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
DEVILS          9  4 46 40  0.082  6.819    1  0.036    1  0.039    5  0.033    1 0.5424   11  1.199   10  0.179   22 -0.114 P
JETS            9  3 45 30 -0.087  5.445    2  0.035    2  0.037    3  0.041    3 0.5371    9  1.212    8  0.204   23 -0.122 P
CANADIENS       9  3 44 36 -0.069  5.621    3  0.032    3  0.035   11  0.009    2 0.5404    8  1.227    9  0.191   24 -0.173 P
HURRICANES      7  4 41 32  0.123  5.940    4  0.027    4  0.031    2  0.041    4 0.5370   13  1.158   12  0.135   19 -0.054 P
RED WINGS       9  4 44 41 -0.070  6.117    5  0.026    5  0.029   21 -0.002    5 0.5326   18  1.083   18 -0.001   15 -0.003 P
MAMMOTH         8  4 42 34  0.020  6.029    6  0.025    6  0.029    8  0.017    7 0.5226   16  1.128   15  0.074   16 -0.040 P
DUCKS           7  4 41 34  0.064  5.764    7  0.020    7  0.024    9  0.011    6 0.5292    6  1.277    4  0.260   27 -0.237 P
PENGUINS        8  5 46 36 -0.038  6.165    8  0.016    8  0.019    4  0.036    9 0.5173   14  1.150   14  0.120   18 -0.049 P
AVALANCHE       7  6 47 35  0.122  6.973    9  0.015    9  0.018    1  0.065    8 0.5206   20  1.008   19 -0.024    8  0.153 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  5 40 36  0.016  6.071   10  0.011   10  0.016   17  0.003   10 0.5103   15  1.131   16  0.062   20 -0.057 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  6  5 39 32  0.050  5.626   11  0.009   11  0.014    6  0.031   12 0.5072   12  1.181   11  0.154   21 -0.092 P
BRUINS          7  7 45 48  0.091  7.493   12  0.005   12  0.011   10  0.010   15 0.5025    7  1.248    7  0.220   26 -0.199 P
LIGHTNING       6  6 35 33  0.037  6.129   13  0.004   13  0.008    7  0.020   11 0.5081   26  0.875   26 -0.218    6  0.259 P
PANTHERS        6  6 31 34  0.025  6.114   14  0.004   14  0.008   16  0.004   13 0.5050   27  0.857   27 -0.255    5  0.262 P
ISLANDERS       6  6 40 42  0.044  6.209   15  0.003   15  0.006   18  0.002   14 0.5026    5  1.278    5  0.253   28 -0.248 P
STARS           6  6 33 36  0.004  6.001   16  0.003   16  0.006   15  0.005   17 0.4978   22  0.979   21 -0.117   12  0.127 P
CAPITALS        6  6 31 29 -0.050  5.718   17 -0.001   17  0.001   13  0.008   19 0.4926   31  0.740   31 -0.372    2  0.389 P
MAPLE LEAFS     6  6 43 44 -0.078  5.605   19 -0.003   18  0.001   20 -0.001   16 0.4994    2  1.452    2  0.491   31 -0.493 P
KRAKEN          5  6 30 32  0.060  5.758   18 -0.003   19  0.000   14  0.005   18 0.4967   29  0.792   29 -0.321    4  0.332 P
FLYERS          6  6 33 31 -0.056  5.737   20 -0.006   20 -0.001   24 -0.006   21 0.4888   30  0.763   30 -0.363    3  0.350 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
RANGERS         6  7 31 31 -0.021  6.383   21 -0.008   21 -0.003   19 -0.000   22 0.4865   32  0.613   32 -0.504    1  0.504 P
OILERS          6  7 41 41 -0.042  6.241   22 -0.008   22 -0.004   12  0.009   20 0.4920   17  1.125   17  0.061   17 -0.043 P
SENATORS        6  7 48 51 -0.044  6.284   23 -0.010   23 -0.005   26 -0.009   23 0.4835    1  1.543    1  0.616   32 -0.634 P
CANUCKS         6  7 35 41 -0.091  6.105   24 -0.012   24 -0.008   29 -0.031   27 0.4770   21  1.005   22 -0.123   14  0.060 P
SABRES          5  7 37 38  0.003  6.023   25 -0.014   25 -0.009   23 -0.005   24 0.4828   19  1.022   20 -0.076   13  0.067 P
KINGS           5  8 37 44  0.057  6.832   26 -0.015   26 -0.010   25 -0.006   25 0.4788   24  0.964   24 -0.146   10  0.133 P
BLACKHAWKS      5  7 38 35 -0.007  5.968   27 -0.017   27 -0.012   22 -0.003   26 0.4782   23  0.964   23 -0.142    9  0.137 P
PREDATORS       5  8 33 43 -0.053  6.292   28 -0.021   28 -0.018   28 -0.028   28 0.4723   25  0.946   25 -0.188   11  0.132 P
SHARKS          4  9 42 53  0.076  7.016   29 -0.027   29 -0.024   30 -0.037   29 0.4624    4  1.295    6  0.236   29 -0.311 P
WILD            4  9 37 49 -0.038  6.377   30 -0.031   30 -0.028   27 -0.027   30 0.4548   10  1.200   13  0.121   25 -0.175 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES           3  9 34 51 -0.118  5.529   31 -0.043   31 -0.039   32 -0.044   31 0.4406    3  1.368    3  0.329   30 -0.418 P
FLAMES          3 11 31 48  0.009  7.194   32 -0.049   32 -0.044   31 -0.042   32 0.4393   28  0.846   28 -0.312    7  0.227 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
DUCKS           7  4 41 34  0.064  5.764    7  0.020    7  0.024    9  0.011    6 0.5292    6  1.277    4  0.260   27 -0.237 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  6  5 39 32  0.050  5.626   11  0.009   11  0.014    6  0.031   12 0.5072   12  1.181   11  0.154   21 -0.092 P
KRAKEN          5  6 30 32  0.060  5.758   18 -0.003   19  0.000   14  0.005   18 0.4967   29  0.792   29 -0.321    4  0.332 P
OILERS          6  7 41 41 -0.042  6.241   22 -0.008   22 -0.004   12  0.009   20 0.4920   17  1.125   17  0.061   17 -0.043 P
CANUCKS         6  7 35 41 -0.091  6.105   24 -0.012   24 -0.008   29 -0.031   27 0.4770   21  1.005   22 -0.123   14  0.060 P
KINGS           5  8 37 44  0.057  6.832   26 -0.015   26 -0.010   25 -0.006   25 0.4788   24  0.964   24 -0.146   10  0.133 P
SHARKS          4  9 42 53  0.076  7.016   29 -0.027   29 -0.024   30 -0.037   29 0.4624    4  1.295    6  0.236   29 -0.311 P
FLAMES          3 11 31 48  0.009  7.194   32 -0.049   32 -0.044   31 -0.042   32 0.4393   28  0.846   28 -0.312    7  0.227 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
JETS            9  3 45 30 -0.087  5.445    2  0.035    2  0.037    3  0.041    3 0.5371    9  1.212    8  0.204   23 -0.122 P
MAMMOTH         8  4 42 34  0.020  6.029    6  0.025    6  0.029    8  0.017    7 0.5226   16  1.128   15  0.074   16 -0.040 P
AVALANCHE       7  6 47 35  0.122  6.973    9  0.015    9  0.018    1  0.065    8 0.5206   20  1.008   19 -0.024    8  0.153 P
STARS           6  6 33 36  0.004  6.001   16  0.003   16  0.006   15  0.005   17 0.4978   22  0.979   21 -0.117   12  0.127 P
BLACKHAWKS      5  7 38 35 -0.007  5.968   27 -0.017   27 -0.012   22 -0.003   26 0.4782   23  0.964   23 -0.142    9  0.137 P
PREDATORS       5  8 33 43 -0.053  6.292   28 -0.021   28 -0.018   28 -0.028   28 0.4723   25  0.946   25 -0.188   11  0.132 P
WILD            4  9 37 49 -0.038  6.377   30 -0.031   30 -0.028   27 -0.027   30 0.4548   10  1.200   13  0.121   25 -0.175 P
BLUES           3  9 34 51 -0.118  5.529   31 -0.043   31 -0.039   32 -0.044   31 0.4406    3  1.368    3  0.329   30 -0.418 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
DEVILS          9  4 46 40  0.082  6.819    1  0.036    1  0.039    5  0.033    1 0.5424   11  1.199   10  0.179   22 -0.114 P
HURRICANES      7  4 41 32  0.123  5.940    4  0.027    4  0.031    2  0.041    4 0.5370   13  1.158   12  0.135   19 -0.054 P
PENGUINS        8  5 46 36 -0.038  6.165    8  0.016    8  0.019    4  0.036    9 0.5173   14  1.150   14  0.120   18 -0.049 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  5 40 36  0.016  6.071   10  0.011   10  0.016   17  0.003   10 0.5103   15  1.131   16  0.062   20 -0.057 P
ISLANDERS       6  6 40 42  0.044  6.209   15  0.003   15  0.006   18  0.002   14 0.5026    5  1.278    5  0.253   28 -0.248 P
CAPITALS        6  6 31 29 -0.050  5.718   17 -0.001   17  0.001   13  0.008   19 0.4926   31  0.740   31 -0.372    2  0.389 P
FLYERS          6  6 33 31 -0.056  5.737   20 -0.006   20 -0.001   24 -0.006   21 0.4888   30  0.763   30 -0.363    3  0.350 P
RANGERS         6  7 31 31 -0.021  6.383   21 -0.008   21 -0.003   19 -0.000   22 0.4865   32  0.613   32 -0.504    1  0.504 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
CANADIENS       9  3 44 36 -0.069  5.621    3  0.032    3  0.035   11  0.009    2 0.5404    8  1.227    9  0.191   24 -0.173 P
RED WINGS       9  4 44 41 -0.070  6.117    5  0.026    5  0.029   21 -0.002    5 0.5326   18  1.083   18 -0.001   15 -0.003 P
BRUINS          7  7 45 48  0.091  7.493   12  0.005   12  0.011   10  0.010   15 0.5025    7  1.248    7  0.220   26 -0.199 P
LIGHTNING       6  6 35 33  0.037  6.129   13  0.004   13  0.008    7  0.020   11 0.5081   26  0.875   26 -0.218    6  0.259 P
PANTHERS        6  6 31 34  0.025  6.114   14  0.004   14  0.008   16  0.004   13 0.5050   27  0.857   27 -0.255    5  0.262 P
MAPLE LEAFS     6  6 43 44 -0.078  5.605   19 -0.003   18  0.001   20 -0.001   16 0.4994    2  1.452    2  0.491   31 -0.493 P
SENATORS        6  7 48 51 -0.044  6.284   23 -0.010   23 -0.005   26 -0.009   23 0.4835    1  1.543    1  0.616   32 -0.634 P
SABRES          5  7 37 38  0.003  6.023   25 -0.014   25 -0.009   23 -0.005   24 0.4828   19  1.022   20 -0.076   13  0.067 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 55 43 0.561    1  0.097
ATLANTIC DIVISION     54 46 0.540    2  0.003
CENTRAL DIVISION      47 52 0.475    3 -0.001
PACIFIC DIVISION      42 57 0.424    4 -0.083

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Mon Nov  3 05:30:09 2025
games through: Sun Nov  2 2025

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.