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
HURRICANES     12  4 63 36 -0.070  7.212    1  0.149    1  0.143    1  0.212    2 0.5485   19  1.036   12  0.133    4  0.291 P
OILERS         11  4 64 44 -0.012  7.173    2  0.143    2  0.137    2  0.190    1 0.5498    8  1.270    3  0.405   19 -0.026 P
WILD           10  6 52 36  0.062  8.178    4  0.105    4  0.092    3  0.182    3 0.5365   30  0.825   21 -0.134    2  0.498 P
BRUINS         11  5 58 38 -0.025  7.591    3  0.120    3  0.113    4  0.143    4 0.5365   20  1.032   15  0.060    6  0.226 P
AVALANCHE       9  6 64 46 -0.051  7.015   10  0.050   10  0.050    5  0.140   11 0.5150    1  1.479    1  0.647   29 -0.367 P
LIGHTNING       8  5 48 43  0.035  6.591    7  0.078    8  0.075    6  0.077    7 0.5251    7  1.277    6  0.303   22 -0.149 P
STARS           8  6 38 31 -0.039  6.693   12  0.037   12  0.035    7  0.059   12 0.5087   32  0.599   31 -0.481    1  0.599 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  9  7 55 47 -0.042  7.631   13  0.031   13  0.028    8  0.056   13 0.5081   17  1.060   18  0.006    9  0.106 P
DEVILS          9  5 48 40 -0.002  6.917    6  0.083    5  0.081    9  0.052    8 0.5243   15  1.082   17  0.029   12  0.075 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8  8 60 53 -0.008  7.872   17 -0.004   17 -0.003   10  0.051   15 0.5012    5  1.315    5  0.327   27 -0.225 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CANADIENS       9  5 48 42 -0.053  6.623    9  0.066    9  0.068   11  0.048    9 0.5223   14  1.118   14  0.070   17  0.027 P
MAMMOTH         9  6 54 52  0.081  7.953    5  0.084    6  0.080   12  0.035    5 0.5278    6  1.304    7  0.297   28 -0.227 P
CAPITALS        8  5 44 42  0.061  6.777    8  0.076    7  0.078   13  0.033    6 0.5266    9  1.250    8  0.223   23 -0.157 P
BLUES           7  7 44 42  0.030  7.149   16  0.000   16  0.002   14  0.014   16 0.5002   13  1.176   13  0.107   20 -0.079 P
ISLANDERS       7  7 40 39  0.025  7.124   15  0.003   15  0.004   15  0.011   20 0.4966   29  0.841   26 -0.288    3  0.310 P
RANGERS         7  8 45 46  0.030  7.671   21 -0.015   21 -0.016   16  0.010   21 0.4964   24  1.004   20 -0.107    7  0.127 P
SENATORS        9  7 52 51 -0.059  7.600   14  0.023   14  0.024   17 -0.000   14 0.5068   11  1.238   10  0.174   24 -0.174 P
KRAKEN          8  6 52 52  0.017  7.111   11  0.041   11  0.041   18 -0.013   10 0.5215    2  1.434    2  0.430   30 -0.456 P
PENGUINS        5  9 47 49 -0.017  6.915   27 -0.088   27 -0.092   19 -0.013   27 0.4679   10  1.247   11  0.172   26 -0.198 P
PREDATORS       5  9 42 47  0.088  7.531   26 -0.071   26 -0.068   20 -0.017   26 0.4723   16  1.063   19 -0.064   14  0.029 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PANTHERS        8  7 47 44 -0.109  6.840   18 -0.005   18 -0.004   21 -0.020   18 0.4989   23  1.005   22 -0.134   10  0.095 P
RED WINGS       7  8 46 46 -0.133  6.747   23 -0.050   24 -0.054   22 -0.058   23 0.4838   22  1.011   24 -0.167   13  0.050 P
SABRES          7  7 43 49 -0.057  6.751   19 -0.011   19 -0.012   23 -0.067   17 0.4991   12  1.195   16  0.051   25 -0.184 P
DUCKS           6  8 49 53 -0.059  6.745   25 -0.064   25 -0.063   24 -0.076   25 0.4791    3  1.431    4  0.362   31 -0.514 P
KINGS           4  9 36 45  0.035  6.787   28 -0.097   28 -0.101   25 -0.081   28 0.4673   18  1.051   23 -0.141   18 -0.020 P
BLUE JACKETS    5  7 29 39  0.039  6.310   22 -0.037   22 -0.038   26 -0.103   24 0.4821   28  0.911   28 -0.325    8  0.120 P
FLAMES          7  8 38 53  0.034  7.866   20 -0.012   20 -0.012   27 -0.112   19 0.4972   27  0.935   27 -0.307   11  0.083 P
JETS            4 11 34 54  0.087  8.214   29 -0.117   29 -0.123   28 -0.124   29 0.4554   25  0.973   25 -0.276   16  0.028 P
FLYERS          4 12 35 54  0.052  8.516   31 -0.147   31 -0.153   29 -0.134   30 0.4516   31  0.755   32 -0.522    5  0.254 P
SHARKS          7  9 42 54 -0.011  8.150   24 -0.050   23 -0.047   30 -0.161   22 0.4848   26  0.940   30 -0.351   15  0.029 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CANUCKS         3 13 47 72  0.099  8.910   32 -0.174   32 -0.181   31 -0.176   32 0.4414    4  1.395    9  0.211   32 -0.562 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 11 33 58 -0.005  7.761   30 -0.146   30 -0.151   32 -0.248   31 0.4439   21  1.018   29 -0.348   21 -0.149 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         11  4 64 44 -0.012  7.173    2  0.143    2  0.137    2  0.190    1 0.5498    8  1.270    3  0.405   19 -0.026 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  9  7 55 47 -0.042  7.631   13  0.031   13  0.028    8  0.056   13 0.5081   17  1.060   18  0.006    9  0.106 P
KRAKEN          8  6 52 52  0.017  7.111   11  0.041   11  0.041   18 -0.013   10 0.5215    2  1.434    2  0.430   30 -0.456 P
DUCKS           6  8 49 53 -0.059  6.745   25 -0.064   25 -0.063   24 -0.076   25 0.4791    3  1.431    4  0.362   31 -0.514 P
KINGS           4  9 36 45  0.035  6.787   28 -0.097   28 -0.101   25 -0.081   28 0.4673   18  1.051   23 -0.141   18 -0.020 P
FLAMES          7  8 38 53  0.034  7.866   20 -0.012   20 -0.012   27 -0.112   19 0.4972   27  0.935   27 -0.307   11  0.083 P
SHARKS          7  9 42 54 -0.011  8.150   24 -0.050   23 -0.047   30 -0.161   22 0.4848   26  0.940   30 -0.351   15  0.029 P
CANUCKS         3 13 47 72  0.099  8.910   32 -0.174   32 -0.181   31 -0.176   32 0.4414    4  1.395    9  0.211   32 -0.562 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
WILD           10  6 52 36  0.062  8.178    4  0.105    4  0.092    3  0.182    3 0.5365   30  0.825   21 -0.134    2  0.498 P
AVALANCHE       9  6 64 46 -0.051  7.015   10  0.050   10  0.050    5  0.140   11 0.5150    1  1.479    1  0.647   29 -0.367 P
STARS           8  6 38 31 -0.039  6.693   12  0.037   12  0.035    7  0.059   12 0.5087   32  0.599   31 -0.481    1  0.599 P
MAMMOTH         9  6 54 52  0.081  7.953    5  0.084    6  0.080   12  0.035    5 0.5278    6  1.304    7  0.297   28 -0.227 P
BLUES           7  7 44 42  0.030  7.149   16  0.000   16  0.002   14  0.014   16 0.5002   13  1.176   13  0.107   20 -0.079 P
PREDATORS       5  9 42 47  0.088  7.531   26 -0.071   26 -0.068   20 -0.017   26 0.4723   16  1.063   19 -0.064   14  0.029 P
JETS            4 11 34 54  0.087  8.214   29 -0.117   29 -0.123   28 -0.124   29 0.4554   25  0.973   25 -0.276   16  0.028 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 11 33 58 -0.005  7.761   30 -0.146   30 -0.151   32 -0.248   31 0.4439   21  1.018   29 -0.348   21 -0.149 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
HURRICANES     12  4 63 36 -0.070  7.212    1  0.149    1  0.143    1  0.212    2 0.5485   19  1.036   12  0.133    4  0.291 P
DEVILS          9  5 48 40 -0.002  6.917    6  0.083    5  0.081    9  0.052    8 0.5243   15  1.082   17  0.029   12  0.075 P
CAPITALS        8  5 44 42  0.061  6.777    8  0.076    7  0.078   13  0.033    6 0.5266    9  1.250    8  0.223   23 -0.157 P
ISLANDERS       7  7 40 39  0.025  7.124   15  0.003   15  0.004   15  0.011   20 0.4966   29  0.841   26 -0.288    3  0.310 P
RANGERS         7  8 45 46  0.030  7.671   21 -0.015   21 -0.016   16  0.010   21 0.4964   24  1.004   20 -0.107    7  0.127 P
PENGUINS        5  9 47 49 -0.017  6.915   27 -0.088   27 -0.092   19 -0.013   27 0.4679   10  1.247   11  0.172   26 -0.198 P
BLUE JACKETS    5  7 29 39  0.039  6.310   22 -0.037   22 -0.038   26 -0.103   24 0.4821   28  0.911   28 -0.325    8  0.120 P
FLYERS          4 12 35 54  0.052  8.516   31 -0.147   31 -0.153   29 -0.134   30 0.4516   31  0.755   32 -0.522    5  0.254 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         11  5 58 38 -0.025  7.591    3  0.120    3  0.113    4  0.143    4 0.5365   20  1.032   15  0.060    6  0.226 P
LIGHTNING       8  5 48 43  0.035  6.591    7  0.078    8  0.075    6  0.077    7 0.5251    7  1.277    6  0.303   22 -0.149 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8  8 60 53 -0.008  7.872   17 -0.004   17 -0.003   10  0.051   15 0.5012    5  1.315    5  0.327   27 -0.225 P
CANADIENS       9  5 48 42 -0.053  6.623    9  0.066    9  0.068   11  0.048    9 0.5223   14  1.118   14  0.070   17  0.027 P
SENATORS        9  7 52 51 -0.059  7.600   14  0.023   14  0.024   17 -0.000   14 0.5068   11  1.238   10  0.174   24 -0.174 P
PANTHERS        8  7 47 44 -0.109  6.840   18 -0.005   18 -0.004   21 -0.020   18 0.4989   23  1.005   22 -0.134   10  0.095 P
RED WINGS       7  8 46 46 -0.133  6.747   23 -0.050   24 -0.054   22 -0.058   23 0.4838   22  1.011   24 -0.167   13  0.050 P
SABRES          7  7 43 49 -0.057  6.751   19 -0.011   19 -0.012   23 -0.067   17 0.4991   12  1.195   16  0.051   25 -0.184 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     67 52 0.563    1  0.061
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 57 57 0.500    2  0.024
CENTRAL DIVISION      56 62 0.475    3  0.022
PACIFIC DIVISION      55 64 0.462    4 -0.119

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Tue Nov  3 05:30:11 2026
games through: Mon Nov  2 2026

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