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       7  6 54 42 -0.017  6.233   13  0.022   14  0.016    4  0.098   16 0.5012    1  1.502    1  0.649   30 -0.452 P
KRAKEN          8  5 50 46  0.011  6.477    9  0.052    9  0.052   16  0.010    8 0.5292    2  1.428    2  0.453   29 -0.432 P
OILERS          9  4 56 43 -0.062  5.959    5  0.082    5  0.076    5  0.098    4 0.5384    5  1.352    3  0.434   26 -0.237 P
MAPLE LEAFS     7  8 56 51  0.021  7.500   20 -0.012   20 -0.017   12  0.037   19 0.4967    6  1.334    4  0.348   28 -0.274 P
DUCKS           5  8 43 50 -0.075  6.166   27 -0.073   27 -0.077   27 -0.094   27 0.4679    4  1.400    5  0.309   31 -0.497 P
CANUCKS         3 12 45 68  0.073  8.120   31 -0.144   31 -0.150   31 -0.156   31 0.4462    3  1.424    6  0.281   32 -0.594 P
LIGHTNING       8  4 44 38  0.071  6.186    2  0.092    2  0.089    6  0.080    2 0.5392    8  1.240    7  0.265   21 -0.105 P
CAPITALS        8  4 43 37  0.027  6.002    4  0.084    4  0.078    8  0.051    5 0.5349    7  1.250    8  0.249   23 -0.148 P
MAMMOTH         9  5 51 46  0.092  7.396    3  0.091    3  0.087    9  0.050    3 0.5392   11  1.227    9  0.218   22 -0.119 P
SENATORS        8  6 44 44 -0.034  6.734   12  0.032   12  0.027   18 -0.004   13 0.5074   10  1.230   10  0.168   25 -0.176 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PENGUINS        5  8 43 44 -0.013  6.375   25 -0.059   25 -0.063   19 -0.005   26 0.4737   12  1.216   11  0.149   24 -0.158 P
SABRES          6  7 40 47 -0.054  6.244   22 -0.031   22 -0.030   25 -0.067   20 0.4923    9  1.237   12  0.114   27 -0.249 P
HURRICANES     11  4 56 36 -0.065  6.786    1  0.113    1  0.110    1  0.144    1 0.5463   18  1.051   13  0.092    7  0.197 P
BRUINS          9  5 50 32  0.023  6.852    6  0.078    6  0.072    2  0.138    7 0.5293   21  1.019   14  0.048    5  0.228 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  9  5 51 39 -0.086  6.321    8  0.060    8  0.053    7  0.067    9 0.5212   15  1.075   15  0.044   11  0.089 P
BLUES           6  7 39 38  0.041  6.647   19 -0.011   19 -0.016   17  0.007   21 0.4913   13  1.111   16  0.029   18 -0.015 P
CANADIENS       8  5 43 38 -0.041  6.154   11  0.045   11  0.042   11  0.039   10 0.5174   16  1.071   17  0.012   14  0.066 P
DEVILS          8  5 43 38 -0.030  6.246   10  0.047   10  0.045   15  0.016   11 0.5147   17  1.060   18 -0.025   15  0.056 P
RANGERS         7  7 44 42  0.025  7.031   17  0.003   17  0.001   14  0.031   14 0.5044   19  1.047   19 -0.026   12  0.087 P
KINGS           4  8 34 42  0.079  6.407   26 -0.061   26 -0.063   23 -0.056   25 0.4771   14  1.077   20 -0.076   19 -0.036 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PREDATORS       4  9 37 43  0.098  6.991   28 -0.076   28 -0.080   21 -0.020   28 0.4609   20  1.022   21 -0.106   13  0.066 P
WILD            9  6 47 35  0.065  7.652    7  0.072    7  0.063    3  0.132    6 0.5295   30  0.832   22 -0.167    2  0.431 P
ISLANDERS       7  6 40 35 -0.004  6.355   15  0.014   15  0.014   13  0.036   15 0.5016   28  0.884   23 -0.206    4  0.279 P
JETS            4  9 32 42  0.051  6.788   29 -0.080   29 -0.085   22 -0.054   29 0.4606   24  0.965   24 -0.206    9  0.098 P
SHARKS          7  7 40 47  0.024  7.221   18 -0.001   18 -0.002   28 -0.104   18 0.4968   22  1.008   25 -0.207   17 -0.001 P
PANTHERS        7  6 39 37 -0.059  6.125   16  0.008   16  0.007   20 -0.010   12 0.5075   27  0.910   26 -0.224    6  0.205 P
BLUE JACKETS    5  6 28 36  0.018  5.621   21 -0.023   21 -0.021   26 -0.082   22 0.4888   25  0.941   27 -0.261   10  0.098 P
FLAMES          5  7 28 45  0.001  6.122   23 -0.040   23 -0.039   29 -0.134   23 0.4829   26  0.939   28 -0.315   16  0.048 P
RED WINGS       6  7 37 38 -0.159  5.671   24 -0.049   24 -0.052   24 -0.065   24 0.4819   29  0.872   29 -0.321    8  0.190 P
BLACKHAWKS      4  9 27 48 -0.033  6.495   30 -0.103   30 -0.106   32 -0.216   30 0.4520   23  0.986   30 -0.344   20 -0.088 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STARS           7  6 35 30 -0.010  6.325   14  0.019   13  0.017   10  0.043   17 0.5004   32  0.625   31 -0.464    1  0.550 P
FLYERS          3 12 29 51  0.034  7.851   32 -0.151   32 -0.158   30 -0.147   32 0.4401   31  0.671   32 -0.611    3  0.316 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
KRAKEN          8  5 50 46  0.011  6.477    9  0.052    9  0.052   16  0.010    8 0.5292    2  1.428    2  0.453   29 -0.432 P
OILERS          9  4 56 43 -0.062  5.959    5  0.082    5  0.076    5  0.098    4 0.5384    5  1.352    3  0.434   26 -0.237 P
DUCKS           5  8 43 50 -0.075  6.166   27 -0.073   27 -0.077   27 -0.094   27 0.4679    4  1.400    5  0.309   31 -0.497 P
CANUCKS         3 12 45 68  0.073  8.120   31 -0.144   31 -0.150   31 -0.156   31 0.4462    3  1.424    6  0.281   32 -0.594 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  9  5 51 39 -0.086  6.321    8  0.060    8  0.053    7  0.067    9 0.5212   15  1.075   15  0.044   11  0.089 P
KINGS           4  8 34 42  0.079  6.407   26 -0.061   26 -0.063   23 -0.056   25 0.4771   14  1.077   20 -0.076   19 -0.036 P
SHARKS          7  7 40 47  0.024  7.221   18 -0.001   18 -0.002   28 -0.104   18 0.4968   22  1.008   25 -0.207   17 -0.001 P
FLAMES          5  7 28 45  0.001  6.122   23 -0.040   23 -0.039   29 -0.134   23 0.4829   26  0.939   28 -0.315   16  0.048 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
AVALANCHE       7  6 54 42 -0.017  6.233   13  0.022   14  0.016    4  0.098   16 0.5012    1  1.502    1  0.649   30 -0.452 P
MAMMOTH         9  5 51 46  0.092  7.396    3  0.091    3  0.087    9  0.050    3 0.5392   11  1.227    9  0.218   22 -0.119 P
BLUES           6  7 39 38  0.041  6.647   19 -0.011   19 -0.016   17  0.007   21 0.4913   13  1.111   16  0.029   18 -0.015 P
PREDATORS       4  9 37 43  0.098  6.991   28 -0.076   28 -0.080   21 -0.020   28 0.4609   20  1.022   21 -0.106   13  0.066 P
WILD            9  6 47 35  0.065  7.652    7  0.072    7  0.063    3  0.132    6 0.5295   30  0.832   22 -0.167    2  0.431 P
JETS            4  9 32 42  0.051  6.788   29 -0.080   29 -0.085   22 -0.054   29 0.4606   24  0.965   24 -0.206    9  0.098 P
BLACKHAWKS      4  9 27 48 -0.033  6.495   30 -0.103   30 -0.106   32 -0.216   30 0.4520   23  0.986   30 -0.344   20 -0.088 P
STARS           7  6 35 30 -0.010  6.325   14  0.019   13  0.017   10  0.043   17 0.5004   32  0.625   31 -0.464    1  0.550 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
CAPITALS        8  4 43 37  0.027  6.002    4  0.084    4  0.078    8  0.051    5 0.5349    7  1.250    8  0.249   23 -0.148 P
PENGUINS        5  8 43 44 -0.013  6.375   25 -0.059   25 -0.063   19 -0.005   26 0.4737   12  1.216   11  0.149   24 -0.158 P
HURRICANES     11  4 56 36 -0.065  6.786    1  0.113    1  0.110    1  0.144    1 0.5463   18  1.051   13  0.092    7  0.197 P
DEVILS          8  5 43 38 -0.030  6.246   10  0.047   10  0.045   15  0.016   11 0.5147   17  1.060   18 -0.025   15  0.056 P
RANGERS         7  7 44 42  0.025  7.031   17  0.003   17  0.001   14  0.031   14 0.5044   19  1.047   19 -0.026   12  0.087 P
ISLANDERS       7  6 40 35 -0.004  6.355   15  0.014   15  0.014   13  0.036   15 0.5016   28  0.884   23 -0.206    4  0.279 P
BLUE JACKETS    5  6 28 36  0.018  5.621   21 -0.023   21 -0.021   26 -0.082   22 0.4888   25  0.941   27 -0.261   10  0.098 P
FLYERS          3 12 29 51  0.034  7.851   32 -0.151   32 -0.158   30 -0.147   32 0.4401   31  0.671   32 -0.611    3  0.316 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
MAPLE LEAFS     7  8 56 51  0.021  7.500   20 -0.012   20 -0.017   12  0.037   19 0.4967    6  1.334    4  0.348   28 -0.274 P
LIGHTNING       8  4 44 38  0.071  6.186    2  0.092    2  0.089    6  0.080    2 0.5392    8  1.240    7  0.265   21 -0.105 P
SENATORS        8  6 44 44 -0.034  6.734   12  0.032   12  0.027   18 -0.004   13 0.5074   10  1.230   10  0.168   25 -0.176 P
SABRES          6  7 40 47 -0.054  6.244   22 -0.031   22 -0.030   25 -0.067   20 0.4923    9  1.237   12  0.114   27 -0.249 P
BRUINS          9  5 50 32  0.023  6.852    6  0.078    6  0.072    2  0.138    7 0.5293   21  1.019   14  0.048    5  0.228 P
CANADIENS       8  5 43 38 -0.041  6.154   11  0.045   11  0.042   11  0.039   10 0.5174   16  1.071   17  0.012   14  0.066 P
PANTHERS        7  6 39 37 -0.059  6.125   16  0.008   16  0.007   20 -0.010   12 0.5075   27  0.910   26 -0.224    6  0.205 P
RED WINGS       6  7 37 38 -0.159  5.671   24 -0.049   24 -0.052   24 -0.065   24 0.4819   29  0.872   29 -0.321    8  0.190 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     59 48 0.551    1  0.065
CENTRAL DIVISION      50 57 0.467    2  0.027
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 54 52 0.509    3  0.026
PACIFIC DIVISION      50 56 0.472    4 -0.131

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.109 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: Fri Oct 30 05:30:18 2026
games through: Thu Oct 29 2026

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