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
HURRICANES     11  4 56 36 -0.059  6.824    1  0.111    1  0.107    1  0.140    1 0.5467   19  1.045   13  0.077    7  0.204 P
MAMMOTH         9  5 51 46  0.092  7.393    2  0.088    2  0.083    8  0.048    2 0.5390   11  1.227    9  0.212   22 -0.116 P
OILERS          9  4 56 43 -0.061  5.966    5  0.076    5  0.073    5  0.095    3 0.5386    5  1.352    3  0.428   26 -0.238 P
LIGHTNING       8  4 44 38  0.057  6.117    3  0.087    3  0.082    6  0.074    4 0.5380    9  1.233    7  0.246   21 -0.099 P
CAPITALS        8  4 43 37  0.027  5.999    4  0.077    4  0.074    7  0.049    5 0.5350    7  1.250    8  0.243   23 -0.145 P
BRUINS          9  5 50 32  0.022  6.848    6  0.072    6  0.069    2  0.133    6 0.5291   21  1.020   15  0.040    5  0.225 P
WILD            9  6 47 35  0.060  7.625    8  0.063    8  0.060    3  0.126    7 0.5289   30  0.823   24 -0.187    2  0.439 P
DEVILS          9  5 48 40  0.000  6.862    7  0.069    7  0.066    9  0.043    8 0.5242   15  1.087   16  0.031   13  0.056 P
KRAKEN          8  6 52 52 -0.004  6.934   11  0.032   11  0.030   20 -0.017    9 0.5211    2  1.451    2  0.454   31 -0.489 P
CANADIENS       8  5 43 38 -0.046  6.133    9  0.046    9  0.040   13  0.037   10 0.5170   17  1.071   18  0.006   12  0.068 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  9  6 53 44 -0.087  6.820   10  0.040   10  0.032   11  0.041   11 0.5129   14  1.100   14  0.045   15  0.037 P
PANTHERS        8  6 44 39 -0.079  6.461   13  0.022   13  0.020   16  0.005   12 0.5106   26  0.943   22 -0.177    8  0.187 P
SENATORS        8  6 44 44 -0.029  6.762   12  0.030   12  0.027   18 -0.002   13 0.5076   10  1.229   10  0.165   25 -0.168 P
RANGERS         7  7 44 42  0.032  7.070   17  0.003   17  0.003   15  0.032   14 0.5050   18  1.047   19 -0.029   10  0.093 P
AVALANCHE       7  6 54 42 -0.003  6.306   14  0.021   14  0.018    4  0.098   15 0.5025    1  1.497    1  0.637   29 -0.441 P
ISLANDERS       7  6 40 35  0.005  6.399   16  0.012   16  0.015   12  0.037   16 0.5022   28  0.889   25 -0.204    4  0.279 P
STARS           7  6 35 30 -0.007  6.340   15  0.016   15  0.017   10  0.042   17 0.5007   32  0.621   31 -0.473    1  0.557 P
SHARKS          7  7 40 47  0.028  7.247   18 -0.000   18 -0.000   28 -0.098   18 0.4970   22  1.008   26 -0.204   17  0.009 P
MAPLE LEAFS     7  8 56 51  0.017  7.482   20 -0.012   19 -0.016   14  0.035   19 0.4964    6  1.328    4  0.335   28 -0.264 P
SABRES          6  7 40 47 -0.050  6.267   23 -0.028   23 -0.027   24 -0.063   20 0.4924    8  1.239   12  0.117   27 -0.243 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLAMES          6  7 34 47 -0.020  6.472   22 -0.025   22 -0.023   29 -0.104   21 0.4913   24  0.983   27 -0.240   16  0.032 P
BLUES           6  7 39 38  0.032  6.600   19 -0.012   20 -0.016   17  0.005   22 0.4905   13  1.108   17  0.018   18 -0.009 P
BLUE JACKETS    5  6 28 36  0.014  5.604   21 -0.023   21 -0.020   26 -0.078   23 0.4883   27  0.938   28 -0.265    9  0.108 P
RED WINGS       6  7 37 38 -0.163  5.652   24 -0.047   24 -0.049   23 -0.063   24 0.4818   29  0.863   29 -0.333    6  0.206 P
KINGS           4  8 34 42  0.088  6.449   25 -0.056   25 -0.058   22 -0.051   25 0.4776   16  1.072   20 -0.082   19 -0.020 P
PENGUINS        5  8 43 44 -0.018  6.346   26 -0.057   26 -0.060   19 -0.006   26 0.4730   12  1.213   11  0.140   24 -0.151 P
DUCKS           5  8 43 50 -0.059  6.244   27 -0.066   27 -0.070   27 -0.085   27 0.4692    4  1.385    5  0.293   30 -0.464 P
PREDATORS       4  9 37 43  0.092  6.961   28 -0.073   28 -0.076   21 -0.020   28 0.4603   20  1.023   21 -0.109   11  0.068 P
JETS            4 10 34 47  0.055  7.354   29 -0.089   29 -0.095   25 -0.070   29 0.4563   23  1.001   23 -0.184   14  0.044 P
BLACKHAWKS      4  9 27 48 -0.040  6.463   30 -0.099   30 -0.101   32 -0.208   30 0.4514   25  0.982   30 -0.345   20 -0.071 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CANUCKS         3 12 45 68  0.085  8.190   31 -0.136   31 -0.140   31 -0.146   31 0.4471    3  1.421    6  0.282   32 -0.574 P
FLYERS          3 12 29 51  0.035  7.861   32 -0.143   32 -0.150   30 -0.140   32 0.4403   31  0.672   32 -0.607    3  0.326 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          9  4 56 43 -0.061  5.966    5  0.076    5  0.073    5  0.095    3 0.5386    5  1.352    3  0.428   26 -0.238 P
KRAKEN          8  6 52 52 -0.004  6.934   11  0.032   11  0.030   20 -0.017    9 0.5211    2  1.451    2  0.454   31 -0.489 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  9  6 53 44 -0.087  6.820   10  0.040   10  0.032   11  0.041   11 0.5129   14  1.100   14  0.045   15  0.037 P
SHARKS          7  7 40 47  0.028  7.247   18 -0.000   18 -0.000   28 -0.098   18 0.4970   22  1.008   26 -0.204   17  0.009 P
FLAMES          6  7 34 47 -0.020  6.472   22 -0.025   22 -0.023   29 -0.104   21 0.4913   24  0.983   27 -0.240   16  0.032 P
KINGS           4  8 34 42  0.088  6.449   25 -0.056   25 -0.058   22 -0.051   25 0.4776   16  1.072   20 -0.082   19 -0.020 P
DUCKS           5  8 43 50 -0.059  6.244   27 -0.066   27 -0.070   27 -0.085   27 0.4692    4  1.385    5  0.293   30 -0.464 P
CANUCKS         3 12 45 68  0.085  8.190   31 -0.136   31 -0.140   31 -0.146   31 0.4471    3  1.421    6  0.282   32 -0.574 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
MAMMOTH         9  5 51 46  0.092  7.393    2  0.088    2  0.083    8  0.048    2 0.5390   11  1.227    9  0.212   22 -0.116 P
WILD            9  6 47 35  0.060  7.625    8  0.063    8  0.060    3  0.126    7 0.5289   30  0.823   24 -0.187    2  0.439 P
AVALANCHE       7  6 54 42 -0.003  6.306   14  0.021   14  0.018    4  0.098   15 0.5025    1  1.497    1  0.637   29 -0.441 P
STARS           7  6 35 30 -0.007  6.340   15  0.016   15  0.017   10  0.042   17 0.5007   32  0.621   31 -0.473    1  0.557 P
BLUES           6  7 39 38  0.032  6.600   19 -0.012   20 -0.016   17  0.005   22 0.4905   13  1.108   17  0.018   18 -0.009 P
PREDATORS       4  9 37 43  0.092  6.961   28 -0.073   28 -0.076   21 -0.020   28 0.4603   20  1.023   21 -0.109   11  0.068 P
JETS            4 10 34 47  0.055  7.354   29 -0.089   29 -0.095   25 -0.070   29 0.4563   23  1.001   23 -0.184   14  0.044 P
BLACKHAWKS      4  9 27 48 -0.040  6.463   30 -0.099   30 -0.101   32 -0.208   30 0.4514   25  0.982   30 -0.345   20 -0.071 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
HURRICANES     11  4 56 36 -0.059  6.824    1  0.111    1  0.107    1  0.140    1 0.5467   19  1.045   13  0.077    7  0.204 P
CAPITALS        8  4 43 37  0.027  5.999    4  0.077    4  0.074    7  0.049    5 0.5350    7  1.250    8  0.243   23 -0.145 P
DEVILS          9  5 48 40  0.000  6.862    7  0.069    7  0.066    9  0.043    8 0.5242   15  1.087   16  0.031   13  0.056 P
RANGERS         7  7 44 42  0.032  7.070   17  0.003   17  0.003   15  0.032   14 0.5050   18  1.047   19 -0.029   10  0.093 P
ISLANDERS       7  6 40 35  0.005  6.399   16  0.012   16  0.015   12  0.037   16 0.5022   28  0.889   25 -0.204    4  0.279 P
BLUE JACKETS    5  6 28 36  0.014  5.604   21 -0.023   21 -0.020   26 -0.078   23 0.4883   27  0.938   28 -0.265    9  0.108 P
PENGUINS        5  8 43 44 -0.018  6.346   26 -0.057   26 -0.060   19 -0.006   26 0.4730   12  1.213   11  0.140   24 -0.151 P
FLYERS          3 12 29 51  0.035  7.861   32 -0.143   32 -0.150   30 -0.140   32 0.4403   31  0.672   32 -0.607    3  0.326 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
LIGHTNING       8  4 44 38  0.057  6.117    3  0.087    3  0.082    6  0.074    4 0.5380    9  1.233    7  0.246   21 -0.099 P
BRUINS          9  5 50 32  0.022  6.848    6  0.072    6  0.069    2  0.133    6 0.5291   21  1.020   15  0.040    5  0.225 P
CANADIENS       8  5 43 38 -0.046  6.133    9  0.046    9  0.040   13  0.037   10 0.5170   17  1.071   18  0.006   12  0.068 P
PANTHERS        8  6 44 39 -0.079  6.461   13  0.022   13  0.020   16  0.005   12 0.5106   26  0.943   22 -0.177    8  0.187 P
SENATORS        8  6 44 44 -0.029  6.762   12  0.030   12  0.027   18 -0.002   13 0.5076   10  1.229   10  0.165   25 -0.168 P
MAPLE LEAFS     7  8 56 51  0.017  7.482   20 -0.012   19 -0.016   14  0.035   19 0.4964    6  1.328    4  0.335   28 -0.264 P
SABRES          6  7 40 47 -0.050  6.267   23 -0.028   23 -0.027   24 -0.063   20 0.4924    8  1.239   12  0.117   27 -0.243 P
RED WINGS       6  7 37 38 -0.163  5.652   24 -0.047   24 -0.049   23 -0.063   24 0.4818   29  0.863   29 -0.333    6  0.206 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     60 48 0.556    1  0.069
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 55 52 0.514    2  0.039
CENTRAL DIVISION      50 58 0.463    3  0.019
PACIFIC DIVISION      51 58 0.468    4 -0.136

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.114 points in main ratings (0.079 for semineutral)
     0.015 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 31 05:30:14 2026
games through: Fri Oct 30 2026

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.