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         1 1 14 13 -0.169  0.841   15 -0.005   17 -0.005   13  0.019   15 0.5024    1  1.688    1  0.863   31 -0.824 P
CANUCKS        1 1 13 14  0.074  1.068   24 -0.018   21 -0.013   27 -0.055   24 0.4879    2  1.688    2  0.789   32 -0.898 P
KINGS          0 1  4  8  0.439  0.682   22 -0.016   23 -0.018   21 -0.016   22 0.4883    3  1.515    4  0.561   30 -0.593 P
AVALANCHE      1 0  8  4 -0.086  0.444    2  0.042    2  0.034    1  0.094    2 0.5399    4  1.515    3  0.671   29 -0.483 P
CAPITALS       1 0  5  2  0.191  0.571    3  0.035    3  0.027    4  0.047    3 0.5258    5  1.368    5  0.412   25 -0.318 P
BLUE JACKETS   1 0  6  3 -0.129  0.440   12  0.016    9  0.010   20 -0.009    9 0.5091    6  1.351    6  0.333   26 -0.351 P
SABRES         0 1  3  6  0.059  0.524   23 -0.018   25 -0.024   22 -0.019   25 0.4837    7  1.351    7  0.323   27 -0.361 P
SHARKS         1 0  4  3  0.001  0.507   21 -0.013   15 -0.002   30 -0.083   20 0.4948    8  1.305   11  0.195   28 -0.362 P
LIGHTNING      0 1  1  5  0.249  0.599   20 -0.009   19 -0.009   11  0.020   17 0.5010    9  1.286    8  0.274   24 -0.233 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 1 1  8  6 -0.412  0.641   14 -0.002   20 -0.011    9  0.025   18 0.4974   10  1.240   10  0.218   21 -0.169 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PENGUINS       1 0  7  0 -0.217  0.394    5  0.027    8  0.015    3  0.054    8 0.5166   11  1.221    9  0.222   16 -0.114 P
DUCKS          1 0  4  3  0.164  0.572   13  0.014   11  0.007   25 -0.050   13 0.5048   12  1.215   15  0.110   22 -0.210 P
KRAKEN         1 0  6  1 -0.189  0.413   16 -0.006   12  0.006   16 -0.000   11 0.5072   13  1.202   13  0.142   19 -0.143 P
FLAMES         0 1  1  6 -0.065  0.477   29 -0.026   30 -0.033   29 -0.073   30 0.4704   14  1.202   16  0.070   23 -0.215 P
JETS           0 1  3  4  0.197  0.579   25 -0.019   24 -0.020   14  0.009   23 0.4881   15  1.200   12  0.150   18 -0.132 P
SENATORS       0 0  0  0  0.000  0.000   17 -0.007   16 -0.003   15  0.000   16 0.5013   16  1.180   14  0.115   17 -0.114 P
CANADIENS      1 0  3  2  0.084  0.532    6  0.026    7  0.017   18 -0.002    7 0.5195   17  1.134   17  0.055   15 -0.060 P
BLACKHAWKS     0 2  2 11  0.137  1.149   32 -0.053   32 -0.062   32 -0.156   32 0.4439   18  1.089   22 -0.154   20 -0.157 P
MAMMOTH        1 0  6  0 -0.617  0.245   11  0.018   13  0.004   10  0.022   12 0.5052   19  1.059   18 -0.012   13  0.057 P
FLYERS         0 2  2 10  0.052  1.061   31 -0.037   31 -0.051   31 -0.089   31 0.4592   20  1.004   25 -0.188   14  0.011 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STARS          0 1  0  4  0.104  0.541   19 -0.009   22 -0.014   19 -0.003   21 0.4931   21  0.957   23 -0.158   10  0.152 P
BLUES          1 0  4  0  0.078  0.523    8  0.024    6  0.019    5  0.039    6 0.5211   22  0.957   20 -0.115    8  0.194 P
WILD           1 0  3  1 -0.087  0.453    4  0.029    5  0.021    7  0.036    4 0.5246   23  0.955   21 -0.120    9  0.192 P
PREDATORS      0 1  1  3  0.069  0.532   27 -0.026   28 -0.032   26 -0.050   28 0.4728   24  0.955   26 -0.206   12  0.106 P
DEVILS         1 0  3  2 -0.386  0.336   10  0.020   10  0.008   23 -0.025   10 0.5076   25  0.953   24 -0.184   11  0.135 P
BRUINS         2 0  7  3  0.131  1.086    1  0.049    1  0.050    2  0.064    1 0.5453   26  0.951   19 -0.097    6  0.225 P
ISLANDERS      0 1  1  2  0.076  0.532   28 -0.026   26 -0.028   24 -0.026   27 0.4758   27  0.877   27 -0.270    7  0.217 P
MAPLE LEAFS    1 1  4  4 -0.107  0.899   18 -0.008   18 -0.007   17 -0.002   19 0.4972   28  0.816   28 -0.311    4  0.307 P
RED WINGS      0 1  0  2  0.081  0.538   30 -0.032   29 -0.032   28 -0.059   29 0.4717   29  0.781   30 -0.404    5  0.286 P
HURRICANES     0 2  2  6  0.085  1.058   26 -0.020   27 -0.031    8  0.025   26 0.4795   30  0.705   29 -0.397    3  0.447 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
RANGERS        2 1  7  4  0.087  1.578    7  0.025    4  0.024    6  0.037    5 0.5227   31  0.601   31 -0.485    2  0.560 P
PANTHERS       1 1  4  4 -0.011  0.974    9  0.022   14  0.000   12  0.020   14 0.5045   32  0.580   32 -0.522    1  0.562 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         1 1 14 13 -0.169  0.841   15 -0.005   17 -0.005   13  0.019   15 0.5024    1  1.688    1  0.863   31 -0.824 P
CANUCKS        1 1 13 14  0.074  1.068   24 -0.018   21 -0.013   27 -0.055   24 0.4879    2  1.688    2  0.789   32 -0.898 P
KINGS          0 1  4  8  0.439  0.682   22 -0.016   23 -0.018   21 -0.016   22 0.4883    3  1.515    4  0.561   30 -0.593 P
SHARKS         1 0  4  3  0.001  0.507   21 -0.013   15 -0.002   30 -0.083   20 0.4948    8  1.305   11  0.195   28 -0.362 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 1 1  8  6 -0.412  0.641   14 -0.002   20 -0.011    9  0.025   18 0.4974   10  1.240   10  0.218   21 -0.169 P
DUCKS          1 0  4  3  0.164  0.572   13  0.014   11  0.007   25 -0.050   13 0.5048   12  1.215   15  0.110   22 -0.210 P
KRAKEN         1 0  6  1 -0.189  0.413   16 -0.006   12  0.006   16 -0.000   11 0.5072   13  1.202   13  0.142   19 -0.143 P
FLAMES         0 1  1  6 -0.065  0.477   29 -0.026   30 -0.033   29 -0.073   30 0.4704   14  1.202   16  0.070   23 -0.215 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      1 0  8  4 -0.086  0.444    2  0.042    2  0.034    1  0.094    2 0.5399    4  1.515    3  0.671   29 -0.483 P
JETS           0 1  3  4  0.197  0.579   25 -0.019   24 -0.020   14  0.009   23 0.4881   15  1.200   12  0.150   18 -0.132 P
BLACKHAWKS     0 2  2 11  0.137  1.149   32 -0.053   32 -0.062   32 -0.156   32 0.4439   18  1.089   22 -0.154   20 -0.157 P
MAMMOTH        1 0  6  0 -0.617  0.245   11  0.018   13  0.004   10  0.022   12 0.5052   19  1.059   18 -0.012   13  0.057 P
STARS          0 1  0  4  0.104  0.541   19 -0.009   22 -0.014   19 -0.003   21 0.4931   21  0.957   23 -0.158   10  0.152 P
BLUES          1 0  4  0  0.078  0.523    8  0.024    6  0.019    5  0.039    6 0.5211   22  0.957   20 -0.115    8  0.194 P
WILD           1 0  3  1 -0.087  0.453    4  0.029    5  0.021    7  0.036    4 0.5246   23  0.955   21 -0.120    9  0.192 P
PREDATORS      0 1  1  3  0.069  0.532   27 -0.026   28 -0.032   26 -0.050   28 0.4728   24  0.955   26 -0.206   12  0.106 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       1 0  5  2  0.191  0.571    3  0.035    3  0.027    4  0.047    3 0.5258    5  1.368    5  0.412   25 -0.318 P
BLUE JACKETS   1 0  6  3 -0.129  0.440   12  0.016    9  0.010   20 -0.009    9 0.5091    6  1.351    6  0.333   26 -0.351 P
PENGUINS       1 0  7  0 -0.217  0.394    5  0.027    8  0.015    3  0.054    8 0.5166   11  1.221    9  0.222   16 -0.114 P
FLYERS         0 2  2 10  0.052  1.061   31 -0.037   31 -0.051   31 -0.089   31 0.4592   20  1.004   25 -0.188   14  0.011 P
DEVILS         1 0  3  2 -0.386  0.336   10  0.020   10  0.008   23 -0.025   10 0.5076   25  0.953   24 -0.184   11  0.135 P
ISLANDERS      0 1  1  2  0.076  0.532   28 -0.026   26 -0.028   24 -0.026   27 0.4758   27  0.877   27 -0.270    7  0.217 P
HURRICANES     0 2  2  6  0.085  1.058   26 -0.020   27 -0.031    8  0.025   26 0.4795   30  0.705   29 -0.397    3  0.447 P
RANGERS        2 1  7  4  0.087  1.578    7  0.025    4  0.024    6  0.037    5 0.5227   31  0.601   31 -0.485    2  0.560 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
SABRES         0 1  3  6  0.059  0.524   23 -0.018   25 -0.024   22 -0.019   25 0.4837    7  1.351    7  0.323   27 -0.361 P
LIGHTNING      0 1  1  5  0.249  0.599   20 -0.009   19 -0.009   11  0.020   17 0.5010    9  1.286    8  0.274   24 -0.233 P
SENATORS       0 0  0  0  0.000  0.000   17 -0.007   16 -0.003   15  0.000   16 0.5013   16  1.180   14  0.115   17 -0.114 P
CANADIENS      1 0  3  2  0.084  0.532    6  0.026    7  0.017   18 -0.002    7 0.5195   17  1.134   17  0.055   15 -0.060 P
BRUINS         2 0  7  3  0.131  1.086    1  0.049    1  0.050    2  0.064    1 0.5453   26  0.951   19 -0.097    6  0.225 P
MAPLE LEAFS    1 1  4  4 -0.107  0.899   18 -0.008   18 -0.007   17 -0.002   19 0.4972   28  0.816   28 -0.311    4  0.307 P
RED WINGS      0 1  0  2  0.081  0.538   30 -0.032   29 -0.032   28 -0.059   29 0.4717   29  0.781   30 -0.404    5  0.286 P
PANTHERS       1 1  4  4 -0.011  0.974    9  0.022   14  0.000   12  0.020   14 0.5045   32  0.580   32 -0.522    1  0.562 P

DIVISION              W L   PCT  RNK RATING
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 6 6 0.500    1  0.032
ATLANTIC DIVISION     5 5 0.500    2  0.030
CENTRAL DIVISION      4 5 0.444    3  0.022
PACIFIC DIVISION      6 5 0.545    4 -0.097

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.078 points in main ratings (0.079 for semineutral)
     0.010 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  3 05:30:11 2026
games through: Fri Oct  2 2026

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