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
OILERS         32 35 235 231 -0.015 33.360   21 -0.028   21 -0.040   14  0.019   21 0.4928    1  1.325    2  0.326   30 -0.287
DUCKS          36 29 219 228 -0.001 32.869   10  0.061   10  0.073   22 -0.066   11 0.5120    2  1.310    7  0.221   32 -0.353
CANADIENS      36 28 228 212  0.018 32.633    7  0.085    7  0.094    8  0.081    8 0.5152    3  1.267    3  0.310   26 -0.149
MAPLE LEAFS    28 38 209 233  0.003 33.482   25 -0.096   25 -0.102   23 -0.077   25 0.4825    4  1.224   13  0.095   28 -0.250
SHARKS         31 32 196 220  0.005 32.083   17 -0.004   17 -0.007   26 -0.111   18 0.4980    5  1.214   16  0.049   29 -0.271
SABRES         40 26 232 198  0.011 33.410    5  0.157    5  0.152    6  0.132    5 0.5276    6  1.196    5  0.268   19 -0.004
SENATORS       32 32 216 201  0.003 32.280   15  0.006   15  0.002    9  0.070   15 0.5003    7  1.192    8  0.201   24 -0.061
BRUINS         36 29 216 205 -0.000 32.715    9  0.063    9  0.073   11  0.058    9 0.5129    8  1.171   10  0.162   21 -0.047
HURRICANES     41 24 230 190 -0.012 32.305    3  0.180    2  0.173    5  0.140    3 0.5311    9  1.166    6  0.238   13  0.042
PREDATORS      29 36 194 222  0.007 33.165   23 -0.060   23 -0.069   27 -0.112   23 0.4862   10  1.162   19 -0.019   27 -0.205
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PANTHERS       33 32 197 214  0.019 33.363   13  0.016   13  0.021   20 -0.058   12 0.5052   11  1.152   18  0.023   25 -0.139
LIGHTNING      40 24 229 178  0.008 32.228    2  0.181    3  0.173    2  0.207    2 0.5328   12  1.145    4  0.279    7  0.136
BLUE JACKETS   33 32 210 207  0.003 32.869   14  0.012   14  0.013   16  0.011   14 0.5022   13  1.137   15  0.073   22 -0.051
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 30 36 216 209 -0.007 33.073   22 -0.055   22 -0.068   13  0.024   22 0.4889   14  1.137   14  0.086   20 -0.037
PENGUINS       32 33 219 199 -0.024 32.058   19 -0.012   20 -0.023    7  0.085   19 0.4967   15  1.134   11  0.143   14  0.027
CANUCKS        20 45 169 241 -0.011 32.898   32 -0.271   32 -0.271   32 -0.302   32 0.4524   16  1.100   29 -0.287   31 -0.318
AVALANCHE      44 20 246 160  0.007 32.038    1  0.260    1  0.261    1  0.384    1 0.5472   17  1.088    1  0.385    1  0.384
CAPITALS       33 34 210 200 -0.005 33.594   18 -0.006   18 -0.015   12  0.047   17 0.4994   18  1.080   17  0.039   12  0.056
STARS          41 24 229 176 -0.023 31.926    4  0.174    4  0.166    3  0.196    4 0.5287   19  1.068    9  0.173    3  0.218
WILD           38 28 222 188  0.001 33.095    6  0.098    6  0.104    4  0.157    6 0.5174   20  1.051   12  0.113    4  0.200
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          27 39 175 219 -0.009 33.240   28 -0.133   28 -0.130   28 -0.130   28 0.4770   21  1.022   27 -0.207   23 -0.052
JETS           26 38 182 199 -0.018 31.953   29 -0.141   29 -0.137   24 -0.095   29 0.4758   22  1.007   24 -0.191   17 -0.000
RANGERS        27 38 185 203  0.017 33.371   27 -0.102   27 -0.106   25 -0.096   26 0.4817   23  0.997   25 -0.203   16  0.011
MAMMOTH        34 32 205 184  0.008 33.423   12  0.021   12  0.025   10  0.060   13 0.5047   24  0.992   20 -0.053    6  0.173
FLYERS         31 34 190 203  0.015 33.269   20 -0.017   19 -0.023   18 -0.051   20 0.4952   25  0.990   23 -0.166   11  0.064
BLACKHAWKS     25 40 175 209 -0.015 32.591   31 -0.178   31 -0.166   30 -0.137   31 0.4696   26  0.973   28 -0.272   18 -0.001
KRAKEN         29 35 180 195 -0.027 31.676   24 -0.070   24 -0.080   19 -0.058   24 0.4859   27  0.963   26 -0.204   10  0.089
RED WINGS      36 30 193 198  0.007 33.503   11  0.056   11  0.067   17 -0.019   10 0.5120   28  0.962   22 -0.166    8  0.129
ISLANDERS      37 29 194 189 -0.001 33.245    8  0.070    8  0.082   15  0.013    7 0.5156   29  0.947   21 -0.152    5  0.178
FLAMES         26 39 163 204 -0.027 32.275   30 -0.165   30 -0.152   31 -0.194   30 0.4723   30  0.899   32 -0.412   15  0.024
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
DEVILS         32 33 170 197  0.011 33.240   16 -0.002   16 -0.005   29 -0.131   16 0.5001   31  0.893   30 -0.356    9  0.095
KINGS          27 38 172 194  0.018 33.357   26 -0.100   26 -0.106   21 -0.060   27 0.4810   32  0.823   31 -0.360    2  0.241

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         32 35 235 231 -0.015 33.360   21 -0.028   21 -0.040   14  0.019   21 0.4928    1  1.325    2  0.326   30 -0.287
DUCKS          36 29 219 228 -0.001 32.869   10  0.061   10  0.073   22 -0.066   11 0.5120    2  1.310    7  0.221   32 -0.353
SHARKS         31 32 196 220  0.005 32.083   17 -0.004   17 -0.007   26 -0.111   18 0.4980    5  1.214   16  0.049   29 -0.271
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 30 36 216 209 -0.007 33.073   22 -0.055   22 -0.068   13  0.024   22 0.4889   14  1.137   14  0.086   20 -0.037
CANUCKS        20 45 169 241 -0.011 32.898   32 -0.271   32 -0.271   32 -0.302   32 0.4524   16  1.100   29 -0.287   31 -0.318
KRAKEN         29 35 180 195 -0.027 31.676   24 -0.070   24 -0.080   19 -0.058   24 0.4859   27  0.963   26 -0.204   10  0.089
FLAMES         26 39 163 204 -0.027 32.275   30 -0.165   30 -0.152   31 -0.194   30 0.4723   30  0.899   32 -0.412   15  0.024
KINGS          27 38 172 194  0.018 33.357   26 -0.100   26 -0.106   21 -0.060   27 0.4810   32  0.823   31 -0.360    2  0.241

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      29 36 194 222  0.007 33.165   23 -0.060   23 -0.069   27 -0.112   23 0.4862   10  1.162   19 -0.019   27 -0.205
AVALANCHE      44 20 246 160  0.007 32.038    1  0.260    1  0.261    1  0.384    1 0.5472   17  1.088    1  0.385    1  0.384
STARS          41 24 229 176 -0.023 31.926    4  0.174    4  0.166    3  0.196    4 0.5287   19  1.068    9  0.173    3  0.218
WILD           38 28 222 188  0.001 33.095    6  0.098    6  0.104    4  0.157    6 0.5174   20  1.051   12  0.113    4  0.200
BLUES          27 39 175 219 -0.009 33.240   28 -0.133   28 -0.130   28 -0.130   28 0.4770   21  1.022   27 -0.207   23 -0.052
JETS           26 38 182 199 -0.018 31.953   29 -0.141   29 -0.137   24 -0.095   29 0.4758   22  1.007   24 -0.191   17 -0.000
MAMMOTH        34 32 205 184  0.008 33.423   12  0.021   12  0.025   10  0.060   13 0.5047   24  0.992   20 -0.053    6  0.173
BLACKHAWKS     25 40 175 209 -0.015 32.591   31 -0.178   31 -0.166   30 -0.137   31 0.4696   26  0.973   28 -0.272   18 -0.001

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     41 24 230 190 -0.012 32.305    3  0.180    2  0.173    5  0.140    3 0.5311    9  1.166    6  0.238   13  0.042
BLUE JACKETS   33 32 210 207  0.003 32.869   14  0.012   14  0.013   16  0.011   14 0.5022   13  1.137   15  0.073   22 -0.051
PENGUINS       32 33 219 199 -0.024 32.058   19 -0.012   20 -0.023    7  0.085   19 0.4967   15  1.134   11  0.143   14  0.027
CAPITALS       33 34 210 200 -0.005 33.594   18 -0.006   18 -0.015   12  0.047   17 0.4994   18  1.080   17  0.039   12  0.056
RANGERS        27 38 185 203  0.017 33.371   27 -0.102   27 -0.106   25 -0.096   26 0.4817   23  0.997   25 -0.203   16  0.011
FLYERS         31 34 190 203  0.015 33.269   20 -0.017   19 -0.023   18 -0.051   20 0.4952   25  0.990   23 -0.166   11  0.064
ISLANDERS      37 29 194 189 -0.001 33.245    8  0.070    8  0.082   15  0.013    7 0.5156   29  0.947   21 -0.152    5  0.178
DEVILS         32 33 170 197  0.011 33.240   16 -0.002   16 -0.005   29 -0.131   16 0.5001   31  0.893   30 -0.356    9  0.095

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      36 28 228 212  0.018 32.633    7  0.085    7  0.094    8  0.081    8 0.5152    3  1.267    3  0.310   26 -0.149
MAPLE LEAFS    28 38 209 233  0.003 33.482   25 -0.096   25 -0.102   23 -0.077   25 0.4825    4  1.224   13  0.095   28 -0.250
SABRES         40 26 232 198  0.011 33.410    5  0.157    5  0.152    6  0.132    5 0.5276    6  1.196    5  0.268   19 -0.004
SENATORS       32 32 216 201  0.003 32.280   15  0.006   15  0.002    9  0.070   15 0.5003    7  1.192    8  0.201   24 -0.061
BRUINS         36 29 216 205 -0.000 32.715    9  0.063    9  0.073   11  0.058    9 0.5129    8  1.171   10  0.162   21 -0.047
PANTHERS       33 32 197 214  0.019 33.363   13  0.016   13  0.021   20 -0.058   12 0.5052   11  1.152   18  0.023   25 -0.139
LIGHTNING      40 24 229 178  0.008 32.228    2  0.181    3  0.173    2  0.207    2 0.5328   12  1.145    4  0.279    7  0.136
RED WINGS      36 30 193 198  0.007 33.503   11  0.056   11  0.067   17 -0.019   10 0.5120   28  0.962   22 -0.166    8  0.129

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     281 239 0.540    1  0.076
CENTRAL DIVISION      264 257 0.507    2  0.060
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 266 257 0.509    3  0.003
PACIFIC DIVISION      231 289 0.444    4 -0.143

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.055 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: Sat Mar 14 05:30:08 2026
games through: Fri Mar 13 2026

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