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      5 5 41 31 -0.045  4.681   16 -0.004   17 -0.007    5  0.112   18 0.4897    1  1.490    1  0.668   31 -0.444 P
OILERS         7 2 41 27 -0.020  4.279    2  0.130    2  0.118    2  0.145    2 0.5555    5  1.327    2  0.469   22 -0.180 P
KRAKEN         6 4 39 34 -0.043  4.784   10  0.041   10  0.031   15  0.006   10 0.5179    3  1.375    3  0.397   29 -0.385 P
CANUCKS        2 9 33 51  0.151  6.339   31 -0.143   31 -0.151   28 -0.147   29 0.4568    2  1.425    4  0.314   32 -0.607 P
PENGUINS       3 7 33 38 -0.004  5.013   27 -0.099   27 -0.108   20 -0.052   27 0.4605    4  1.344    5  0.296   30 -0.401 P
BLUES          4 5 29 29  0.004  4.487   20 -0.026   20 -0.034   16  0.005   20 0.4883    6  1.295    6  0.286   27 -0.276 P
MAMMOTH        7 3 38 31  0.064  5.150    4  0.108    4  0.104   10  0.077    3 0.5458    8  1.230    7  0.272   18 -0.118 P
BRUINS         7 3 36 22  0.058  5.060    3  0.118    3  0.106    1  0.160    4 0.5444   16  1.120    8  0.216    9  0.104 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 8 3 44 30 -0.096  4.906    5  0.107    5  0.100    8  0.101    6 0.5352   14  1.153    9  0.198   15  0.005 P
MAPLE LEAFS    5 6 38 35 -0.017  5.370   21 -0.027   21 -0.035   14  0.022   19 0.4889   10  1.212   10  0.194   20 -0.150 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CAPITALS       5 4 30 29  0.037  4.592   11  0.036   11  0.029   13  0.025   11 0.5152   11  1.209   11  0.193   19 -0.143 P
LIGHTNING      7 2 31 23  0.090  4.693    1  0.156    1  0.147    3  0.124    1 0.5631   17  1.116   12  0.174   11  0.073 P
HURRICANES     8 3 42 27 -0.178  4.555    6  0.097    6  0.086    6  0.111    7 0.5335   18  1.111   13  0.155   12  0.067 P
DEVILS         5 4 29 30 -0.043  4.363   15  0.009   14  0.011   21 -0.052   15 0.5032    9  1.219   14  0.128   24 -0.233 P
SABRES         4 5 27 34 -0.050  4.370   22 -0.027   22 -0.037   25 -0.092   21 0.4870    7  1.234   15  0.109   28 -0.292 P
CANADIENS      4 5 30 34 -0.133  4.039   24 -0.055   23 -0.057   24 -0.075   23 0.4764   12  1.209   16  0.093   25 -0.242 P
DUCKS          4 5 26 29  0.050  4.738   19 -0.025   19 -0.033   22 -0.065   16 0.4930   13  1.155   17  0.033   21 -0.164 P
PREDATORS      3 5 23 24  0.029  4.089   23 -0.051   24 -0.060   19 -0.016   24 0.4760   20  1.032   18 -0.067   13  0.035 P
WILD           6 4 31 25  0.142  5.457    8  0.079    8  0.073    4  0.123    8 0.5331   27  0.906   19 -0.073    5  0.319 P
PANTHERS       5 4 30 25 -0.056  4.233   13  0.020   13  0.012   12  0.034   12 0.5114   24  0.965   20 -0.095    8  0.164 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
KINGS          1 6 17 27  0.161  4.005   30 -0.107   30 -0.115   23 -0.067   31 0.4558   22  1.013   21 -0.141   14  0.007 P
BLACKHAWKS     3 6 21 36  0.041  4.801   26 -0.086   26 -0.087   32 -0.217   26 0.4642   15  1.122   22 -0.160   26 -0.274 P
SENATORS       6 3 24 23 -0.050  4.281    9  0.071    9  0.063   17  0.004    9 0.5209   25  0.932   23 -0.164    7  0.171 P
BLUE JACKETS   3 5 20 29  0.004  4.079   25 -0.060   25 -0.061   27 -0.117   25 0.4742   21  1.017   24 -0.187   17 -0.048 P
FLAMES         2 6 17 37 -0.016  4.084   29 -0.106   28 -0.115   31 -0.215   30 0.4560   19  1.081   25 -0.207   23 -0.223 P
RANGERS        7 4 33 24  0.044  5.575    7  0.084    7  0.077    9  0.099    5 0.5367   29  0.776   26 -0.236    2  0.434 P
JETS           4 5 24 26  0.018  4.551   18 -0.023   18 -0.027   18 -0.006   22 0.4866   28  0.865   27 -0.247    6  0.234 P
SHARKS         5 5 27 35  0.053  5.324   17 -0.007   16 -0.006   29 -0.150   17 0.4927   23  0.980   28 -0.262   16 -0.037 P
ISLANDERS      5 4 27 20 -0.034  4.287   14  0.017   15  0.010   11  0.059   13 0.5094   30  0.768   29 -0.284    3  0.403 P
RED WINGS      3 6 23 28 -0.156  3.975   28 -0.105   29 -0.115   26 -0.110   28 0.4594   26  0.915   30 -0.297   10  0.076 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STARS          5 4 23 15  0.014  4.430   12  0.034   12  0.028    7  0.108   14 0.5065   32  0.212   31 -0.722    1  0.938 P
FLYERS         2 9 17 36  0.058  5.907   32 -0.157   32 -0.169   30 -0.179   32 0.4433   31  0.520   32 -0.760    4  0.402 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         7 2 41 27 -0.020  4.279    2  0.130    2  0.118    2  0.145    2 0.5555    5  1.327    2  0.469   22 -0.180 P
KRAKEN         6 4 39 34 -0.043  4.784   10  0.041   10  0.031   15  0.006   10 0.5179    3  1.375    3  0.397   29 -0.385 P
CANUCKS        2 9 33 51  0.151  6.339   31 -0.143   31 -0.151   28 -0.147   29 0.4568    2  1.425    4  0.314   32 -0.607 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 8 3 44 30 -0.096  4.906    5  0.107    5  0.100    8  0.101    6 0.5352   14  1.153    9  0.198   15  0.005 P
DUCKS          4 5 26 29  0.050  4.738   19 -0.025   19 -0.033   22 -0.065   16 0.4930   13  1.155   17  0.033   21 -0.164 P
KINGS          1 6 17 27  0.161  4.005   30 -0.107   30 -0.115   23 -0.067   31 0.4558   22  1.013   21 -0.141   14  0.007 P
FLAMES         2 6 17 37 -0.016  4.084   29 -0.106   28 -0.115   31 -0.215   30 0.4560   19  1.081   25 -0.207   23 -0.223 P
SHARKS         5 5 27 35  0.053  5.324   17 -0.007   16 -0.006   29 -0.150   17 0.4927   23  0.980   28 -0.262   16 -0.037 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      5 5 41 31 -0.045  4.681   16 -0.004   17 -0.007    5  0.112   18 0.4897    1  1.490    1  0.668   31 -0.444 P
BLUES          4 5 29 29  0.004  4.487   20 -0.026   20 -0.034   16  0.005   20 0.4883    6  1.295    6  0.286   27 -0.276 P
MAMMOTH        7 3 38 31  0.064  5.150    4  0.108    4  0.104   10  0.077    3 0.5458    8  1.230    7  0.272   18 -0.118 P
PREDATORS      3 5 23 24  0.029  4.089   23 -0.051   24 -0.060   19 -0.016   24 0.4760   20  1.032   18 -0.067   13  0.035 P
WILD           6 4 31 25  0.142  5.457    8  0.079    8  0.073    4  0.123    8 0.5331   27  0.906   19 -0.073    5  0.319 P
BLACKHAWKS     3 6 21 36  0.041  4.801   26 -0.086   26 -0.087   32 -0.217   26 0.4642   15  1.122   22 -0.160   26 -0.274 P
JETS           4 5 24 26  0.018  4.551   18 -0.023   18 -0.027   18 -0.006   22 0.4866   28  0.865   27 -0.247    6  0.234 P
STARS          5 4 23 15  0.014  4.430   12  0.034   12  0.028    7  0.108   14 0.5065   32  0.212   31 -0.722    1  0.938 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
PENGUINS       3 7 33 38 -0.004  5.013   27 -0.099   27 -0.108   20 -0.052   27 0.4605    4  1.344    5  0.296   30 -0.401 P
CAPITALS       5 4 30 29  0.037  4.592   11  0.036   11  0.029   13  0.025   11 0.5152   11  1.209   11  0.193   19 -0.143 P
HURRICANES     8 3 42 27 -0.178  4.555    6  0.097    6  0.086    6  0.111    7 0.5335   18  1.111   13  0.155   12  0.067 P
DEVILS         5 4 29 30 -0.043  4.363   15  0.009   14  0.011   21 -0.052   15 0.5032    9  1.219   14  0.128   24 -0.233 P
BLUE JACKETS   3 5 20 29  0.004  4.079   25 -0.060   25 -0.061   27 -0.117   25 0.4742   21  1.017   24 -0.187   17 -0.048 P
RANGERS        7 4 33 24  0.044  5.575    7  0.084    7  0.077    9  0.099    5 0.5367   29  0.776   26 -0.236    2  0.434 P
ISLANDERS      5 4 27 20 -0.034  4.287   14  0.017   15  0.010   11  0.059   13 0.5094   30  0.768   29 -0.284    3  0.403 P
FLYERS         2 9 17 36  0.058  5.907   32 -0.157   32 -0.169   30 -0.179   32 0.4433   31  0.520   32 -0.760    4  0.402 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         7 3 36 22  0.058  5.060    3  0.118    3  0.106    1  0.160    4 0.5444   16  1.120    8  0.216    9  0.104 P
MAPLE LEAFS    5 6 38 35 -0.017  5.370   21 -0.027   21 -0.035   14  0.022   19 0.4889   10  1.212   10  0.194   20 -0.150 P
LIGHTNING      7 2 31 23  0.090  4.693    1  0.156    1  0.147    3  0.124    1 0.5631   17  1.116   12  0.174   11  0.073 P
SABRES         4 5 27 34 -0.050  4.370   22 -0.027   22 -0.037   25 -0.092   21 0.4870    7  1.234   15  0.109   28 -0.292 P
CANADIENS      4 5 30 34 -0.133  4.039   24 -0.055   23 -0.057   24 -0.075   23 0.4764   12  1.209   16  0.093   25 -0.242 P
PANTHERS       5 4 30 25 -0.056  4.233   13  0.020   13  0.012   12  0.034   12 0.5114   24  0.965   20 -0.095    8  0.164 P
SENATORS       6 3 24 23 -0.050  4.281    9  0.071    9  0.063   17  0.004    9 0.5209   25  0.932   23 -0.164    7  0.171 P
RED WINGS      3 6 23 28 -0.156  3.975   28 -0.105   29 -0.115   26 -0.110   28 0.4594   26  0.915   30 -0.297   10  0.076 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      37 37 0.500    1  0.078
ATLANTIC DIVISION     41 34 0.547    2  0.034
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 38 40 0.487    3 -0.023
PACIFIC DIVISION      35 40 0.467    4 -0.120

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.106 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: Wed Oct 21 05:30:12 2026
games through: Tue Oct 20 2026

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