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 18 208 136  0.001 26.706    1  0.204    1  0.195    1  0.337    1 0.5424   17  1.092    1  0.344    2  0.329
LIGHTNING      35 18 189 136 -0.001 26.275    2  0.189    2  0.182    2  0.221    2 0.5397   19  1.064    8  0.194    3  0.249
HURRICANES     34 21 191 160 -0.004 27.339    3  0.137    3  0.137    4  0.119    3 0.5292   14  1.126    9  0.168   12  0.069
STARS          33 23 188 156 -0.012 27.667    4  0.092    4  0.099    3  0.127    4 0.5206   21  1.053   15  0.086    5  0.167
SABRES         32 23 190 167 -0.003 27.419    6  0.088    6  0.094    6  0.084    5 0.5205    8  1.186    6  0.208   18 -0.040
RED WINGS      33 24 173 171  0.004 28.715    5  0.089    5  0.098   16  0.007    6 0.5193   26  1.004   22 -0.090   11  0.105
BRUINS         32 24 191 177  0.004 28.092    7  0.079    7  0.086    8  0.068    7 0.5177    7  1.208    5  0.220   21 -0.084
WILD           33 24 190 164 -0.019 28.012    8  0.078    8  0.085    5  0.115    8 0.5164   23  1.048   16  0.069    6  0.161
CANADIENS      31 25 194 186  0.024 28.574    9  0.065    9  0.074   11  0.043    9 0.5135    3  1.237    3  0.234   24 -0.147
ISLANDERS      30 26 161 157  0.010 28.292   10  0.040   10  0.047   14  0.026   10 0.5102   29  0.912   25 -0.177    4  0.228
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 27.996   11  0.031   11  0.038   24 -0.065   11 0.5075    1  1.292    7  0.198   32 -0.328
DEVILS         28 27 145 169  0.033 28.464   12  0.021   12  0.027   26 -0.096   12 0.5059   30  0.907   30 -0.305   10  0.113
MAMMOTH        29 27 179 156 -0.002 27.942   13  0.019   13  0.020    9  0.063   13 0.5050   24  1.019   19 -0.018    8  0.144
PANTHERS       28 27 168 181  0.015 27.992   14  0.015   14  0.018   21 -0.046   14 0.5038    9  1.162   18  0.048   23 -0.140
PENGUINS       28 26 183 162 -0.040 26.118   15  0.007   17  0.004    7  0.079   15 0.5019   13  1.132   11  0.135   14  0.022
BLUE JACKETS   27 27 172 177  0.015 27.457   17  0.006   16  0.007   20 -0.031   16 0.5009   10  1.153   17  0.051   22 -0.114
SHARKS         27 27 169 189  0.015 27.538   16  0.006   15  0.008   25 -0.093   17 0.5003    5  1.235   13  0.095   31 -0.281
CAPITALS       28 29 183 171 -0.001 28.489   19 -0.005   19 -0.012   10  0.063   18 0.4998   15  1.107   14  0.088   13  0.037
SENATORS       27 28 186 179  0.005 27.655   18 -0.003   18 -0.008   12  0.034   19 0.4984    4  1.236    4  0.223   25 -0.155
OILERS         28 28 193 185 -0.027 27.444   20 -0.007   20 -0.013   13  0.030   20 0.4970    2  1.262    2  0.254   27 -0.194
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 -0.024 26.564   22 -0.024   22 -0.033   17 -0.006   21 0.4931   28  0.944   24 -0.173    7  0.160
MAPLE LEAFS    26 30 183 192  0.000 28.124   23 -0.030   23 -0.040   18 -0.021   22 0.4917    6  1.227   10  0.156   29 -0.198
PREDATORS      26 29 162 188 -0.001 27.760   21 -0.023   21 -0.030   28 -0.117   23 0.4911   11  1.148   20 -0.040   28 -0.194
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 25 30 182 176 -0.020 27.120   25 -0.050   25 -0.063   15  0.025   24 0.4887   12  1.144   12  0.096   20 -0.046
FLYERS         24 30 162 176  0.011 27.406   24 -0.048   24 -0.059   22 -0.054   25 0.4879   18  1.075   21 -0.068   19 -0.041
KINGS          23 31 143 153  0.014 27.431   26 -0.067   26 -0.079   19 -0.023   26 0.4834   32  0.750   31 -0.399    1  0.352
RANGERS        22 34 151 178  0.033 29.004   27 -0.105   27 -0.111   29 -0.128   27 0.4777   27  0.961   29 -0.276   15  0.020
JETS           22 33 159 170  0.006 27.807   28 -0.110   28 -0.115   23 -0.057   28 0.4759   22  1.049   23 -0.102   16 -0.012
FLAMES         22 33 138 166 -0.034 26.996   29 -0.137   29 -0.133   30 -0.143   29 0.4716   31  0.855   32 -0.408    9  0.122
BLACKHAWKS     22 34 154 181 -0.025 27.677   30 -0.141   30 -0.138   27 -0.116   30 0.4708   25  1.006   26 -0.212   17 -0.020
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          20 36 143 198 -0.019 27.919   31 -0.190   31 -0.177   31 -0.192   31 0.4628   20  1.060   27 -0.224   26 -0.160
CANUCKS        18 38 147 205 -0.010 28.208   32 -0.226   32 -0.215   32 -0.249   32 0.4570   16  1.103   28 -0.229   30 -0.269

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 27.996   11  0.031   11  0.038   24 -0.065   11 0.5075    1  1.292    7  0.198   32 -0.328
SHARKS         27 27 169 189  0.015 27.538   16  0.006   15  0.008   25 -0.093   17 0.5003    5  1.235   13  0.095   31 -0.281
OILERS         28 28 193 185 -0.027 27.444   20 -0.007   20 -0.013   13  0.030   20 0.4970    2  1.262    2  0.254   27 -0.194
KRAKEN         26 28 156 159 -0.024 26.564   22 -0.024   22 -0.033   17 -0.006   21 0.4931   28  0.944   24 -0.173    7  0.160
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 25 30 182 176 -0.020 27.120   25 -0.050   25 -0.063   15  0.025   24 0.4887   12  1.144   12  0.096   20 -0.046
KINGS          23 31 143 153  0.014 27.431   26 -0.067   26 -0.079   19 -0.023   26 0.4834   32  0.750   31 -0.399    1  0.352
FLAMES         22 33 138 166 -0.034 26.996   29 -0.137   29 -0.133   30 -0.143   29 0.4716   31  0.855   32 -0.408    9  0.122
CANUCKS        18 38 147 205 -0.010 28.208   32 -0.226   32 -0.215   32 -0.249   32 0.4570   16  1.103   28 -0.229   30 -0.269

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 18 208 136  0.001 26.706    1  0.204    1  0.195    1  0.337    1 0.5424   17  1.092    1  0.344    2  0.329
STARS          33 23 188 156 -0.012 27.667    4  0.092    4  0.099    3  0.127    4 0.5206   21  1.053   15  0.086    5  0.167
WILD           33 24 190 164 -0.019 28.012    8  0.078    8  0.085    5  0.115    8 0.5164   23  1.048   16  0.069    6  0.161
MAMMOTH        29 27 179 156 -0.002 27.942   13  0.019   13  0.020    9  0.063   13 0.5050   24  1.019   19 -0.018    8  0.144
PREDATORS      26 29 162 188 -0.001 27.760   21 -0.023   21 -0.030   28 -0.117   23 0.4911   11  1.148   20 -0.040   28 -0.194
JETS           22 33 159 170  0.006 27.807   28 -0.110   28 -0.115   23 -0.057   28 0.4759   22  1.049   23 -0.102   16 -0.012
BLACKHAWKS     22 34 154 181 -0.025 27.677   30 -0.141   30 -0.138   27 -0.116   30 0.4708   25  1.006   26 -0.212   17 -0.020
BLUES          20 36 143 198 -0.019 27.919   31 -0.190   31 -0.177   31 -0.192   31 0.4628   20  1.060   27 -0.224   26 -0.160

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 -0.004 27.339    3  0.137    3  0.137    4  0.119    3 0.5292   14  1.126    9  0.168   12  0.069
ISLANDERS      30 26 161 157  0.010 28.292   10  0.040   10  0.047   14  0.026   10 0.5102   29  0.912   25 -0.177    4  0.228
DEVILS         28 27 145 169  0.033 28.464   12  0.021   12  0.027   26 -0.096   12 0.5059   30  0.907   30 -0.305   10  0.113
PENGUINS       28 26 183 162 -0.040 26.118   15  0.007   17  0.004    7  0.079   15 0.5019   13  1.132   11  0.135   14  0.022
BLUE JACKETS   27 27 172 177  0.015 27.457   17  0.006   16  0.007   20 -0.031   16 0.5009   10  1.153   17  0.051   22 -0.114
CAPITALS       28 29 183 171 -0.001 28.489   19 -0.005   19 -0.012   10  0.063   18 0.4998   15  1.107   14  0.088   13  0.037
FLYERS         24 30 162 176  0.011 27.406   24 -0.048   24 -0.059   22 -0.054   25 0.4879   18  1.075   21 -0.068   19 -0.041
RANGERS        22 34 151 178  0.033 29.004   27 -0.105   27 -0.111   29 -0.128   27 0.4777   27  0.961   29 -0.276   15  0.020

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 -0.001 26.275    2  0.189    2  0.182    2  0.221    2 0.5397   19  1.064    8  0.194    3  0.249
SABRES         32 23 190 167 -0.003 27.419    6  0.088    6  0.094    6  0.084    5 0.5205    8  1.186    6  0.208   18 -0.040
RED WINGS      33 24 173 171  0.004 28.715    5  0.089    5  0.098   16  0.007    6 0.5193   26  1.004   22 -0.090   11  0.105
BRUINS         32 24 191 177  0.004 28.092    7  0.079    7  0.086    8  0.068    7 0.5177    7  1.208    5  0.220   21 -0.084
CANADIENS      31 25 194 186  0.024 28.574    9  0.065    9  0.074   11  0.043    9 0.5135    3  1.237    3  0.234   24 -0.147
PANTHERS       28 27 168 181  0.015 27.992   14  0.015   14  0.018   21 -0.046   14 0.5038    9  1.162   18  0.048   23 -0.140
SENATORS       27 28 186 179  0.005 27.655   18 -0.003   18 -0.008   12  0.034   19 0.4984    4  1.236    4  0.223   25 -0.155
MAPLE LEAFS    26 30 183 192  0.000 28.124   23 -0.030   23 -0.040   18 -0.021   22 0.4917    6  1.227   10  0.156   29 -0.198

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     244 199 0.551    1  0.085
CENTRAL DIVISION      221 224 0.497    2  0.032
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 221 220 0.501    3 -0.006
PACIFIC DIVISION      198 241 0.451    4 -0.113

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.056 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: Tue Feb  3 05:30:08 2026
games through: Mon Feb  2 2026

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