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      25  9 136  79 -0.006 16.823    1  0.197    1  0.186    1  0.301    1 0.5591   18  1.068    2  0.310    4  0.292
STARS          24 12 128  96 -0.001 18.039    2  0.140    2  0.136    2  0.153    2 0.5401   15  1.104    4  0.206   11  0.101
HURRICANES     22 12 115  95  0.027 17.487    3  0.126    3  0.126    5  0.097    3 0.5393   17  1.085    8  0.126   13  0.068
WILD           21 14 109  89  0.003 17.608    4  0.077    4  0.081    4  0.125    5 0.5228   29  0.898   22 -0.063    3  0.312
DEVILS         20 15 101 105  0.052 18.520    5  0.069    5  0.075   17 -0.003    4 0.5236   24  0.982   25 -0.096   12  0.089
BRUINS         20 15 114 109  0.030 18.149    6  0.064    6  0.068    9  0.035    6 0.5220    9  1.167    7  0.165   18 -0.095
DUCKS          20 15 124 120  0.018 18.036    7  0.059    7  0.063   13  0.003    7 0.5197    1  1.338    1  0.359   32 -0.353
ISLANDERS      19 16 103 100  0.071 18.708    8  0.055    8  0.057    8  0.042    8 0.5184   25  0.971   23 -0.064    9  0.148
PANTHERS       19 15 110 106  0.027 17.607    9  0.053    9  0.055   10  0.026    9 0.5172    5  1.196    5  0.193   22 -0.142
CAPITALS       19 15 110  88  0.015 17.289   10  0.051   10  0.050    3  0.130   10 0.5156   23  1.001   15  0.059    5  0.201
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
LIGHTNING      18 16 107  90  0.034 17.606   11  0.034   11  0.032    6  0.090   11 0.5119   21  1.013   16  0.033    8  0.148
FLYERS         17 16  99  94  0.002 16.758   12  0.015   12  0.011   12  0.014   12 0.5054   28  0.911   27 -0.159    6  0.187
CANADIENS      18 16 110 118 -0.045 16.715   13  0.009   14  0.008   21 -0.049   16 0.4995    3  1.251    6  0.190   31 -0.288
RED WINGS      19 16 108 115 -0.080 16.723   14  0.009   13  0.009   26 -0.069   14 0.5041    6  1.174   14  0.070   28 -0.209
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 16 16  97  92  0.005 16.250   15  0.005   16  0.000    7  0.047   13 0.5042   26  0.966   24 -0.064    7  0.158
SHARKS         17 18 105 118  0.053 18.634   16  0.004   15  0.007   24 -0.063   15 0.5013    7  1.171   13  0.072   26 -0.199
SENATORS       16 17 105 104 -0.010 16.639   17 -0.012   17 -0.016   18 -0.004   17 0.4958   10  1.165    9  0.125   21 -0.133
OILERS         17 18 119 119 -0.023 17.449   18 -0.015   18 -0.021   15  0.000   18 0.4957    2  1.269    3  0.263   30 -0.263
RANGERS        17 19  91  96  0.006 18.476   19 -0.017   19 -0.021   23 -0.061   19 0.4938   31  0.714   32 -0.443    2  0.321
MAMMOTH        17 20 112 108 -0.011 18.621   20 -0.029   20 -0.038   16 -0.002   20 0.4907   19  1.026   21 -0.044   15  0.039
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SABRES         15 18 103 112 -0.006 16.776   21 -0.033   21 -0.038   22 -0.060   21 0.4885    4  1.199   10  0.112   29 -0.231
KINGS          15 19  88  90  0.020 17.524   22 -0.037   22 -0.042   11  0.015   22 0.4861   32  0.683   31 -0.397    1  0.427
JETS           15 19 100 103 -0.000 17.326   23 -0.044   23 -0.048   20 -0.036   23 0.4840   16  1.091   18  0.000   17 -0.073
MAPLE LEAFS    15 18 105 108 -0.063 15.956   24 -0.051   24 -0.056   19 -0.034   24 0.4831    8  1.167   12  0.097   24 -0.165
BLUE JACKETS   14 20 102 120  0.017 17.651   25 -0.063   25 -0.065   29 -0.101   25 0.4802   12  1.147   17  0.004   27 -0.207
PENGUINS       14 19 103 106 -0.034 16.293   26 -0.063   27 -0.071   14  0.002   27 0.4785   11  1.147   11  0.108   19 -0.104
CANUCKS        14 20  96 113  0.004 17.493   27 -0.065   26 -0.069   27 -0.091   26 0.4792   14  1.118   19 -0.021   23 -0.160
PREDATORS      13 20  93 115  0.018 17.187   28 -0.074   28 -0.077   30 -0.103   28 0.4748   13  1.122   20 -0.029   25 -0.177
FLAMES         14 21  91 105 -0.062 17.032   29 -0.100   29 -0.102   28 -0.097   29 0.4686   27  0.926   29 -0.254   14  0.060
KRAKEN         12 20  79 102 -0.022 16.127   30 -0.104   30 -0.104   31 -0.116   30 0.4667   30  0.856   30 -0.350   10  0.118
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS     13 21  94 105 -0.060 16.536   31 -0.114   31 -0.114   25 -0.068   31 0.4657   22  1.008   26 -0.131   16 -0.005
BLUES          13 23  88 125 -0.066 17.512   32 -0.146   32 -0.137   32 -0.159   32 0.4592   20  1.023   28 -0.205   20 -0.114

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          20 15 124 120  0.018 18.036    7  0.059    7  0.063   13  0.003    7 0.5197    1  1.338    1  0.359   32 -0.353
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 16 16  97  92  0.005 16.250   15  0.005   16  0.000    7  0.047   13 0.5042   26  0.966   24 -0.064    7  0.158
SHARKS         17 18 105 118  0.053 18.634   16  0.004   15  0.007   24 -0.063   15 0.5013    7  1.171   13  0.072   26 -0.199
OILERS         17 18 119 119 -0.023 17.449   18 -0.015   18 -0.021   15  0.000   18 0.4957    2  1.269    3  0.263   30 -0.263
KINGS          15 19  88  90  0.020 17.524   22 -0.037   22 -0.042   11  0.015   22 0.4861   32  0.683   31 -0.397    1  0.427
CANUCKS        14 20  96 113  0.004 17.493   27 -0.065   26 -0.069   27 -0.091   26 0.4792   14  1.118   19 -0.021   23 -0.160
FLAMES         14 21  91 105 -0.062 17.032   29 -0.100   29 -0.102   28 -0.097   29 0.4686   27  0.926   29 -0.254   14  0.060
KRAKEN         12 20  79 102 -0.022 16.127   30 -0.104   30 -0.104   31 -0.116   30 0.4667   30  0.856   30 -0.350   10  0.118

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      25  9 136  79 -0.006 16.823    1  0.197    1  0.186    1  0.301    1 0.5591   18  1.068    2  0.310    4  0.292
STARS          24 12 128  96 -0.001 18.039    2  0.140    2  0.136    2  0.153    2 0.5401   15  1.104    4  0.206   11  0.101
WILD           21 14 109  89  0.003 17.608    4  0.077    4  0.081    4  0.125    5 0.5228   29  0.898   22 -0.063    3  0.312
MAMMOTH        17 20 112 108 -0.011 18.621   20 -0.029   20 -0.038   16 -0.002   20 0.4907   19  1.026   21 -0.044   15  0.039
JETS           15 19 100 103 -0.000 17.326   23 -0.044   23 -0.048   20 -0.036   23 0.4840   16  1.091   18  0.000   17 -0.073
PREDATORS      13 20  93 115  0.018 17.187   28 -0.074   28 -0.077   30 -0.103   28 0.4748   13  1.122   20 -0.029   25 -0.177
BLACKHAWKS     13 21  94 105 -0.060 16.536   31 -0.114   31 -0.114   25 -0.068   31 0.4657   22  1.008   26 -0.131   16 -0.005
BLUES          13 23  88 125 -0.066 17.512   32 -0.146   32 -0.137   32 -0.159   32 0.4592   20  1.023   28 -0.205   20 -0.114

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     22 12 115  95  0.027 17.487    3  0.126    3  0.126    5  0.097    3 0.5393   17  1.085    8  0.126   13  0.068
DEVILS         20 15 101 105  0.052 18.520    5  0.069    5  0.075   17 -0.003    4 0.5236   24  0.982   25 -0.096   12  0.089
ISLANDERS      19 16 103 100  0.071 18.708    8  0.055    8  0.057    8  0.042    8 0.5184   25  0.971   23 -0.064    9  0.148
CAPITALS       19 15 110  88  0.015 17.289   10  0.051   10  0.050    3  0.130   10 0.5156   23  1.001   15  0.059    5  0.201
FLYERS         17 16  99  94  0.002 16.758   12  0.015   12  0.011   12  0.014   12 0.5054   28  0.911   27 -0.159    6  0.187
RANGERS        17 19  91  96  0.006 18.476   19 -0.017   19 -0.021   23 -0.061   19 0.4938   31  0.714   32 -0.443    2  0.321
BLUE JACKETS   14 20 102 120  0.017 17.651   25 -0.063   25 -0.065   29 -0.101   25 0.4802   12  1.147   17  0.004   27 -0.207
PENGUINS       14 19 103 106 -0.034 16.293   26 -0.063   27 -0.071   14  0.002   27 0.4785   11  1.147   11  0.108   19 -0.104

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
BRUINS         20 15 114 109  0.030 18.149    6  0.064    6  0.068    9  0.035    6 0.5220    9  1.167    7  0.165   18 -0.095
PANTHERS       19 15 110 106  0.027 17.607    9  0.053    9  0.055   10  0.026    9 0.5172    5  1.196    5  0.193   22 -0.142
LIGHTNING      18 16 107  90  0.034 17.606   11  0.034   11  0.032    6  0.090   11 0.5119   21  1.013   16  0.033    8  0.148
CANADIENS      18 16 110 118 -0.045 16.715   13  0.009   14  0.008   21 -0.049   16 0.4995    3  1.251    6  0.190   31 -0.288
RED WINGS      19 16 108 115 -0.080 16.723   14  0.009   13  0.009   26 -0.069   14 0.5041    6  1.174   14  0.070   28 -0.209
SENATORS       16 17 105 104 -0.010 16.639   17 -0.012   17 -0.016   18 -0.004   17 0.4958   10  1.165    9  0.125   21 -0.133
SABRES         15 18 103 112 -0.006 16.776   21 -0.033   21 -0.038   22 -0.060   21 0.4885    4  1.199   10  0.112   29 -0.231
MAPLE LEAFS    15 18 105 108 -0.063 15.956   24 -0.051   24 -0.056   19 -0.034   24 0.4831    8  1.167   12  0.097   24 -0.165

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      141 138 0.505    1  0.059
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 142 132 0.518    2  0.037
ATLANTIC DIVISION     140 131 0.517    3 -0.018
PACIFIC DIVISION      125 147 0.460    4 -0.088

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.037 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: Sat Dec 20 05:30:13 2025
games through: Fri Dec 19 2025

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