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      4 2 29 19 -0.009  2.838   10  0.079   10  0.074    2  0.163   11 0.5245    1  1.597    1  0.874   31 -0.548 P
OILERS         5 1 29 18 -0.146  2.521    3  0.105    3  0.103    3  0.134    2 0.5474    4  1.318    2  0.441   23 -0.173 P
CANUCKS        2 6 26 38  0.087  4.388   28 -0.116   28 -0.116   28 -0.147   27 0.4657    2  1.506    3  0.426   32 -0.721 P
KRAKEN         5 2 29 19 -0.093  3.139   11  0.070   11  0.064   13  0.040   12 0.5238    5  1.287    4  0.306   26 -0.225 P
BLUE JACKETS   2 3 16 21 -0.060  2.385   22 -0.049   23 -0.051   24 -0.104   24 0.4758    3  1.330    5  0.218   30 -0.427 P
PENGUINS       3 4 25 22 -0.115  3.112   24 -0.058   24 -0.057   19  0.002   23 0.4765    6  1.249    6  0.217   25 -0.213 P
BRUINS         5 2 26 16  0.047  3.485    5  0.102    4  0.100    5  0.131    3 0.5450   15  1.142    7  0.208   11  0.054 P
MAMMOTH        5 2 27 19 -0.003  3.376    7  0.087    7  0.082    9  0.079    6 0.5369   12  1.162    8  0.182   16 -0.023 P
HURRICANES     6 2 31 19 -0.169  3.289    4  0.105    5  0.098    4  0.132    7 0.5324   19  1.101    9  0.158    9  0.106 P
MAPLE LEAFS    3 4 24 23  0.107  3.747   17 -0.002   17 -0.017   14  0.032   17 0.4954    8  1.180   10  0.157   19 -0.093 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CAPITALS       3 3 19 18  0.240  3.532   13  0.048   13  0.037   10  0.069   14 0.5191   14  1.142   11  0.147   15 -0.009 P
LIGHTNING      4 2 17 16  0.162  3.302    6  0.097    6  0.096    8  0.092    4 0.5408   17  1.117   12  0.138   12  0.046 P
BLUES          3 3 21 18 -0.043  2.830   15  0.007   15 -0.016   15  0.026   15 0.4962   11  1.163   13  0.129   18 -0.077 P
CANADIENS      3 3 19 22 -0.066  2.824   16  0.006   16 -0.017   22 -0.055   19 0.4867   10  1.166   14  0.053   21 -0.162 P
DUCKS          4 2 20 17 -0.057  2.845   14  0.047   14  0.034   21 -0.040   13 0.5192   13  1.152   15  0.050   20 -0.129 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 6 2 30 20 -0.051  3.687    2  0.115    2  0.113    7  0.108    5 0.5400   23  1.030   16  0.049    7  0.166 P
SABRES         3 4 19 26 -0.081  3.283   23 -0.049   22 -0.045   25 -0.106   22 0.4810    7  1.200   17  0.044   28 -0.257 P
SENATORS       5 2 21 19 -0.075  3.213    8  0.086    8  0.078   16  0.024   10 0.5249   22  1.044   18 -0.018   10  0.066 P
PREDATORS      2 4 16 19  0.117  3.272   25 -0.065   25 -0.058   20 -0.033   25 0.4754   20  1.080   19 -0.032   17 -0.034 P
JETS           4 2 18 17  0.093  3.175    9  0.082    9  0.076   12  0.044    8 0.5296   25  0.976   20 -0.077    8  0.166 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS     2 5 17 29  0.070  3.779   27 -0.107   27 -0.104   30 -0.207   28 0.4607    9  1.169   21 -0.095   29 -0.319 P
WILD           4 3 21 16  0.152  3.838   12  0.064   12  0.056    6  0.122    9 0.5278   28  0.891   22 -0.096    3  0.340 P
DEVILS         3 3 16 22 -0.187  2.577   20 -0.019   21 -0.034   27 -0.137   21 0.4843   18  1.108   23 -0.101   22 -0.172 P
SHARKS         3 3 16 23  0.045  3.176   19 -0.011   18 -0.017   29 -0.185   20 0.4854   16  1.136   24 -0.115   27 -0.254 P
ISLANDERS      3 3 19 15 -0.083  2.731   18 -0.010   19 -0.022   17  0.021   16 0.4957   27  0.923   25 -0.161    6  0.203 P
KINGS          0 5 11 21  0.106  2.746   31 -0.150   31 -0.154   23 -0.087   31 0.4416   24  0.999   26 -0.183   14  0.008 P
RANGERS        6 2 27 14  0.093  4.138    1  0.129    1  0.134    1  0.167    1 0.5519   30  0.762   27 -0.188    2  0.522 P
FLAMES         1 5 12 29 -0.022  3.022   29 -0.141   29 -0.139   31 -0.223   29 0.4526   21  1.056   28 -0.251   24 -0.194 P
PANTHERS       3 4 19 20 -0.017  3.399   21 -0.020   20 -0.034   18  0.005   18 0.4926   29  0.845   29 -0.263    5  0.272 P
RED WINGS      1 5 14 20 -0.041  2.917   30 -0.144   30 -0.146   26 -0.115   30 0.4497   26  0.944   30 -0.274   13  0.044 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STARS          2 4 13 11 -0.022  2.870   26 -0.067   26 -0.062   11  0.061   26 0.4736   32  0.279   31 -0.724    1  0.846 P
FLYERS         0 8 10 31  0.083  4.384   32 -0.222   32 -0.238   32 -0.238   32 0.4223   31  0.584   32 -0.766    4  0.290 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         5 1 29 18 -0.146  2.521    3  0.105    3  0.103    3  0.134    2 0.5474    4  1.318    2  0.441   23 -0.173 P
CANUCKS        2 6 26 38  0.087  4.388   28 -0.116   28 -0.116   28 -0.147   27 0.4657    2  1.506    3  0.426   32 -0.721 P
KRAKEN         5 2 29 19 -0.093  3.139   11  0.070   11  0.064   13  0.040   12 0.5238    5  1.287    4  0.306   26 -0.225 P
DUCKS          4 2 20 17 -0.057  2.845   14  0.047   14  0.034   21 -0.040   13 0.5192   13  1.152   15  0.050   20 -0.129 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 6 2 30 20 -0.051  3.687    2  0.115    2  0.113    7  0.108    5 0.5400   23  1.030   16  0.049    7  0.166 P
SHARKS         3 3 16 23  0.045  3.176   19 -0.011   18 -0.017   29 -0.185   20 0.4854   16  1.136   24 -0.115   27 -0.254 P
KINGS          0 5 11 21  0.106  2.746   31 -0.150   31 -0.154   23 -0.087   31 0.4416   24  0.999   26 -0.183   14  0.008 P
FLAMES         1 5 12 29 -0.022  3.022   29 -0.141   29 -0.139   31 -0.223   29 0.4526   21  1.056   28 -0.251   24 -0.194 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
AVALANCHE      4 2 29 19 -0.009  2.838   10  0.079   10  0.074    2  0.163   11 0.5245    1  1.597    1  0.874   31 -0.548 P
MAMMOTH        5 2 27 19 -0.003  3.376    7  0.087    7  0.082    9  0.079    6 0.5369   12  1.162    8  0.182   16 -0.023 P
BLUES          3 3 21 18 -0.043  2.830   15  0.007   15 -0.016   15  0.026   15 0.4962   11  1.163   13  0.129   18 -0.077 P
PREDATORS      2 4 16 19  0.117  3.272   25 -0.065   25 -0.058   20 -0.033   25 0.4754   20  1.080   19 -0.032   17 -0.034 P
JETS           4 2 18 17  0.093  3.175    9  0.082    9  0.076   12  0.044    8 0.5296   25  0.976   20 -0.077    8  0.166 P
BLACKHAWKS     2 5 17 29  0.070  3.779   27 -0.107   27 -0.104   30 -0.207   28 0.4607    9  1.169   21 -0.095   29 -0.319 P
WILD           4 3 21 16  0.152  3.838   12  0.064   12  0.056    6  0.122    9 0.5278   28  0.891   22 -0.096    3  0.340 P
STARS          2 4 13 11 -0.022  2.870   26 -0.067   26 -0.062   11  0.061   26 0.4736   32  0.279   31 -0.724    1  0.846 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
BLUE JACKETS   2 3 16 21 -0.060  2.385   22 -0.049   23 -0.051   24 -0.104   24 0.4758    3  1.330    5  0.218   30 -0.427 P
PENGUINS       3 4 25 22 -0.115  3.112   24 -0.058   24 -0.057   19  0.002   23 0.4765    6  1.249    6  0.217   25 -0.213 P
HURRICANES     6 2 31 19 -0.169  3.289    4  0.105    5  0.098    4  0.132    7 0.5324   19  1.101    9  0.158    9  0.106 P
CAPITALS       3 3 19 18  0.240  3.532   13  0.048   13  0.037   10  0.069   14 0.5191   14  1.142   11  0.147   15 -0.009 P
DEVILS         3 3 16 22 -0.187  2.577   20 -0.019   21 -0.034   27 -0.137   21 0.4843   18  1.108   23 -0.101   22 -0.172 P
ISLANDERS      3 3 19 15 -0.083  2.731   18 -0.010   19 -0.022   17  0.021   16 0.4957   27  0.923   25 -0.161    6  0.203 P
RANGERS        6 2 27 14  0.093  4.138    1  0.129    1  0.134    1  0.167    1 0.5519   30  0.762   27 -0.188    2  0.522 P
FLYERS         0 8 10 31  0.083  4.384   32 -0.222   32 -0.238   32 -0.238   32 0.4223   31  0.584   32 -0.766    4  0.290 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
BRUINS         5 2 26 16  0.047  3.485    5  0.102    4  0.100    5  0.131    3 0.5450   15  1.142    7  0.208   11  0.054 P
MAPLE LEAFS    3 4 24 23  0.107  3.747   17 -0.002   17 -0.017   14  0.032   17 0.4954    8  1.180   10  0.157   19 -0.093 P
LIGHTNING      4 2 17 16  0.162  3.302    6  0.097    6  0.096    8  0.092    4 0.5408   17  1.117   12  0.138   12  0.046 P
CANADIENS      3 3 19 22 -0.066  2.824   16  0.006   16 -0.017   22 -0.055   19 0.4867   10  1.166   14  0.053   21 -0.162 P
SABRES         3 4 19 26 -0.081  3.283   23 -0.049   22 -0.045   25 -0.106   22 0.4810    7  1.200   17  0.044   28 -0.257 P
SENATORS       5 2 21 19 -0.075  3.213    8  0.086    8  0.078   16  0.024   10 0.5249   22  1.044   18 -0.018   10  0.066 P
PANTHERS       3 4 19 20 -0.017  3.399   21 -0.020   20 -0.034   18  0.005   18 0.4926   29  0.845   29 -0.263    5  0.272 P
RED WINGS      1 5 14 20 -0.041  2.917   30 -0.144   30 -0.146   26 -0.115   30 0.4497   26  0.944   30 -0.274   13  0.044 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      26 25 0.510    1  0.098
ATLANTIC DIVISION     27 26 0.509    2  0.013
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 26 28 0.481    3 -0.016
PACIFIC DIVISION      26 26 0.500    4 -0.115

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Wed Oct 14 05:30:17 2026
games through: Tue Oct 13 2026

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