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
DUCKS          21 22 145 158  0.004 21.993   16 -0.006   16 -0.009   26 -0.064   16 0.4974    1  1.360    1  0.300   32 -0.428
OILERS         21 22 145 145 -0.005 21.726   17 -0.008   17 -0.012   12  0.008   17 0.4967    2  1.273    3  0.254   30 -0.237
SHARKS         21 21 132 148  0.024 21.850   15  0.005   14  0.009   28 -0.070   15 0.5008    3  1.241   10  0.133   31 -0.273
MAPLE LEAFS    20 22 141 139 -0.036 20.700   23 -0.022   23 -0.030   14  0.003   22 0.4929    4  1.227    4  0.189   27 -0.182
SENATORS       20 21 136 134 -0.024 20.413   19 -0.012   19 -0.018   16 -0.005   19 0.4940    5  1.226    6  0.178   28 -0.188
CANADIENS      23 19 141 141  0.003 21.358    8  0.029    8  0.037   13  0.005    8 0.5102    6  1.220    5  0.181   26 -0.171
BRUINS         22 21 137 143  0.002 21.903   13  0.008   13  0.010   19 -0.019   13 0.5046    7  1.183   13  0.108   25 -0.147
HURRICANES     26 17 147 131  0.022 22.105    3  0.080    3  0.090    6  0.064    3 0.5282    8  1.169    7  0.175   18 -0.047
CANUCKS        16 26 120 148 -0.002 21.472   30 -0.090   30 -0.093   31 -0.114   30 0.4722    9  1.163   19 -0.012   29 -0.217
PENGUINS       20 21 135 131 -0.025 20.367   18 -0.012   18 -0.017    9  0.022   18 0.4959   10  1.155   12  0.114   20 -0.070
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PANTHERS       22 20 130 134  0.021 21.695   10  0.019    9  0.025   18 -0.010   12 0.5083   11  1.154   14  0.082   22 -0.101
BLUE JACKETS   18 24 129 142  0.010 21.571   27 -0.045   27 -0.053   23 -0.057   27 0.4842   12  1.131   17  0.006   23 -0.119
SABRES         22 19 130 129 -0.008 20.688    9  0.019   10  0.024   17 -0.009   10 0.5087   13  1.129   15  0.051   19 -0.069
PREDATORS      19 23 120 142  0.009 21.640   24 -0.028   24 -0.033   30 -0.085   24 0.4874   14  1.118   20 -0.038   24 -0.131
CAPITALS       22 21 142 125 -0.006 21.622   14  0.006   15  0.007    5  0.078   14 0.5034   15  1.117   11  0.122   13  0.033
RED WINGS      25 19 136 141 -0.029 21.859    7  0.034    7  0.045   21 -0.036    6 0.5139   16  1.113   18  0.004   21 -0.077
STARS          25 18 149 123 -0.014 21.433    4  0.047    4  0.060    3  0.103    4 0.5185   17  1.109    9  0.138   12  0.067
LIGHTNING      26 16 146 112  0.019 21.421    2  0.092    2  0.097    2  0.128    2 0.5322   18  1.090    8  0.140    9  0.116
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 18 23 128 129 -0.007 20.672   26 -0.041   26 -0.050   11  0.011   25 0.4866   19  1.079   16  0.009   14  0.012
JETS           15 26 118 130  0.009 21.054   32 -0.100   32 -0.100   24 -0.058   32 0.4664   20  1.069   22 -0.071   17 -0.045
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
AVALANCHE      31 11 167  97  0.005 21.007    1  0.227    1  0.187    1  0.294    1 0.5597   21  1.064    2  0.274    3  0.313
BLACKHAWKS     17 25 118 134 -0.020 21.071   29 -0.072   29 -0.080   27 -0.064   29 0.4739   22  1.022   26 -0.134   15  0.006
MAMMOTH        20 23 130 124 -0.001 21.806   21 -0.020   22 -0.028   15 -0.001   20 0.4933   23  1.009   24 -0.086   11  0.084
BLUES          17 26 107 146 -0.038 21.344   31 -0.093   31 -0.095   32 -0.126   31 0.4709   24  1.000   27 -0.221   16 -0.031
FLYERS         22 19 129 118 -0.018 20.467   11  0.019   12  0.022    8  0.027    9 0.5091   25  0.985   23 -0.085    7  0.139
ISLANDERS      24 19 129 120  0.025 22.176    5  0.040    5  0.053    7  0.045    5 0.5177   26  0.947   25 -0.111    5  0.201
WILD           25 19 140 119 -0.006 22.061    6  0.040    6  0.052    4  0.102    7 0.5134   27  0.945   21 -0.057    4  0.261
FLAMES         18 24 112 126 -0.050 20.583   28 -0.063   28 -0.072   29 -0.081   28 0.4761   28  0.933   29 -0.253   10  0.092
DEVILS         22 21 114 133  0.042 22.669   12  0.016   11  0.023   25 -0.061   11 0.5084   29  0.915   30 -0.253    8  0.132
KRAKEN         20 21 115 120 -0.033 20.296   20 -0.015   20 -0.020   20 -0.023   21 0.4930   30  0.887   28 -0.246    6  0.200
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
KINGS          18 23 111 113  0.023 21.185   25 -0.032   25 -0.040   10  0.012   26 0.4857   31  0.773   31 -0.332    1  0.356
RANGERS        20 24 116 120  0.032 22.978   22 -0.021   21 -0.027   22 -0.039   23 0.4928   32  0.762   32 -0.394    2  0.316

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
DUCKS          21 22 145 158  0.004 21.993   16 -0.006   16 -0.009   26 -0.064   16 0.4974    1  1.360    1  0.300   32 -0.428
OILERS         21 22 145 145 -0.005 21.726   17 -0.008   17 -0.012   12  0.008   17 0.4967    2  1.273    3  0.254   30 -0.237
SHARKS         21 21 132 148  0.024 21.850   15  0.005   14  0.009   28 -0.070   15 0.5008    3  1.241   10  0.133   31 -0.273
CANUCKS        16 26 120 148 -0.002 21.472   30 -0.090   30 -0.093   31 -0.114   30 0.4722    9  1.163   19 -0.012   29 -0.217
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 18 23 128 129 -0.007 20.672   26 -0.041   26 -0.050   11  0.011   25 0.4866   19  1.079   16  0.009   14  0.012
FLAMES         18 24 112 126 -0.050 20.583   28 -0.063   28 -0.072   29 -0.081   28 0.4761   28  0.933   29 -0.253   10  0.092
KRAKEN         20 21 115 120 -0.033 20.296   20 -0.015   20 -0.020   20 -0.023   21 0.4930   30  0.887   28 -0.246    6  0.200
KINGS          18 23 111 113  0.023 21.185   25 -0.032   25 -0.040   10  0.012   26 0.4857   31  0.773   31 -0.332    1  0.356

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
PREDATORS      19 23 120 142  0.009 21.640   24 -0.028   24 -0.033   30 -0.085   24 0.4874   14  1.118   20 -0.038   24 -0.131
STARS          25 18 149 123 -0.014 21.433    4  0.047    4  0.060    3  0.103    4 0.5185   17  1.109    9  0.138   12  0.067
JETS           15 26 118 130  0.009 21.054   32 -0.100   32 -0.100   24 -0.058   32 0.4664   20  1.069   22 -0.071   17 -0.045
AVALANCHE      31 11 167  97  0.005 21.007    1  0.227    1  0.187    1  0.294    1 0.5597   21  1.064    2  0.274    3  0.313
BLACKHAWKS     17 25 118 134 -0.020 21.071   29 -0.072   29 -0.080   27 -0.064   29 0.4739   22  1.022   26 -0.134   15  0.006
MAMMOTH        20 23 130 124 -0.001 21.806   21 -0.020   22 -0.028   15 -0.001   20 0.4933   23  1.009   24 -0.086   11  0.084
BLUES          17 26 107 146 -0.038 21.344   31 -0.093   31 -0.095   32 -0.126   31 0.4709   24  1.000   27 -0.221   16 -0.031
WILD           25 19 140 119 -0.006 22.061    6  0.040    6  0.052    4  0.102    7 0.5134   27  0.945   21 -0.057    4  0.261

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     26 17 147 131  0.022 22.105    3  0.080    3  0.090    6  0.064    3 0.5282    8  1.169    7  0.175   18 -0.047
PENGUINS       20 21 135 131 -0.025 20.367   18 -0.012   18 -0.017    9  0.022   18 0.4959   10  1.155   12  0.114   20 -0.070
BLUE JACKETS   18 24 129 142  0.010 21.571   27 -0.045   27 -0.053   23 -0.057   27 0.4842   12  1.131   17  0.006   23 -0.119
CAPITALS       22 21 142 125 -0.006 21.622   14  0.006   15  0.007    5  0.078   14 0.5034   15  1.117   11  0.122   13  0.033
FLYERS         22 19 129 118 -0.018 20.467   11  0.019   12  0.022    8  0.027    9 0.5091   25  0.985   23 -0.085    7  0.139
ISLANDERS      24 19 129 120  0.025 22.176    5  0.040    5  0.053    7  0.045    5 0.5177   26  0.947   25 -0.111    5  0.201
DEVILS         22 21 114 133  0.042 22.669   12  0.016   11  0.023   25 -0.061   11 0.5084   29  0.915   30 -0.253    8  0.132
RANGERS        20 24 116 120  0.032 22.978   22 -0.021   21 -0.027   22 -0.039   23 0.4928   32  0.762   32 -0.394    2  0.316

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    20 22 141 139 -0.036 20.700   23 -0.022   23 -0.030   14  0.003   22 0.4929    4  1.227    4  0.189   27 -0.182
SENATORS       20 21 136 134 -0.024 20.413   19 -0.012   19 -0.018   16 -0.005   19 0.4940    5  1.226    6  0.178   28 -0.188
CANADIENS      23 19 141 141  0.003 21.358    8  0.029    8  0.037   13  0.005    8 0.5102    6  1.220    5  0.181   26 -0.171
BRUINS         22 21 137 143  0.002 21.903   13  0.008   13  0.010   19 -0.019   13 0.5046    7  1.183   13  0.108   25 -0.147
PANTHERS       22 20 130 134  0.021 21.695   10  0.019    9  0.025   18 -0.010   12 0.5083   11  1.154   14  0.082   22 -0.101
SABRES         22 19 130 129 -0.008 20.688    9  0.019   10  0.024   17 -0.009   10 0.5087   13  1.129   15  0.051   19 -0.069
RED WINGS      25 19 136 141 -0.029 21.859    7  0.034    7  0.045   21 -0.036    6 0.5139   16  1.113   18  0.004   21 -0.077
LIGHTNING      26 16 146 112  0.019 21.421    2  0.092    2  0.097    2  0.128    2 0.5322   18  1.090    8  0.140    9  0.116

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      169 171 0.497    1  0.045
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 174 166 0.512    2  0.025
ATLANTIC DIVISION     180 157 0.534    3  0.018
PACIFIC DIVISION      153 182 0.457    4 -0.096

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.053 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: Wed Jan  7 05:30:11 2026
games through: Tue Jan  6 2026

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