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
AVALANCHE      36 17 208 134  0.002 26.257    1  0.225    1  0.210    1  0.357    1 0.5451   15  1.114    1  0.392    2  0.322
LIGHTNING      35 18 189 136 -0.000 26.342    2  0.198    2  0.184    2  0.224    2 0.5399   19  1.064    7  0.198    3  0.249
HURRICANES     34 21 191 160 -0.005 27.378    3  0.143    3  0.138    4  0.119    3 0.5291   13  1.127    9  0.171   11  0.067
STARS          32 23 184 153 -0.010 27.277    4  0.087    4  0.091    3  0.128    4 0.5193   20  1.054   13  0.091    5  0.166
BRUINS         32 24 191 177  0.003 28.119    5  0.080    5  0.086    8  0.068    6 0.5175    7  1.207    5  0.221   21 -0.086
SABRES         31 23 185 164 -0.003 26.975    6  0.078    6  0.084    7  0.078    5 0.5184    8  1.177    8  0.192   18 -0.037
CANADIENS      31 24 191 182  0.018 27.979    7  0.074    7  0.083   11  0.042    8 0.5153    4  1.239    3  0.237   25 -0.152
RED WINGS      32 24 171 171 -0.007 28.022    8  0.072    8  0.082   17 -0.013    7 0.5165   24  1.027   22 -0.084   12  0.057
WILD           32 24 186 161 -0.019 27.591    9  0.067    9  0.076    5  0.115    9 0.5146   21  1.051   16  0.075    7  0.156
ISLANDERS      30 25 160 153  0.007 27.739   10  0.046   10  0.057   12  0.038   10 0.5123   29  0.916   24 -0.159    4  0.236
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
DUCKS          29 26 181 193  0.014 28.053   11  0.029   11  0.039   24 -0.065   11 0.5074    1  1.292    6  0.200   32 -0.331
PANTHERS       28 26 165 176  0.012 27.480   12  0.020   12  0.028   21 -0.041   13 0.5057    9  1.155   18  0.046   23 -0.127
DEVILS         28 27 145 169  0.034 28.544   13  0.018   13  0.028   26 -0.096   12 0.5060   30  0.907   30 -0.304   10  0.111
SHARKS         27 26 166 183  0.019 27.166   14  0.014   14  0.021   25 -0.081   16 0.5031    6  1.217   14  0.085   30 -0.246
MAMMOTH        28 27 173 154  0.008 27.742   16  0.012   15  0.014    9  0.055   15 0.5040   25  1.010   19 -0.035    8  0.144
PENGUINS       28 25 181 159 -0.042 25.641   15  0.012   16  0.014    6  0.084   14 0.5043   12  1.143   10  0.156   15  0.013
BLUE JACKETS   27 27 172 177  0.014 27.503   17  0.006   17  0.007   20 -0.032   17 0.5008   10  1.152   17  0.052   22 -0.115
OILERS         28 28 193 185 -0.027 27.500   18 -0.008   18 -0.013   13  0.030   19 0.4970    2  1.263    2  0.257   28 -0.197
SENATORS       26 28 183 177  0.000 27.110   19 -0.014   19 -0.021   14  0.027   20 0.4959    3  1.246    4  0.231   27 -0.177
CAPITALS       27 29 179 170 -0.001 28.054   20 -0.016   20 -0.023   10  0.049   18 0.4976   16  1.111   15  0.081   14  0.018
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
KRAKEN         26 28 156 159 -0.025 26.614   21 -0.026   21 -0.034   16 -0.007   21 0.4931   28  0.945   25 -0.171    6  0.158
PREDATORS      25 29 156 183  0.007 27.495   22 -0.031   22 -0.038   27 -0.118   22 0.4896   14  1.119   21 -0.076   26 -0.159
MAPLE LEAFS    25 30 179 190  0.001 27.713   23 -0.040   23 -0.052   19 -0.030   23 0.4896    5  1.226   11  0.147   29 -0.207
FLYERS         24 30 162 176  0.013 27.519   24 -0.048   24 -0.058   22 -0.053   25 0.4882   18  1.077   20 -0.063   19 -0.043
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 25 30 182 176 -0.018 27.216   25 -0.050   25 -0.063   15  0.027   24 0.4889   11  1.147   12  0.103   20 -0.050
KINGS          23 31 143 153  0.013 27.473   26 -0.069   26 -0.080   18 -0.024   26 0.4833   32  0.751   31 -0.397    1  0.349
JETS           22 32 156 166  0.000 27.227   27 -0.103   27 -0.109   23 -0.059   28 0.4770   22  1.049   23 -0.103   17 -0.016
RANGERS        22 34 151 178  0.034 29.079   28 -0.106   28 -0.112   29 -0.128   27 0.4778   27  0.961   29 -0.274   13  0.018
FLAMES         22 32 136 162 -0.033 26.570   29 -0.121   29 -0.124   30 -0.136   29 0.4736   31  0.858   32 -0.397    9  0.125
BLACKHAWKS     21 34 148 178 -0.023 27.305   30 -0.151   30 -0.150   28 -0.128   30 0.4682   26  0.988   27 -0.243   16 -0.013
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          20 35 138 192 -0.019 27.489   31 -0.177   31 -0.170   31 -0.192   31 0.4642   23  1.032   28 -0.255   24 -0.128
CANUCKS        18 37 145 199 -0.012 27.697   32 -0.218   32 -0.210   32 -0.239   32 0.4583   17  1.095   26 -0.227   31 -0.251

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          29 26 181 193  0.014 28.053   11  0.029   11  0.039   24 -0.065   11 0.5074    1  1.292    6  0.200   32 -0.331
SHARKS         27 26 166 183  0.019 27.166   14  0.014   14  0.021   25 -0.081   16 0.5031    6  1.217   14  0.085   30 -0.246
OILERS         28 28 193 185 -0.027 27.500   18 -0.008   18 -0.013   13  0.030   19 0.4970    2  1.263    2  0.257   28 -0.197
KRAKEN         26 28 156 159 -0.025 26.614   21 -0.026   21 -0.034   16 -0.007   21 0.4931   28  0.945   25 -0.171    6  0.158
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 25 30 182 176 -0.018 27.216   25 -0.050   25 -0.063   15  0.027   24 0.4889   11  1.147   12  0.103   20 -0.050
KINGS          23 31 143 153  0.013 27.473   26 -0.069   26 -0.080   18 -0.024   26 0.4833   32  0.751   31 -0.397    1  0.349
FLAMES         22 32 136 162 -0.033 26.570   29 -0.121   29 -0.124   30 -0.136   29 0.4736   31  0.858   32 -0.397    9  0.125
CANUCKS        18 37 145 199 -0.012 27.697   32 -0.218   32 -0.210   32 -0.239   32 0.4583   17  1.095   26 -0.227   31 -0.251

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      36 17 208 134  0.002 26.257    1  0.225    1  0.210    1  0.357    1 0.5451   15  1.114    1  0.392    2  0.322
STARS          32 23 184 153 -0.010 27.277    4  0.087    4  0.091    3  0.128    4 0.5193   20  1.054   13  0.091    5  0.166
WILD           32 24 186 161 -0.019 27.591    9  0.067    9  0.076    5  0.115    9 0.5146   21  1.051   16  0.075    7  0.156
MAMMOTH        28 27 173 154  0.008 27.742   16  0.012   15  0.014    9  0.055   15 0.5040   25  1.010   19 -0.035    8  0.144
PREDATORS      25 29 156 183  0.007 27.495   22 -0.031   22 -0.038   27 -0.118   22 0.4896   14  1.119   21 -0.076   26 -0.159
JETS           22 32 156 166  0.000 27.227   27 -0.103   27 -0.109   23 -0.059   28 0.4770   22  1.049   23 -0.103   17 -0.016
BLACKHAWKS     21 34 148 178 -0.023 27.305   30 -0.151   30 -0.150   28 -0.128   30 0.4682   26  0.988   27 -0.243   16 -0.013
BLUES          20 35 138 192 -0.019 27.489   31 -0.177   31 -0.170   31 -0.192   31 0.4642   23  1.032   28 -0.255   24 -0.128

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     34 21 191 160 -0.005 27.378    3  0.143    3  0.138    4  0.119    3 0.5291   13  1.127    9  0.171   11  0.067
ISLANDERS      30 25 160 153  0.007 27.739   10  0.046   10  0.057   12  0.038   10 0.5123   29  0.916   24 -0.159    4  0.236
DEVILS         28 27 145 169  0.034 28.544   13  0.018   13  0.028   26 -0.096   12 0.5060   30  0.907   30 -0.304   10  0.111
PENGUINS       28 25 181 159 -0.042 25.641   15  0.012   16  0.014    6  0.084   14 0.5043   12  1.143   10  0.156   15  0.013
BLUE JACKETS   27 27 172 177  0.014 27.503   17  0.006   17  0.007   20 -0.032   17 0.5008   10  1.152   17  0.052   22 -0.115
CAPITALS       27 29 179 170 -0.001 28.054   20 -0.016   20 -0.023   10  0.049   18 0.4976   16  1.111   15  0.081   14  0.018
FLYERS         24 30 162 176  0.013 27.519   24 -0.048   24 -0.058   22 -0.053   25 0.4882   18  1.077   20 -0.063   19 -0.043
RANGERS        22 34 151 178  0.034 29.079   28 -0.106   28 -0.112   29 -0.128   27 0.4778   27  0.961   29 -0.274   13  0.018

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
LIGHTNING      35 18 189 136 -0.000 26.342    2  0.198    2  0.184    2  0.224    2 0.5399   19  1.064    7  0.198    3  0.249
BRUINS         32 24 191 177  0.003 28.119    5  0.080    5  0.086    8  0.068    6 0.5175    7  1.207    5  0.221   21 -0.086
SABRES         31 23 185 164 -0.003 26.975    6  0.078    6  0.084    7  0.078    5 0.5184    8  1.177    8  0.192   18 -0.037
CANADIENS      31 24 191 182  0.018 27.979    7  0.074    7  0.083   11  0.042    8 0.5153    4  1.239    3  0.237   25 -0.152
RED WINGS      32 24 171 171 -0.007 28.022    8  0.072    8  0.082   17 -0.013    7 0.5165   24  1.027   22 -0.084   12  0.057
PANTHERS       28 26 165 176  0.012 27.480   12  0.020   12  0.028   21 -0.041   13 0.5057    9  1.155   18  0.046   23 -0.127
SENATORS       26 28 183 177  0.000 27.110   19 -0.014   19 -0.021   14  0.027   20 0.4959    3  1.246    4  0.231   27 -0.177
MAPLE LEAFS    25 30 179 190  0.001 27.713   23 -0.040   23 -0.052   19 -0.030   23 0.4896    5  1.226   11  0.147   29 -0.207

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     240 197 0.549    1  0.077
CENTRAL DIVISION      216 221 0.494    2  0.032
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 220 218 0.502    3 -0.004
PACIFIC DIVISION      198 238 0.454    4 -0.106

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.057 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: Mon Feb  2 05:30:07 2026
games through: Sun Feb  1 2026

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