5  0.169    5  0.171    5 0.5247   19  1.057   11  0.131    2  0.211
WILD           47 37 280 245 -0.004 41.795    7  0.084    7  0.092    6  0.136    7 0.5135   18  1.083   12  0.128    7  0.145
MAMMOTH        43 40 270 244 -0.009 41.270   14  0.016   14  0.022   12  0.052   14 0.5028   15  1.103   14  0.068   14  0.036
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.008 41.030   23 -0.053   23 -0.064   23 -0.094   23 0.4896   14  1.120   20 -0.057   25 -0.132
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.016 40.706   24 -0.075   24 -0.087   19 -0.062   24 0.4862   23  1.025   23 -0.139   18  0.015
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.006 41.122   25 -0.118   25 -0.120   26 -0.117   26 0.4811   24  1.021   26 -0.199   23 -0.034
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.012 41.040   31 -0.242   31 -0.243   31 -0.221   31 0.4628   28  0.984   31 -0.347   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 42.228    2  0.255    2  0.257    3  0.202    2 0.5387   10  1.156    3  0.285    8  0.120
FLYERS         45 39 256 245  0.018 42.707    9  0.057    9  0.069   13  0.046    9 0.5105   29  0.963   21 -0.104    4  0.196
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.007 41.250   11  0.035   12  0.041   10  0.091   11 0.5073   16  1.102   13  0.106   11  0.077
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.010 41.499   12  0.034   11  0.044   17 -0.024   12 0.5073   30  0.943   25 -0.197    6  0.149
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.017 41.852   13  0.019   13  0.029   25 -0.111   13 0.5049   27  0.990   27 -0.230   19  0.007
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.014 41.626   19 -0.006   19 -0.011   16 -0.006   17 0.4991   20  1.055   19 -0.049   15  0.036
PENGUINS       41 43 295 274  0.010 42.389   18 -0.004   20 -0.012   11  0.085   18 0.4990    2  1.263    2  0.305   26 -0.135
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.017 41.804   26 -0.122   26 -0.125   20 -0.064   25 0.4816   25  1.010   24 -0.159   16  0.032

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 32 292 244  0.012 41.830    3  0.207    3  0.192    4  0.183    3 0.5295    8  1.167    4  0.279    9  0.088
LIGHTNING      50 33 293 235  0.013 41.831    4  0.187    4  0.171    2  0.211    4 0.5271   11  1.138    5  0.270    5  0.152
CANADIENS      49 34 287 259  0.021 42.198    6  0.170    6  0.158    8  0.112    6 0.5242    7  1.186    7  0.231   21 -0.008
BRUINS         45 38 275 254  0.023 42.262    8  0.071    8  0.080    9  0.100    8 0.5130   12  1.126    9  0.145   12  0.055
SENATORS       44 40 280 251  0.016 42.512   10  0.042   10  0.049    7  0.128   10 0.5083   13  1.125    8  0.171   10  0.085
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.014 41.676   15  0.005   16  0.009   18 -0.047   15 0.5017   22  1.031   22 -0.118   17  0.024
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.016 41.791   20 -0.007   18 -0.010   22 -0.079   19 0.4990    6  1.187   16  0.043   28 -0.200
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.017 41.875   30 -0.174   30 -0.165   28 -0.141   30 0.4757    4  1.235   15  0.043   30 -0.325

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     352 310 0.532    1  0.080
CENTRAL DIVISION      336 326 0.508    2  0.041
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 343 319 0.518    3  0.037
PACIFIC DIVISION      292 368 0.442    4 -0.165

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.056 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: Tue Apr 21 05:30:09 2026
games through: Mon Apr 20 2026

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