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         38 37 261 251 -0.021 37.008   19 -0.002   19 -0.003   13  0.035   19 0.4996    1  1.284    4  0.285   28 -0.215
DUCKS          41 34 252 260 -0.010 37.494   10  0.045   10  0.062   19 -0.067   10 0.5096    2  1.278   10  0.175   31 -0.309
CANADIENS      43 31 262 234  0.023 37.697    5  0.134    5  0.131    6  0.123    5 0.5217    3  1.219    3  0.286   23 -0.041
PENGUINS       38 37 263 238  0.010 37.834   15  0.013   15  0.016    7  0.112   14 0.5034    4  1.218    5  0.275   24 -0.051
SHARKS         35 38 224 260 -0.000 36.872   21 -0.024   21 -0.030   29 -0.149   21 0.4945    5  1.216   16  0.011   30 -0.308
MAPLE LEAFS    32 43 235 264  0.017 38.314   24 -0.086   23 -0.096   23 -0.080   23 0.4847    6  1.208   12  0.069   29 -0.229
BRUINS         43 32 256 233  0.012 37.910    7  0.110    7  0.113    9  0.099    7 0.5191    7  1.176    8  0.208   20 -0.009
SENATORS       38 36 247 230  0.007 37.287   12  0.018   13  0.024   10  0.080   13 0.5044    8  1.171    9  0.182   22 -0.023
HURRICANES     47 27 263 218  0.005 37.143    2  0.212    2  0.200    5  0.152    2 0.5337    9  1.170    6  0.254   13  0.051
PANTHERS       36 38 222 247  0.012 37.670   20 -0.011   20 -0.013   25 -0.089   20 0.4988   10  1.165   18  0.006   27 -0.183
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SABRES         46 29 263 221  0.009 37.748    4  0.185    4  0.172    3  0.160    4 0.5296   11  1.163    7  0.253   10  0.068
CANUCKS        22 52 195 283 -0.014 37.226   32 -0.292   32 -0.305   32 -0.345   32 0.4494   12  1.160   29 -0.256   32 -0.433
LIGHTNING      46 28 268 207  0.003 36.992    3  0.193    3  0.178    2  0.223    3 0.5309   13  1.159    2  0.309    6  0.136
AVALANCHE      49 25 283 193 -0.006 36.562    1  0.242    1  0.234    1  0.354    1 0.5385   14  1.134    1  0.409    1  0.299
PREDATORS      34 40 220 246 -0.002 37.298   22 -0.048   22 -0.060   27 -0.108   22 0.4885   15  1.125   20 -0.064   26 -0.152
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 33 42 236 236 -0.015 37.249   23 -0.084   24 -0.097   16 -0.012   24 0.4839   16  1.091   19 -0.009   21 -0.014
BLUE JACKETS   38 37 239 231  0.006 37.821   16  0.008   16  0.013   14  0.025   17 0.5028   17  1.087   15  0.023   17  0.027
CAPITALS       38 37 238 223  0.003 37.695   17  0.007   17  0.010   11  0.064   15 0.5031   18  1.086   14  0.061   11  0.067
STARS          44 31 255 209 -0.011 37.155    6  0.121    6  0.120    4  0.160    6 0.5194   19  1.062   11  0.128    3  0.192
WILD           41 33 242 216 -0.004 36.902    9  0.063    9  0.075    8  0.111    9 0.5117   20  1.049   13  0.063    5  0.158
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
MAMMOTH        38 36 235 212  0.003 37.178   14  0.015   14  0.020   12  0.060   16 0.5028   21  1.048   17  0.011    9  0.109
RANGERS        31 44 215 233  0.008 38.047   27 -0.118   27 -0.121   24 -0.088   27 0.4803   22  1.011   25 -0.181   18  0.005
JETS           32 42 213 228 -0.006 37.114   25 -0.092   25 -0.101   20 -0.069   26 0.4823   23  1.002   24 -0.172   15  0.035
KRAKEN         32 41 206 227 -0.020 36.199   26 -0.093   26 -0.102   22 -0.078   25 0.4834   24  0.974   26 -0.214   12  0.058
FLYERS         37 37 220 225  0.014 37.621   18  0.004   18  0.008   18 -0.019   18 0.5010   25  0.973   22 -0.156    8  0.118
BLACKHAWKS     27 48 195 248 -0.009 37.653   31 -0.222   31 -0.212   31 -0.191   31 0.4640   26  0.972   30 -0.329   25 -0.052
DEVILS         38 36 205 227  0.011 37.659   13  0.017   12  0.026   28 -0.110   12 0.5049   27  0.972   27 -0.248   16  0.029
RED WINGS      39 35 216 223  0.016 37.687   11  0.035   11  0.049   17 -0.016   11 0.5084   28  0.969   23 -0.158    7  0.125
BLUES          31 43 196 234 -0.027 36.505   28 -0.135   28 -0.133   26 -0.104   28 0.4775   29  0.965   28 -0.251   14  0.042
ISLANDERS      42 34 222 221  0.004 38.296    8  0.064    8  0.079   15  0.013    8 0.5136   30  0.960   21 -0.139    4  0.165
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLAMES         31 43 191 234 -0.030 36.522   30 -0.140   29 -0.136   30 -0.189   29 0.4774   31  0.925   32 -0.380   19  0.003
KINGS          30 44 197 223 -0.001 37.253   29 -0.138   30 -0.138   21 -0.072   30 0.4767   32  0.846   31 -0.350    2  0.206

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         38 37 261 251 -0.021 37.008   19 -0.002   19 -0.003   13  0.035   19 0.4996    1  1.284    4  0.285   28 -0.215
DUCKS          41 34 252 260 -0.010 37.494   10  0.045   10  0.062   19 -0.067   10 0.5096    2  1.278   10  0.175   31 -0.309
SHARKS         35 38 224 260 -0.000 36.872   21 -0.024   21 -0.030   29 -0.149   21 0.4945    5  1.216   16  0.011   30 -0.308
CANUCKS        22 52 195 283 -0.014 37.226   32 -0.292   32 -0.305   32 -0.345   32 0.4494   12  1.160   29 -0.256   32 -0.433
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 33 42 236 236 -0.015 37.249   23 -0.084   24 -0.097   16 -0.012   24 0.4839   16  1.091   19 -0.009   21 -0.014
KRAKEN         32 41 206 227 -0.020 36.199   26 -0.093   26 -0.102   22 -0.078   25 0.4834   24  0.974   26 -0.214   12  0.058
FLAMES         31 43 191 234 -0.030 36.522   30 -0.140   29 -0.136   30 -0.189   29 0.4774   31  0.925   32 -0.380   19  0.003
KINGS          30 44 197 223 -0.001 37.253   29 -0.138   30 -0.138   21 -0.072   30 0.4767   32  0.846   31 -0.350    2  0.206

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      49 25 283 193 -0.006 36.562    1  0.242    1  0.234    1  0.354    1 0.5385   14  1.134    1  0.409    1  0.299
PREDATORS      34 40 220 246 -0.002 37.298   22 -0.048   22 -0.060   27 -0.108   22 0.4885   15  1.125   20 -0.064   26 -0.152
STARS          44 31 255 209 -0.011 37.155    6  0.121    6  0.120    4  0.160    6 0.5194   19  1.062   11  0.128    3  0.192
WILD           41 33 242 216 -0.004 36.902    9  0.063    9  0.075    8  0.111    9 0.5117   20  1.049   13  0.063    5  0.158
MAMMOTH        38 36 235 212  0.003 37.178   14  0.015   14  0.020   12  0.060   16 0.5028   21  1.048   17  0.011    9  0.109
JETS           32 42 213 228 -0.006 37.114   25 -0.092   25 -0.101   20 -0.069   26 0.4823   23  1.002   24 -0.172   15  0.035
BLACKHAWKS     27 48 195 248 -0.009 37.653   31 -0.222   31 -0.212   31 -0.191   31 0.4640   26  0.972   30 -0.329   25 -0.052
BLUES          31 43 196 234 -0.027 36.505   28 -0.135   28 -0.133   26 -0.104   28 0.4775   29  0.965   28 -0.251   14  0.042

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
PENGUINS       38 37 263 238  0.010 37.834   15  0.013   15  0.016    7  0.112   14 0.5034    4  1.218    5  0.275   24 -0.051
HURRICANES     47 27 263 218  0.005 37.143    2  0.212    2  0.200    5  0.152    2 0.5337    9  1.170    6  0.254   13  0.051
BLUE JACKETS   38 37 239 231  0.006 37.821   16  0.008   16  0.013   14  0.025   17 0.5028   17  1.087   15  0.023   17  0.027
CAPITALS       38 37 238 223  0.003 37.695   17  0.007   17  0.010   11  0.064   15 0.5031   18  1.086   14  0.061   11  0.067
RANGERS        31 44 215 233  0.008 38.047   27 -0.118   27 -0.121   24 -0.088   27 0.4803   22  1.011   25 -0.181   18  0.005
FLYERS         37 37 220 225  0.014 37.621   18  0.004   18  0.008   18 -0.019   18 0.5010   25  0.973   22 -0.156    8  0.118
DEVILS         38 36 205 227  0.011 37.659   13  0.017   12  0.026   28 -0.110   12 0.5049   27  0.972   27 -0.248   16  0.029
ISLANDERS      42 34 222 221  0.004 38.296    8  0.064    8  0.079   15  0.013    8 0.5136   30  0.960   21 -0.139    4  0.165

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      43 31 262 234  0.023 37.697    5  0.134    5  0.131    6  0.123    5 0.5217    3  1.219    3  0.286   23 -0.041
MAPLE LEAFS    32 43 235 264  0.017 38.314   24 -0.086   23 -0.096   23 -0.080   23 0.4847    6  1.208   12  0.069   29 -0.229
BRUINS         43 32 256 233  0.012 37.910    7  0.110    7  0.113    9  0.099    7 0.5191    7  1.176    8  0.208   20 -0.009
SENATORS       38 36 247 230  0.007 37.287   12  0.018   13  0.024   10  0.080   13 0.5044    8  1.171    9  0.182   22 -0.023
PANTHERS       36 38 222 247  0.012 37.670   20 -0.011   20 -0.013   25 -0.089   20 0.4988   10  1.165   18  0.006   27 -0.183
SABRES         46 29 263 221  0.009 37.748    4  0.185    4  0.172    3  0.160    4 0.5296   11  1.163    7  0.253   10  0.068
LIGHTNING      46 28 268 207  0.003 36.992    3  0.193    3  0.178    2  0.223    3 0.5309   13  1.159    2  0.309    6  0.136
RED WINGS      39 35 216 223  0.016 37.687   11  0.035   11  0.049   17 -0.016   11 0.5084   28  0.969   23 -0.158    7  0.125

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     323 272 0.543    1  0.092
CENTRAL DIVISION      296 298 0.498    2  0.038
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 309 289 0.517    3  0.027
PACIFIC DIVISION      262 331 0.442    4 -0.160

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Thu Apr  2 05:30:08 2026
games through: Wed Apr  1 2026

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