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      38 19 218 145  0.003 28.281    1  0.225    1  0.215    1  0.350    1 0.5424   15  1.099    1  0.366    1  0.334
OILERS         29 31 211 201 -0.032 29.334   20 -0.030   21 -0.039   15  0.032   21 0.4926    2  1.306    2  0.315   29 -0.251
CANADIENS      32 26 202 191  0.023 29.596   10  0.069   10  0.078   11  0.060   10 0.5128    3  1.237    3  0.252   24 -0.131
LIGHTNING      38 19 207 147  0.003 28.376    2  0.221    2  0.213    2  0.255    2 0.5420   19  1.082    4  0.249    2  0.260
BRUINS         33 25 199 184  0.002 29.092    8  0.084    8  0.089    8  0.076    8 0.5172    6  1.214    5  0.237   22 -0.085
DUCKS          31 26 191 200  0.005 28.847   11  0.050   11  0.058   22 -0.060   11 0.5106    1  1.309    6  0.228   32 -0.347
SABRES         33 25 197 177  0.006 29.178    7  0.086    7  0.091    7  0.082    7 0.5183    8  1.176    7  0.194   18 -0.030
HURRICANES     37 21 202 167 -0.005 28.847    3  0.184    3  0.176    4  0.142    3 0.5339   13  1.127    8  0.192   12  0.092
PENGUINS       30 27 196 170 -0.039 27.630   14  0.015   15  0.015    6  0.105   14 0.5041   12  1.148    9  0.182   15  0.028
SENATORS       28 30 192 186  0.008 29.295   18 -0.013   19 -0.018   14  0.033   18 0.4970    7  1.196   10  0.171   23 -0.106
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 28 30 197 183 -0.031 28.347   21 -0.031   20 -0.039   12  0.052   20 0.4939   10  1.169   11  0.156   21 -0.052
MAPLE LEAFS    27 32 191 203  0.009 29.910   23 -0.041   23 -0.049   18 -0.030   22 0.4909    4  1.224   12  0.144   27 -0.205
WILD           35 24 201 171 -0.014 29.129    5  0.110    5  0.113    5  0.135    5 0.5204   20  1.077   13  0.124    7  0.145
STARS          35 23 197 161 -0.021 28.473    4  0.121    4  0.122    3  0.143    4 0.5229   21  1.063   14  0.115    5  0.171
CAPITALS       30 30 192 178 -0.010 29.818   16 -0.003   16 -0.007   10  0.068   16 0.5012   16  1.097   15  0.082   13  0.055
PANTHERS       30 28 179 192  0.021 29.693   12  0.026   12  0.033   20 -0.044   12 0.5064    9  1.170   16  0.060   25 -0.148
SHARKS         27 29 172 197  0.017 28.685   17 -0.012   17 -0.013   25 -0.118   19 0.4965    5  1.223   17  0.055   31 -0.291
BLUE JACKETS   29 28 181 181  0.011 28.905   15  0.012   14  0.017   17 -0.004   15 0.5030   14  1.124   18  0.043   20 -0.050
MAMMOTH        30 28 185 161  0.006 29.152   13  0.022   13  0.024    9  0.075   13 0.5056   24  1.015   19 -0.010    6  0.159
PREDATORS      27 31 173 200  0.003 29.400   22 -0.037   22 -0.041   26 -0.119   23 0.4896   11  1.169   20 -0.016   28 -0.223
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLYERS         26 32 171 185  0.013 29.534   25 -0.051   25 -0.060   21 -0.055   25 0.4885   23  1.028   21 -0.125   16  0.014
RED WINGS      34 25 176 176  0.008 29.842    6  0.097    6  0.104   16 -0.003    6 0.5188   26  0.976   22 -0.133    9  0.128
JETS           23 34 163 177 -0.002 28.690   27 -0.121   27 -0.125   23 -0.080   27 0.4762   22  1.032   23 -0.145   17 -0.015
ISLANDERS      33 26 173 165  0.011 29.853    9  0.074    9  0.083   13  0.041    9 0.5161   29  0.926   24 -0.146    4  0.228
BLUES          21 37 152 204 -0.014 29.040   31 -0.192   31 -0.185   31 -0.182   31 0.4642   18  1.083   25 -0.185   26 -0.179
KRAKEN         27 31 164 174 -0.027 28.559   24 -0.051   24 -0.060   19 -0.042   24 0.4890   27  0.949   26 -0.202   11  0.119
CANUCKS        18 40 151 213 -0.012 29.222   32 -0.249   32 -0.250   32 -0.273   32 0.4534   17  1.095   27 -0.262   30 -0.284
BLACKHAWKS     22 36 156 189 -0.026 28.716   30 -0.173   30 -0.169   30 -0.152   30 0.4678   25  0.989   28 -0.267   19 -0.037
RANGERS        22 36 153 183  0.037 30.188   29 -0.136   29 -0.136   29 -0.145   29 0.4749   28  0.926   29 -0.332   14  0.042
FLAMES         24 33 146 170 -0.035 27.978   26 -0.118   26 -0.119   27 -0.130   26 0.4765   31  0.858   30 -0.392    8  0.132
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
KINGS          23 35 151 175  0.011 29.515   28 -0.124   28 -0.127   24 -0.082   28 0.4756   32  0.807   31 -0.397    3  0.234
DEVILS         28 31 148 181  0.038 30.720   19 -0.014   18 -0.013   28 -0.142   17 0.4982   30  0.858   32 -0.404   10  0.120

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         29 31 211 201 -0.032 29.334   20 -0.030   21 -0.039   15  0.032   21 0.4926    2  1.306    2  0.315   29 -0.251
DUCKS          31 26 191 200  0.005 28.847   11  0.050   11  0.058   22 -0.060   11 0.5106    1  1.309    6  0.228   32 -0.347
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 28 30 197 183 -0.031 28.347   21 -0.031   20 -0.039   12  0.052   20 0.4939   10  1.169   11  0.156   21 -0.052
SHARKS         27 29 172 197  0.017 28.685   17 -0.012   17 -0.013   25 -0.118   19 0.4965    5  1.223   17  0.055   31 -0.291
KRAKEN         27 31 164 174 -0.027 28.559   24 -0.051   24 -0.060   19 -0.042   24 0.4890   27  0.949   26 -0.202   11  0.119
CANUCKS        18 40 151 213 -0.012 29.222   32 -0.249   32 -0.250   32 -0.273   32 0.4534   17  1.095   27 -0.262   30 -0.284
FLAMES         24 33 146 170 -0.035 27.978   26 -0.118   26 -0.119   27 -0.130   26 0.4765   31  0.858   30 -0.392    8  0.132
KINGS          23 35 151 175  0.011 29.515   28 -0.124   28 -0.127   24 -0.082   28 0.4756   32  0.807   31 -0.397    3  0.234

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      38 19 218 145  0.003 28.281    1  0.225    1  0.215    1  0.350    1 0.5424   15  1.099    1  0.366    1  0.334
WILD           35 24 201 171 -0.014 29.129    5  0.110    5  0.113    5  0.135    5 0.5204   20  1.077   13  0.124    7  0.145
STARS          35 23 197 161 -0.021 28.473    4  0.121    4  0.122    3  0.143    4 0.5229   21  1.063   14  0.115    5  0.171
MAMMOTH        30 28 185 161  0.006 29.152   13  0.022   13  0.024    9  0.075   13 0.5056   24  1.015   19 -0.010    6  0.159
PREDATORS      27 31 173 200  0.003 29.400   22 -0.037   22 -0.041   26 -0.119   23 0.4896   11  1.169   20 -0.016   28 -0.223
JETS           23 34 163 177 -0.002 28.690   27 -0.121   27 -0.125   23 -0.080   27 0.4762   22  1.032   23 -0.145   17 -0.015
BLUES          21 37 152 204 -0.014 29.040   31 -0.192   31 -0.185   31 -0.182   31 0.4642   18  1.083   25 -0.185   26 -0.179
BLACKHAWKS     22 36 156 189 -0.026 28.716   30 -0.173   30 -0.169   30 -0.152   30 0.4678   25  0.989   28 -0.267   19 -0.037

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     37 21 202 167 -0.005 28.847    3  0.184    3  0.176    4  0.142    3 0.5339   13  1.127    8  0.192   12  0.092
PENGUINS       30 27 196 170 -0.039 27.630   14  0.015   15  0.015    6  0.105   14 0.5041   12  1.148    9  0.182   15  0.028
CAPITALS       30 30 192 178 -0.010 29.818   16 -0.003   16 -0.007   10  0.068   16 0.5012   16  1.097   15  0.082   13  0.055
BLUE JACKETS   29 28 181 181  0.011 28.905   15  0.012   14  0.017   17 -0.004   15 0.5030   14  1.124   18  0.043   20 -0.050
FLYERS         26 32 171 185  0.013 29.534   25 -0.051   25 -0.060   21 -0.055   25 0.4885   23  1.028   21 -0.125   16  0.014
ISLANDERS      33 26 173 165  0.011 29.853    9  0.074    9  0.083   13  0.041    9 0.5161   29  0.926   24 -0.146    4  0.228
RANGERS        22 36 153 183  0.037 30.188   29 -0.136   29 -0.136   29 -0.145   29 0.4749   28  0.926   29 -0.332   14  0.042
DEVILS         28 31 148 181  0.038 30.720   19 -0.014   18 -0.013   28 -0.142   17 0.4982   30  0.858   32 -0.404   10  0.120

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
CANADIENS      32 26 202 191  0.023 29.596   10  0.069   10  0.078   11  0.060   10 0.5128    3  1.237    3  0.252   24 -0.131
LIGHTNING      38 19 207 147  0.003 28.376    2  0.221    2  0.213    2  0.255    2 0.5420   19  1.082    4  0.249    2  0.260
BRUINS         33 25 199 184  0.002 29.092    8  0.084    8  0.089    8  0.076    8 0.5172    6  1.214    5  0.237   22 -0.085
SABRES         33 25 197 177  0.006 29.178    7  0.086    7  0.091    7  0.082    7 0.5183    8  1.176    7  0.194   18 -0.030
SENATORS       28 30 192 186  0.008 29.295   18 -0.013   19 -0.018   14  0.033   18 0.4970    7  1.196   10  0.171   23 -0.106
MAPLE LEAFS    27 32 191 203  0.009 29.910   23 -0.041   23 -0.049   18 -0.030   22 0.4909    4  1.224   12  0.144   27 -0.205
PANTHERS       30 28 179 192  0.021 29.693   12  0.026   12  0.033   20 -0.044   12 0.5064    9  1.170   16  0.060   25 -0.148
RED WINGS      34 25 176 176  0.008 29.842    6  0.097    6  0.104   16 -0.003    6 0.5188   26  0.976   22 -0.133    9  0.128

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     255 210 0.548    1  0.086
CENTRAL DIVISION      231 232 0.499    2  0.033
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 235 231 0.504    3  0.002
PACIFIC DIVISION      207 255 0.448    4 -0.125

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.058 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: Fri Feb 27 05:30:09 2026
games through: Thu Feb 26 2026

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