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      5 3 36 24 -0.013  3.787   10  0.064   10  0.058    1  0.158   13 0.5118    1  1.496    1  0.717   30 -0.402 P
OILERS         5 2 31 22 -0.098  3.104    9  0.069    9  0.064    7  0.100    8 0.5329    3  1.337    2  0.433   23 -0.232 P
BLUES          3 4 25 23  0.046  3.566   20 -0.030   20 -0.030   14  0.029   19 0.4935    5  1.304    3  0.316   24 -0.259 P
CANUCKS        2 7 28 41  0.079  4.894   29 -0.126   29 -0.129   28 -0.138   28 0.4558    2  1.421    4  0.313   32 -0.588 P
KRAKEN         5 3 32 23 -0.061  3.706   12  0.045   12  0.031   12  0.036   11 0.5140    9  1.249    5  0.250   21 -0.179 P
MAPLE LEAFS    3 5 28 28  0.065  4.157   24 -0.047   24 -0.048   16  0.017   22 0.4819    8  1.259    6  0.244   22 -0.211 P
CAPITALS       4 3 24 22  0.139  3.834   11  0.052   11  0.047   11  0.056   10 0.5246   11  1.223    7  0.236   18 -0.124 P
BLUE JACKETS   2 3 16 21 -0.048  2.416   23 -0.043   23 -0.046   26 -0.094   23 0.4795    4  1.334    8  0.234   31 -0.422 P
DEVILS         4 3 23 23 -0.114  3.171   15  0.021   15  0.003   23 -0.057   16 0.5009    6  1.283    9  0.202   29 -0.316 P
BRUINS         6 2 30 18  0.034  3.948    2  0.119    1  0.110    2  0.135    1 0.5559   15  1.131   10  0.198   14  0.072 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CANADIENS      3 4 23 27 -0.036  3.392   21 -0.037   21 -0.040   21 -0.054   24 0.4785    7  1.259   11  0.173   26 -0.282 P
HURRICANES     6 2 31 19 -0.176  3.279    6  0.092    7  0.084    3  0.118    7 0.5330   17  1.100   12  0.143   11  0.092 P
PENGUINS       3 5 27 27 -0.044  3.821   25 -0.062   26 -0.068   19 -0.016   26 0.4702   12  1.197   13  0.130   20 -0.163 P
MAMMOTH        6 2 31 21  0.069  4.088    3  0.109    3  0.110    6  0.107    2 0.5535   18  1.093   14  0.124   12  0.090 P
SABRES         4 4 24 30 -0.033  3.908   18 -0.003   17 -0.007   25 -0.084   18 0.4984   10  1.232   15  0.107   25 -0.276 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 7 2 36 22 -0.116  3.895    1  0.121    2  0.110    5  0.112    5 0.5392   19  1.074   16  0.106    9  0.119 P
LIGHTNING      5 2 21 19  0.090  3.668    4  0.104    4  0.102    9  0.074    3 0.5478   20  1.070   17  0.062   13  0.085 P
WILD           5 3 26 20  0.133  4.333    8  0.077    8  0.074    4  0.116    6 0.5369   23  1.015   18  0.039    7  0.194 P
DUCKS          4 3 22 21 -0.048  3.373   16  0.019   16  0.002   22 -0.055   14 0.5064   16  1.120   19 -0.005   17 -0.104 P
BLACKHAWKS     3 5 21 32  0.070  4.315   26 -0.064   25 -0.062   30 -0.175   25 0.4769   13  1.173   20 -0.059   27 -0.291 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
JETS           4 3 21 21  0.025  3.520   13  0.043   13  0.027   15  0.022   12 0.5135   24  1.006   21 -0.065   10  0.110 P
RANGERS        6 3 28 21  0.069  4.636    7  0.090    6  0.087    8  0.091    4 0.5419   27  0.910   22 -0.107    5  0.288 P
KINGS          0 5 11 21  0.108  2.754   30 -0.129   30 -0.136   24 -0.080   31 0.4411   22  1.034   23 -0.135   16 -0.026 P
FLAMES         1 6 14 35  0.007  3.643   31 -0.139   31 -0.145   32 -0.232   30 0.4428   14  1.141   24 -0.156   28 -0.307 P
SENATORS       6 2 23 20 -0.049  3.763    5  0.100    5  0.096   13  0.031    9 0.5323   26  0.918   25 -0.157    6  0.219 P
PREDATORS      2 5 18 22  0.038  3.605   27 -0.087   27 -0.089   20 -0.047   27 0.4651   25  0.984   26 -0.161   15  0.067 P
SHARKS         4 3 19 25  0.037  3.675   14  0.025   14  0.013   29 -0.156   17 0.4987   21  1.059   27 -0.182   19 -0.131 P
ISLANDERS      3 4 20 17 -0.046  3.310   22 -0.041   22 -0.044   17  0.016   21 0.4889   29  0.784   28 -0.316    3  0.349 P
RED WINGS      2 5 16 21 -0.132  3.146   28 -0.107   28 -0.113   27 -0.107   29 0.4544   28  0.862   29 -0.357    8  0.143 P
PANTHERS       4 4 22 22 -0.058  3.758   19 -0.011   18 -0.011   18 -0.002   15 0.5021   30  0.754   30 -0.366    2  0.362 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STARS          3 4 16 13  0.060  3.581   17  0.003   19 -0.015   10  0.072   20 0.4894   32  0.254   31 -0.732    1  0.876 P
FLYERS         0 9 11 33  0.068  4.883   32 -0.225   32 -0.236   31 -0.229   32 0.4165   31  0.543   32 -0.795    4  0.337 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 2 31 22 -0.098  3.104    9  0.069    9  0.064    7  0.100    8 0.5329    3  1.337    2  0.433   23 -0.232 P
CANUCKS        2 7 28 41  0.079  4.894   29 -0.126   29 -0.129   28 -0.138   28 0.4558    2  1.421    4  0.313   32 -0.588 P
KRAKEN         5 3 32 23 -0.061  3.706   12  0.045   12  0.031   12  0.036   11 0.5140    9  1.249    5  0.250   21 -0.179 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 7 2 36 22 -0.116  3.895    1  0.121    2  0.110    5  0.112    5 0.5392   19  1.074   16  0.106    9  0.119 P
DUCKS          4 3 22 21 -0.048  3.373   16  0.019   16  0.002   22 -0.055   14 0.5064   16  1.120   19 -0.005   17 -0.104 P
KINGS          0 5 11 21  0.108  2.754   30 -0.129   30 -0.136   24 -0.080   31 0.4411   22  1.034   23 -0.135   16 -0.026 P
FLAMES         1 6 14 35  0.007  3.643   31 -0.139   31 -0.145   32 -0.232   30 0.4428   14  1.141   24 -0.156   28 -0.307 P
SHARKS         4 3 19 25  0.037  3.675   14  0.025   14  0.013   29 -0.156   17 0.4987   21  1.059   27 -0.182   19 -0.131 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      5 3 36 24 -0.013  3.787   10  0.064   10  0.058    1  0.158   13 0.5118    1  1.496    1  0.717   30 -0.402 P
BLUES          3 4 25 23  0.046  3.566   20 -0.030   20 -0.030   14  0.029   19 0.4935    5  1.304    3  0.316   24 -0.259 P
MAMMOTH        6 2 31 21  0.069  4.088    3  0.109    3  0.110    6  0.107    2 0.5535   18  1.093   14  0.124   12  0.090 P
WILD           5 3 26 20  0.133  4.333    8  0.077    8  0.074    4  0.116    6 0.5369   23  1.015   18  0.039    7  0.194 P
BLACKHAWKS     3 5 21 32  0.070  4.315   26 -0.064   25 -0.062   30 -0.175   25 0.4769   13  1.173   20 -0.059   27 -0.291 P
JETS           4 3 21 21  0.025  3.520   13  0.043   13  0.027   15  0.022   12 0.5135   24  1.006   21 -0.065   10  0.110 P
PREDATORS      2 5 18 22  0.038  3.605   27 -0.087   27 -0.089   20 -0.047   27 0.4651   25  0.984   26 -0.161   15  0.067 P
STARS          3 4 16 13  0.060  3.581   17  0.003   19 -0.015   10  0.072   20 0.4894   32  0.254   31 -0.732    1  0.876 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       4 3 24 22  0.139  3.834   11  0.052   11  0.047   11  0.056   10 0.5246   11  1.223    7  0.236   18 -0.124 P
BLUE JACKETS   2 3 16 21 -0.048  2.416   23 -0.043   23 -0.046   26 -0.094   23 0.4795    4  1.334    8  0.234   31 -0.422 P
DEVILS         4 3 23 23 -0.114  3.171   15  0.021   15  0.003   23 -0.057   16 0.5009    6  1.283    9  0.202   29 -0.316 P
HURRICANES     6 2 31 19 -0.176  3.279    6  0.092    7  0.084    3  0.118    7 0.5330   17  1.100   12  0.143   11  0.092 P
PENGUINS       3 5 27 27 -0.044  3.821   25 -0.062   26 -0.068   19 -0.016   26 0.4702   12  1.197   13  0.130   20 -0.163 P
RANGERS        6 3 28 21  0.069  4.636    7  0.090    6  0.087    8  0.091    4 0.5419   27  0.910   22 -0.107    5  0.288 P
ISLANDERS      3 4 20 17 -0.046  3.310   22 -0.041   22 -0.044   17  0.016   21 0.4889   29  0.784   28 -0.316    3  0.349 P
FLYERS         0 9 11 33  0.068  4.883   32 -0.225   32 -0.236   31 -0.229   32 0.4165   31  0.543   32 -0.795    4  0.337 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    3 5 28 28  0.065  4.157   24 -0.047   24 -0.048   16  0.017   22 0.4819    8  1.259    6  0.244   22 -0.211 P
BRUINS         6 2 30 18  0.034  3.948    2  0.119    1  0.110    2  0.135    1 0.5559   15  1.131   10  0.198   14  0.072 P
CANADIENS      3 4 23 27 -0.036  3.392   21 -0.037   21 -0.040   21 -0.054   24 0.4785    7  1.259   11  0.173   26 -0.282 P
SABRES         4 4 24 30 -0.033  3.908   18 -0.003   17 -0.007   25 -0.084   18 0.4984   10  1.232   15  0.107   25 -0.276 P
LIGHTNING      5 2 21 19  0.090  3.668    4  0.104    4  0.102    9  0.074    3 0.5478   20  1.070   17  0.062   13  0.085 P
SENATORS       6 2 23 20 -0.049  3.763    5  0.100    5  0.096   13  0.031    9 0.5323   26  0.918   25 -0.157    6  0.219 P
RED WINGS      2 5 16 21 -0.132  3.146   28 -0.107   28 -0.113   27 -0.107   29 0.4544   28  0.862   29 -0.357    8  0.143 P
PANTHERS       4 4 22 22 -0.058  3.758   19 -0.011   18 -0.011   18 -0.002   15 0.5021   30  0.754   30 -0.366    2  0.362 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      31 29 0.517    1  0.112
ATLANTIC DIVISION     33 28 0.541    2  0.015
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 28 32 0.467    3 -0.024
PACIFIC DIVISION      28 31 0.475    4 -0.127

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.104 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: Sat Oct 17 05:30:10 2026
games through: Fri Oct 16 2026

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