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       8  6 59 44 -0.022  6.650   12  0.039   12  0.034    5  0.118   14 0.5089    1  1.485    1  0.636   29 -0.399 P
KRAKEN          8  6 52 52 -0.003  6.927   14  0.033   14  0.033   21 -0.017   10 0.5182    2  1.444    2  0.441   30 -0.474 P
OILERS         10  4 60 43 -0.045  6.460    2  0.102    2  0.099    2  0.141    2 0.5424    5  1.312    3  0.413   23 -0.132 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8  8 60 53 -0.004  7.814   19  0.002   19 -0.002   12  0.048   17 0.5016    6  1.307    4  0.315   28 -0.219 P
LIGHTNING       8  5 48 43  0.049  6.592    7  0.069    7  0.069    6  0.073    7 0.5254    7  1.279    5  0.301   25 -0.155 P
DUCKS           5  8 43 50 -0.066  6.196   27 -0.074   26 -0.076   26 -0.092   28 0.4680    3  1.393    6  0.294   31 -0.478 P
CAPITALS        8  4 43 37  0.032  6.019    5  0.084    5  0.082    9  0.055    4 0.5348    9  1.243    7  0.237   22 -0.127 P
CANUCKS         3 13 47 72  0.073  8.657   32 -0.167   32 -0.167   31 -0.168   32 0.4395    4  1.389    8  0.212   32 -0.548 P
MAMMOTH         9  5 51 46  0.103  7.441    3  0.089    3  0.094    8  0.056    3 0.5385   10  1.223    9  0.211   20 -0.100 P
PENGUINS        5  9 47 49  0.009  6.982   26 -0.074   27 -0.076   19 -0.004   26 0.4703    8  1.260   10  0.200   27 -0.209 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SENATORS        9  6 49 45 -0.050  7.070   10  0.044   10  0.043   15  0.023   11 0.5151   11  1.216   11  0.169   21 -0.123 P
BLUES           7  7 44 42  0.031  7.084   16  0.007   17  0.003   16  0.013   19 0.5000   13  1.175   12  0.106   19 -0.079 P
BRUINS         10  5 55 36 -0.024  7.048    4  0.086    4  0.084    4  0.129    5 0.5321   17  1.074   13  0.098    7  0.160 P
HURRICANES     11  4 56 36 -0.057  6.815    1  0.119    1  0.117    1  0.151    1 0.5461   21  1.042   14  0.081    5  0.222 P
SABRES          7  7 43 49 -0.050  6.716   20 -0.006   20 -0.010   22 -0.058   18 0.5003   12  1.210   15  0.080   26 -0.196 P
CANADIENS       9  5 48 42 -0.040  6.621    8  0.064    9  0.063   11  0.048    9 0.5234   14  1.117   16  0.068   15  0.028 P
DEVILS          9  5 48 40  0.003  6.864    6  0.072    6  0.073   10  0.048    8 0.5237   15  1.095   17  0.042   13  0.054 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  9  6 53 44 -0.082  6.838   11  0.043   11  0.037   13  0.047   12 0.5121   16  1.094   18  0.039   12  0.055 P
RANGERS         7  7 44 42  0.019  6.988   17  0.007   18  0.002   14  0.031   16 0.5020   20  1.042   19 -0.039   10  0.102 P
PREDATORS       5  9 42 47  0.098  7.510   24 -0.058   24 -0.058   20 -0.012   25 0.4730   18  1.057   20 -0.064   14  0.039 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
KINGS           4  9 36 45  0.056  6.817   28 -0.083   28 -0.085   23 -0.068   27 0.4695   19  1.043   21 -0.137   17  0.002 P
PANTHERS        8  6 44 39 -0.087  6.404   15  0.025   15  0.021   18  0.004   13 0.5092   26  0.946   22 -0.177    6  0.186 P
WILD            9  6 47 35  0.052  7.560    9  0.064    8  0.064    3  0.133    6 0.5284   30  0.824   23 -0.183    2  0.449 P
JETS            4 10 34 47  0.059  7.361   29 -0.097   29 -0.100   25 -0.072   29 0.4565   25  0.978   24 -0.217   11  0.073 P
RED WINGS       6  8 41 43 -0.146  6.176   25 -0.066   25 -0.068   24 -0.069   24 0.4733   27  0.946   25 -0.250    9  0.113 P
SHARKS          7  8 41 52  0.026  7.768   21 -0.018   21 -0.016   29 -0.130   21 0.4925   23  0.991   26 -0.261   18  0.000 P
FLAMES          6  8 36 52  0.016  7.191   23 -0.035   23 -0.034   28 -0.120   22 0.4846   24  0.979   27 -0.264   16  0.024 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 10 31 53 -0.005  7.139   30 -0.118   30 -0.118   32 -0.209   30 0.4495   22  1.037   28 -0.285   24 -0.133 P
ISLANDERS       7  7 40 39  0.022  7.040   18  0.005   16  0.004   17  0.010   20 0.4962   29  0.841   29 -0.288    4  0.307 P
BLUE JACKETS    5  7 29 39  0.040  6.245   22 -0.034   22 -0.033   27 -0.093   23 0.4829   28  0.918   30 -0.306    8  0.120 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STARS           8  6 38 31 -0.026  6.694   13  0.034   13  0.034    7  0.057   15 0.5087   32  0.590   31 -0.490    1  0.605 P
FLYERS          3 12 29 51  0.044  7.899   31 -0.157   31 -0.158   30 -0.146   31 0.4401   31  0.667   32 -0.621    3  0.328 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
KRAKEN          8  6 52 52 -0.003  6.927   14  0.033   14  0.033   21 -0.017   10 0.5182    2  1.444    2  0.441   30 -0.474 P
OILERS         10  4 60 43 -0.045  6.460    2  0.102    2  0.099    2  0.141    2 0.5424    5  1.312    3  0.413   23 -0.132 P
DUCKS           5  8 43 50 -0.066  6.196   27 -0.074   26 -0.076   26 -0.092   28 0.4680    3  1.393    6  0.294   31 -0.478 P
CANUCKS         3 13 47 72  0.073  8.657   32 -0.167   32 -0.167   31 -0.168   32 0.4395    4  1.389    8  0.212   32 -0.548 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  9  6 53 44 -0.082  6.838   11  0.043   11  0.037   13  0.047   12 0.5121   16  1.094   18  0.039   12  0.055 P
KINGS           4  9 36 45  0.056  6.817   28 -0.083   28 -0.085   23 -0.068   27 0.4695   19  1.043   21 -0.137   17  0.002 P
SHARKS          7  8 41 52  0.026  7.768   21 -0.018   21 -0.016   29 -0.130   21 0.4925   23  0.991   26 -0.261   18  0.000 P
FLAMES          6  8 36 52  0.016  7.191   23 -0.035   23 -0.034   28 -0.120   22 0.4846   24  0.979   27 -0.264   16  0.024 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       8  6 59 44 -0.022  6.650   12  0.039   12  0.034    5  0.118   14 0.5089    1  1.485    1  0.636   29 -0.399 P
MAMMOTH         9  5 51 46  0.103  7.441    3  0.089    3  0.094    8  0.056    3 0.5385   10  1.223    9  0.211   20 -0.100 P
BLUES           7  7 44 42  0.031  7.084   16  0.007   17  0.003   16  0.013   19 0.5000   13  1.175   12  0.106   19 -0.079 P
PREDATORS       5  9 42 47  0.098  7.510   24 -0.058   24 -0.058   20 -0.012   25 0.4730   18  1.057   20 -0.064   14  0.039 P
WILD            9  6 47 35  0.052  7.560    9  0.064    8  0.064    3  0.133    6 0.5284   30  0.824   23 -0.183    2  0.449 P
JETS            4 10 34 47  0.059  7.361   29 -0.097   29 -0.100   25 -0.072   29 0.4565   25  0.978   24 -0.217   11  0.073 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 10 31 53 -0.005  7.139   30 -0.118   30 -0.118   32 -0.209   30 0.4495   22  1.037   28 -0.285   24 -0.133 P
STARS           8  6 38 31 -0.026  6.694   13  0.034   13  0.034    7  0.057   15 0.5087   32  0.590   31 -0.490    1  0.605 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
CAPITALS        8  4 43 37  0.032  6.019    5  0.084    5  0.082    9  0.055    4 0.5348    9  1.243    7  0.237   22 -0.127 P
PENGUINS        5  9 47 49  0.009  6.982   26 -0.074   27 -0.076   19 -0.004   26 0.4703    8  1.260   10  0.200   27 -0.209 P
HURRICANES     11  4 56 36 -0.057  6.815    1  0.119    1  0.117    1  0.151    1 0.5461   21  1.042   14  0.081    5  0.222 P
DEVILS          9  5 48 40  0.003  6.864    6  0.072    6  0.073   10  0.048    8 0.5237   15  1.095   17  0.042   13  0.054 P
RANGERS         7  7 44 42  0.019  6.988   17  0.007   18  0.002   14  0.031   16 0.5020   20  1.042   19 -0.039   10  0.102 P
ISLANDERS       7  7 40 39  0.022  7.040   18  0.005   16  0.004   17  0.010   20 0.4962   29  0.841   29 -0.288    4  0.307 P
BLUE JACKETS    5  7 29 39  0.040  6.245   22 -0.034   22 -0.033   27 -0.093   23 0.4829   28  0.918   30 -0.306    8  0.120 P
FLYERS          3 12 29 51  0.044  7.899   31 -0.157   31 -0.158   30 -0.146   31 0.4401   31  0.667   32 -0.621    3  0.328 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
MAPLE LEAFS     8  8 60 53 -0.004  7.814   19  0.002   19 -0.002   12  0.048   17 0.5016    6  1.307    4  0.315   28 -0.219 P
LIGHTNING       8  5 48 43  0.049  6.592    7  0.069    7  0.069    6  0.073    7 0.5254    7  1.279    5  0.301   25 -0.155 P
SENATORS        9  6 49 45 -0.050  7.070   10  0.044   10  0.043   15  0.023   11 0.5151   11  1.216   11  0.169   21 -0.123 P
BRUINS         10  5 55 36 -0.024  7.048    4  0.086    4  0.084    4  0.129    5 0.5321   17  1.074   13  0.098    7  0.160 P
SABRES          7  7 43 49 -0.050  6.716   20 -0.006   20 -0.010   22 -0.058   18 0.5003   12  1.210   15  0.080   26 -0.196 P
CANADIENS       9  5 48 42 -0.040  6.621    8  0.064    9  0.063   11  0.048    9 0.5234   14  1.117   16  0.068   15  0.028 P
PANTHERS        8  6 44 39 -0.087  6.404   15  0.025   15  0.021   18  0.004   13 0.5092   26  0.946   22 -0.177    6  0.186 P
RED WINGS       6  8 41 43 -0.146  6.176   25 -0.066   25 -0.068   24 -0.069   24 0.4733   27  0.946   25 -0.250    9  0.113 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     65 50 0.565    1  0.076
CENTRAL DIVISION      54 59 0.478    2  0.039
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 55 55 0.500    3  0.024
PACIFIC DIVISION      52 62 0.456    4 -0.144

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Sun Nov  1 05:30:18 2026
games through: Sat Oct 31 2026

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.