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
BRUINS         12  5 64 40  0.001  8.135    2  0.147    2  0.141    3  0.182    1 0.5422   19  1.051   13  0.116    4  0.247 P
HURRICANES     13  5 69 43 -0.050  8.255    1  0.155    1  0.147    2  0.199    2 0.5416   17  1.053   11  0.137    3  0.261 P
WILD           11  6 56 38  0.067  8.649    4  0.124    4  0.118    1  0.204    3 0.5397   30  0.854   20 -0.085    2  0.494 P
DEVILS         11  5 57 47  0.005  7.889    3  0.132    3  0.126    8  0.064    4 0.5349   15  1.098   16  0.056   13  0.073 P
OILERS         11  6 71 53 -0.013  8.089    6  0.100    6  0.094    4  0.175    5 0.5312    8  1.284    3  0.405   16 -0.056 P
LIGHTNING      10  5 56 46 -0.014  7.203    5  0.111    5  0.107    5  0.101    6 0.5311    9  1.238    8  0.271   19 -0.068 P
MAMMOTH        10  7 61 59  0.100  9.066    7  0.084    7  0.089   10  0.053    7 0.5258    6  1.293    6  0.295   25 -0.190 P
KRAKEN          9  6 54 53 -0.016  7.356   11  0.054   11  0.057   19 -0.015    8 0.5229    4  1.372    5  0.336   29 -0.366 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 11  7 60 50 -0.020  8.655    8  0.073    8  0.075    7  0.080    9 0.5203   23  1.000   18 -0.045    8  0.206 P
CAPITALS        8  6 49 48  0.061  7.260    9  0.058    9  0.059   15  0.028   10 0.5175    5  1.366    4  0.370   28 -0.314 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SENATORS       10  7 54 52 -0.046  8.081   12  0.045   12  0.048   16  0.015   11 0.5147   13  1.173   14  0.100   20 -0.071 P
CANADIENS      10  6 57 51 -0.086  7.314   10  0.055   10  0.057   12  0.036   12 0.5147   11  1.186   10  0.138   18 -0.065 P
STARS           9  7 45 38 -0.035  7.629   13  0.033   13  0.035    9  0.056   13 0.5086   32  0.675   31 -0.416    1  0.528 P
RANGERS         9  8 51 49  0.018  8.509   14  0.023   14  0.024   13  0.036   14 0.5058   26  0.958   23 -0.137    6  0.210 P
PANTHERS        9  7 52 47 -0.137  7.053   15  0.009   16  0.008   20 -0.018   15 0.5023   18  1.051   19 -0.083   14  0.047 P
AVALANCHE       9  8 68 56 -0.052  7.959   16  0.008   17  0.008    6  0.092   16 0.4990    1  1.480    1  0.596   30 -0.413 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  7 38 42  0.049  7.289   17  0.006   15  0.010   23 -0.052   17 0.4973   27  0.931   27 -0.257   11  0.153 P
DUCKS           8  8 59 61 -0.038  7.762   19 -0.019   19 -0.014   22 -0.050   18 0.4952    2  1.472    2  0.443   31 -0.544 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8  9 62 56 -0.008  8.320   21 -0.026   21 -0.023   11  0.043   19 0.4935    7  1.290    7  0.281   26 -0.196 P
ISLANDERS       7  8 43 44  0.059  7.801   18 -0.009   18 -0.006   17  0.008   20 0.4924   28  0.903   25 -0.227    5  0.244 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SABRES          7  8 44 51 -0.053  7.216   23 -0.034   23 -0.032   25 -0.079   21 0.4909   16  1.091   21 -0.095   17 -0.062 P
BLUES           7  9 49 50  0.058  8.323   22 -0.033   22 -0.030   18  0.002   22 0.4908   12  1.176   15  0.091   23 -0.087 P
FLAMES          7  9 39 55  0.009  8.168   24 -0.040   24 -0.038   28 -0.125   23 0.4899   29  0.860   30 -0.408   10  0.157 P
PREDATORS       7  9 49 50  0.115  8.661   20 -0.022   20 -0.016   14  0.032   24 0.4897   24  0.977   22 -0.120    9  0.184 P
SHARKS          7 10 44 61 -0.017  8.597   25 -0.072   25 -0.067   30 -0.196   25 0.4768   22  1.002   28 -0.319   22 -0.073 P
KINGS           5  9 43 47 -0.008  6.980   26 -0.083   26 -0.089   24 -0.057   26 0.4730   14  1.116   17 -0.042   21 -0.071 P
RED WINGS       7 10 49 52 -0.110  7.784   28 -0.086   28 -0.091   26 -0.080   27 0.4729   25  0.958   26 -0.254   12  0.093 P
JETS            6 11 45 60  0.041  8.892   27 -0.084   27 -0.090   27 -0.103   28 0.4678   20  1.025   24 -0.199   15 -0.007 P
PENGUINS        5 11 51 58  0.016  8.093   29 -0.118   29 -0.125   21 -0.042   29 0.4585   10  1.234   12  0.121   27 -0.206 P
FLYERS          4 14 39 61  0.077  9.688   30 -0.182   30 -0.184   29 -0.146   30 0.4450   31  0.791   32 -0.501    7  0.209 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS      4 13 37 67  0.003  8.794   31 -0.185   31 -0.188   32 -0.280   31 0.4372   21  1.016   29 -0.387   24 -0.174 P
CANUCKS         3 15 53 83  0.053  9.654   32 -0.225   32 -0.230   31 -0.220   32 0.4299    3  1.412    9  0.186   32 -0.627 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         11  6 71 53 -0.013  8.089    6  0.100    6  0.094    4  0.175    5 0.5312    8  1.284    3  0.405   16 -0.056 P
KRAKEN          9  6 54 53 -0.016  7.356   11  0.054   11  0.057   19 -0.015    8 0.5229    4  1.372    5  0.336   29 -0.366 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 11  7 60 50 -0.020  8.655    8  0.073    8  0.075    7  0.080    9 0.5203   23  1.000   18 -0.045    8  0.206 P
DUCKS           8  8 59 61 -0.038  7.762   19 -0.019   19 -0.014   22 -0.050   18 0.4952    2  1.472    2  0.443   31 -0.544 P
FLAMES          7  9 39 55  0.009  8.168   24 -0.040   24 -0.038   28 -0.125   23 0.4899   29  0.860   30 -0.408   10  0.157 P
SHARKS          7 10 44 61 -0.017  8.597   25 -0.072   25 -0.067   30 -0.196   25 0.4768   22  1.002   28 -0.319   22 -0.073 P
KINGS           5  9 43 47 -0.008  6.980   26 -0.083   26 -0.089   24 -0.057   26 0.4730   14  1.116   17 -0.042   21 -0.071 P
CANUCKS         3 15 53 83  0.053  9.654   32 -0.225   32 -0.230   31 -0.220   32 0.4299    3  1.412    9  0.186   32 -0.627 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
WILD           11  6 56 38  0.067  8.649    4  0.124    4  0.118    1  0.204    3 0.5397   30  0.854   20 -0.085    2  0.494 P
MAMMOTH        10  7 61 59  0.100  9.066    7  0.084    7  0.089   10  0.053    7 0.5258    6  1.293    6  0.295   25 -0.190 P
STARS           9  7 45 38 -0.035  7.629   13  0.033   13  0.035    9  0.056   13 0.5086   32  0.675   31 -0.416    1  0.528 P
AVALANCHE       9  8 68 56 -0.052  7.959   16  0.008   17  0.008    6  0.092   16 0.4990    1  1.480    1  0.596   30 -0.413 P
BLUES           7  9 49 50  0.058  8.323   22 -0.033   22 -0.030   18  0.002   22 0.4908   12  1.176   15  0.091   23 -0.087 P
PREDATORS       7  9 49 50  0.115  8.661   20 -0.022   20 -0.016   14  0.032   24 0.4897   24  0.977   22 -0.120    9  0.184 P
JETS            6 11 45 60  0.041  8.892   27 -0.084   27 -0.090   27 -0.103   28 0.4678   20  1.025   24 -0.199   15 -0.007 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 13 37 67  0.003  8.794   31 -0.185   31 -0.188   32 -0.280   31 0.4372   21  1.016   29 -0.387   24 -0.174 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     13  5 69 43 -0.050  8.255    1  0.155    1  0.147    2  0.199    2 0.5416   17  1.053   11  0.137    3  0.261 P
DEVILS         11  5 57 47  0.005  7.889    3  0.132    3  0.126    8  0.064    4 0.5349   15  1.098   16  0.056   13  0.073 P
CAPITALS        8  6 49 48  0.061  7.260    9  0.058    9  0.059   15  0.028   10 0.5175    5  1.366    4  0.370   28 -0.314 P
RANGERS         9  8 51 49  0.018  8.509   14  0.023   14  0.024   13  0.036   14 0.5058   26  0.958   23 -0.137    6  0.210 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  7 38 42  0.049  7.289   17  0.006   15  0.010   23 -0.052   17 0.4973   27  0.931   27 -0.257   11  0.153 P
ISLANDERS       7  8 43 44  0.059  7.801   18 -0.009   18 -0.006   17  0.008   20 0.4924   28  0.903   25 -0.227    5  0.244 P
PENGUINS        5 11 51 58  0.016  8.093   29 -0.118   29 -0.125   21 -0.042   29 0.4585   10  1.234   12  0.121   27 -0.206 P
FLYERS          4 14 39 61  0.077  9.688   30 -0.182   30 -0.184   29 -0.146   30 0.4450   31  0.791   32 -0.501    7  0.209 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
BRUINS         12  5 64 40  0.001  8.135    2  0.147    2  0.141    3  0.182    1 0.5422   19  1.051   13  0.116    4  0.247 P
LIGHTNING      10  5 56 46 -0.014  7.203    5  0.111    5  0.107    5  0.101    6 0.5311    9  1.238    8  0.271   19 -0.068 P
SENATORS       10  7 54 52 -0.046  8.081   12  0.045   12  0.048   16  0.015   11 0.5147   13  1.173   14  0.100   20 -0.071 P
CANADIENS      10  6 57 51 -0.086  7.314   10  0.055   10  0.057   12  0.036   12 0.5147   11  1.186   10  0.138   18 -0.065 P
PANTHERS        9  7 52 47 -0.137  7.053   15  0.009   16  0.008   20 -0.018   15 0.5023   18  1.051   19 -0.083   14  0.047 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8  9 62 56 -0.008  8.320   21 -0.026   21 -0.023   11  0.043   19 0.4935    7  1.290    7  0.281   26 -0.196 P
SABRES          7  8 44 51 -0.053  7.216   23 -0.034   23 -0.032   25 -0.079   21 0.4909   16  1.091   21 -0.095   17 -0.062 P
RED WINGS       7 10 49 52 -0.110  7.784   28 -0.086   28 -0.091   26 -0.080   27 0.4729   25  0.958   26 -0.254   12  0.093 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     73 57 0.562    1  0.064
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 64 64 0.500    2  0.032
CENTRAL DIVISION      63 70 0.474    3  0.026
PACIFIC DIVISION      61 70 0.466    4 -0.125

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Fri Nov  6 05:30:15 2026
games through: Thu Nov  5 2026

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