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      58 27 310 207 -0.018 41.610    1  0.279    1  0.285    1  0.382    1 0.5416   23  1.022    2  0.303    1  0.462
HURRICANES     57 29 307 245  0.012 43.398    2  0.268    2  0.273    2  0.212    2 0.5407   10  1.144    3  0.280    8  0.145
SABRES         52 33 297 249  0.014 42.967    3  0.207    3  0.189    4  0.182    3 0.5290    8  1.159    4  0.269    9  0.095
LIGHTNING      51 34 298 240  0.015 42.986    4  0.188    4  0.169    3  0.209    4 0.5269   11  1.121    6  0.248    5  0.169
STARS          52 34 290 240 -0.000 42.980    5  0.186    5  0.169    5  0.170    5 0.5245   20  1.051   11  0.124    2  0.216
CANADIENS      50 35 292 264  0.025 43.436    6  0.172    6  0.158    8  0.112    6 0.5241    7  1.170    7  0.213   18  0.012
WILD           48 38 286 251 -0.002 42.961    7  0.085    7  0.091    6  0.136    7 0.5135   18  1.077   12  0.121    6  0.150
BRUINS         46 39 280 259  0.026 43.477    8  0.073    8  0.081    9  0.099    8 0.5132   13  1.119   10  0.136   12  0.063
FLYERS         46 40 263 251  0.017 43.775    9  0.056    9  0.067   13  0.047    9 0.5100   29  0.967   21 -0.097    4  0.191
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.005 41.273   10  0.036   12  0.039   10  0.090   10 0.5072   15  1.103   13  0.107   11  0.073
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.008 41.522   11  0.034   10  0.042   17 -0.026   11 0.5072   30  0.944   25 -0.196    7  0.145
MAMMOTH        45 40 277 248 -0.009 42.310   12  0.032   11  0.039   12  0.061   13 0.5052   16  1.099   14  0.074   13  0.049
SENATORS       44 42 283 257  0.020 43.753   13  0.026   13  0.031    7  0.116   12 0.5060   14  1.114    9  0.146   10  0.086
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.015 41.878   14  0.020   14  0.027   25 -0.113   14 0.5048   27  0.992   27 -0.229   20  0.003
DUCKS          45 40 289 300 -0.027 41.951   15  0.019   15  0.027   23 -0.092   15 0.5039    1  1.309    8  0.191   31 -0.375
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.012 41.691   16  0.007   16  0.007   18 -0.049   16 0.5015   21  1.032   22 -0.117   17  0.019
PENGUINS       42 44 301 281  0.012 43.528   17 -0.002   18 -0.012   11  0.081   17 0.4992    3  1.267    1  0.308   26 -0.146
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.013 41.652   18 -0.005   19 -0.013   16 -0.008   18 0.4990   19  1.056   19 -0.048   15  0.032
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.014 41.805   19 -0.006   17 -0.011   22 -0.080   19 0.4988    6  1.189   16  0.044   27 -0.205
OILERS         42 43 294 285 -0.032 41.599   20 -0.017   20 -0.031   15  0.023   20 0.4956    2  1.272    5  0.256   28 -0.211
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 40 45 273 259 -0.020 41.992   21 -0.042   22 -0.061   14  0.032   22 0.4904   17  1.082   17  0.024   14  0.040
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.023 40.698   22 -0.046   21 -0.055   29 -0.172   21 0.4914    5  1.212   18 -0.017   29 -0.327
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.010 41.057   23 -0.053   23 -0.066   24 -0.096   23 0.4895   12  1.121   20 -0.057   25 -0.135
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.018 40.733   24 -0.076   24 -0.089   19 -0.064   24 0.4860   22  1.026   23 -0.139   19  0.012
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.008 41.144   25 -0.119   25 -0.122   26 -0.119   26 0.4809   24  1.022   26 -0.199   23 -0.038
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.016 41.831   26 -0.123   26 -0.126   20 -0.065   25 0.4814   25  1.011   24 -0.158   16  0.028
KINGS          35 50 229 255 -0.008 42.575   27 -0.153   28 -0.150   21 -0.071   27 0.4773   32  0.846   31 -0.349    3  0.207
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.018 40.897   28 -0.157   27 -0.149   30 -0.189   28 0.4772   31  0.929   32 -0.376   21 -0.002
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.022 40.715   29 -0.159   29 -0.153   27 -0.138   29 0.4767   26  0.995   28 -0.250   22 -0.026
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.015 41.892   30 -0.176   30 -0.166   28 -0.143   30 0.4755    4  1.237   15  0.045   30 -0.330
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.014 41.067   31 -0.243   31 -0.245   31 -0.223   31 0.4627   28  0.985   30 -0.346   24 -0.099
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.019 41.107   32 -0.310   32 -0.327   32 -0.387   32 0.4505    9  1.159   29 -0.301   32 -0.473

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          45 40 289 300 -0.027 41.951   15  0.019   15  0.027   23 -0.092   15 0.5039    1  1.309    8  0.191   31 -0.375
OILERS         42 43 294 285 -0.032 41.599   20 -0.017   20 -0.031   15  0.023   20 0.4956    2  1.272    5  0.256   28 -0.211
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 40 45 273 259 -0.020 41.992   21 -0.042   22 -0.061   14  0.032   22 0.4904   17  1.082   17  0.024   14  0.040
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.023 40.698   22 -0.046   21 -0.055   29 -0.172   21 0.4914    5  1.212   18 -0.017   29 -0.327
KINGS          35 50 229 255 -0.008 42.575   27 -0.153   28 -0.150   21 -0.071   27 0.4773   32  0.846   31 -0.349    3  0.207
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.018 40.897   28 -0.157   27 -0.149   30 -0.189   28 0.4772   31  0.929   32 -0.376   21 -0.002
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.022 40.715   29 -0.159   29 -0.153   27 -0.138   29 0.4767   26  0.995   28 -0.250   22 -0.026
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.019 41.107   32 -0.310   32 -0.327   32 -0.387   32 0.4505    9  1.159   29 -0.301   32 -0.473

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      58 27 310 207 -0.018 41.610    1  0.279    1  0.285    1  0.382    1 0.5416   23  1.022    2  0.303    1  0.462
STARS          52 34 290 240 -0.000 42.980    5  0.186    5  0.169    5  0.170    5 0.5245   20  1.051   11  0.124    2  0.216
WILD           48 38 286 251 -0.002 42.961    7  0.085    7  0.091    6  0.136    7 0.5135   18  1.077   12  0.121    6  0.150
MAMMOTH        45 40 277 248 -0.009 42.310   12  0.032   11  0.039   12  0.061   13 0.5052   16  1.099   14  0.074   13  0.049
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.010 41.057   23 -0.053   23 -0.066   24 -0.096   23 0.4895   12  1.121   20 -0.057   25 -0.135
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.018 40.733   24 -0.076   24 -0.089   19 -0.064   24 0.4860   22  1.026   23 -0.139   19  0.012
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.008 41.144   25 -0.119   25 -0.122   26 -0.119   26 0.4809   24  1.022   26 -0.199   23 -0.038
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.014 41.067   31 -0.243   31 -0.245   31 -0.223   31 0.4627   28  0.985   30 -0.346   24 -0.099

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     57 29 307 245  0.012 43.398    2  0.268    2  0.273    2  0.212    2 0.5407   10  1.144    3  0.280    8  0.145
FLYERS         46 40 263 251  0.017 43.775    9  0.056    9  0.067   13  0.047    9 0.5100   29  0.967   21 -0.097    4  0.191
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.005 41.273   10  0.036   12  0.039   10  0.090   10 0.5072   15  1.103   13  0.107   11  0.073
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.008 41.522   11  0.034   10  0.042   17 -0.026   11 0.5072   30  0.944   25 -0.196    7  0.145
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.015 41.878   14  0.020   14  0.027   25 -0.113   14 0.5048   27  0.992   27 -0.229   20  0.003
PENGUINS       42 44 301 281  0.012 43.528   17 -0.002   18 -0.012   11  0.081   17 0.4992    3  1.267    1  0.308   26 -0.146
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.013 41.652   18 -0.005   19 -0.013   16 -0.008   18 0.4990   19  1.056   19 -0.048   15  0.032
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.016 41.831   26 -0.123   26 -0.126   20 -0.065   25 0.4814   25  1.011   24 -0.158   16  0.028

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         52 33 297 249  0.014 42.967    3  0.207    3  0.189    4  0.182    3 0.5290    8  1.159    4  0.269    9  0.095
LIGHTNING      51 34 298 240  0.015 42.986    4  0.188    4  0.169    3  0.209    4 0.5269   11  1.121    6  0.248    5  0.169
CANADIENS      50 35 292 264  0.025 43.436    6  0.172    6  0.158    8  0.112    6 0.5241    7  1.170    7  0.213   18  0.012
BRUINS         46 39 280 259  0.026 43.477    8  0.073    8  0.081    9  0.099    8 0.5132   13  1.119   10  0.136   12  0.063
SENATORS       44 42 283 257  0.020 43.753   13  0.026   13  0.031    7  0.116   12 0.5060   14  1.114    9  0.146   10  0.086
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.012 41.691   16  0.007   16  0.007   18 -0.049   16 0.5015   21  1.032   22 -0.117   17  0.019
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.014 41.805   19 -0.006   17 -0.011   22 -0.080   19 0.4988    6  1.189   16  0.044   27 -0.205
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.015 41.892   30 -0.176   30 -0.166   28 -0.143   30 0.4755    4  1.237   15  0.045   30 -0.330

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     356 316 0.530    1  0.077
CENTRAL DIVISION      342 328 0.510    2  0.041
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 347 321 0.519    3  0.038
PACIFIC DIVISION      294 374 0.440    4 -0.168

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.054 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: Sun Apr 26 05:30:09 2026
games through: Sat Apr 25 2026

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.