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      11  8 78 59 -0.055  8.845   13  0.057   13  0.053    5  0.170   14 0.5089    2  1.442    1  0.630   28 -0.290 P
DUCKS          10  8 69 66 -0.042  8.672   17  0.032   17  0.030   17 -0.011   16 0.5065    1  1.489    2  0.517   31 -0.540 P
OILERS         13  6 78 56 -0.057  8.710    5  0.152    5  0.147    4  0.225    5 0.5326   10  1.230    3  0.394   13  0.056 P
LIGHTNING      11  6 63 53  0.030  8.498    6  0.150    6  0.147    6  0.127    6 0.5320    7  1.272    4  0.352   20 -0.097 P
CAPITALS       10  6 56 53  0.071  8.381    7  0.133    7  0.133   12  0.054    7 0.5320    5  1.325    5  0.350   26 -0.242 P
KRAKEN          9  7 57 57 -0.044  7.726   14  0.041   14  0.036   20 -0.038   13 0.5121    3  1.386    6  0.342   30 -0.419 P
HURRICANES     14  5 78 45 -0.059  8.596    2  0.204    2  0.204    1  0.279    2 0.5445   13  1.119    7  0.307    5  0.251 P
MAMMOTH        10  8 63 63  0.078  9.509   10  0.080   10  0.080   13  0.036    9 0.5177    6  1.286    8  0.280   24 -0.208 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8 12 67 70 -0.008  9.958   25 -0.101   26 -0.101   21 -0.044   26 0.4744    8  1.269    9  0.177   27 -0.264 P
BRUINS         13  5 68 41  0.013  8.714    1  0.205    1  0.209    3  0.256    1 0.5485   21  1.030   10  0.176    3  0.336 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
DEVILS         13  6 68 55  0.016  9.472    3  0.185    3  0.184    8  0.116    4 0.5369   14  1.115   11  0.139   11  0.092 P
PENGUINS        6 12 58 65  0.027  9.222   27 -0.155   27 -0.151   22 -0.044   27 0.4642    9  1.240   12  0.138   25 -0.227 P
CANADIENS      11  7 62 55 -0.047  8.537    9  0.086    9  0.082   10  0.071   10 0.5170   16  1.110   13  0.088   14  0.054 P
SENATORS       11  8 60 57 -0.044  9.089   12  0.061   12  0.058   14  0.032   12 0.5136   12  1.120   14  0.061   17  0.002 P
BLUES           8 10 53 55  0.066  9.477   19 -0.030   19 -0.033   16 -0.004   19 0.4920   11  1.138   15  0.048   19 -0.056 P
CANUCKS         3 17 56 90  0.050 10.815   32 -0.324   32 -0.334   31 -0.296   32 0.4229    4  1.354   16  0.040   32 -0.631 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 12  7 64 51 -0.034  9.036    8  0.115    8  0.113    7  0.119    8 0.5242   23  0.991   17 -0.006    6  0.244 P
WILD           13  7 65 44  0.060 10.131    4  0.170    4  0.168    2  0.269    3 0.5415   30  0.789   18 -0.078    1  0.616 P
SABRES          8  9 50 57 -0.079  8.050   21 -0.050   22 -0.051   24 -0.113   20 0.4894   15  1.113   19 -0.092   22 -0.134 P
PANTHERS       10  9 60 56 -0.092  8.779   18 -0.006   18 -0.008   19 -0.023   18 0.5007   22  1.027   20 -0.106   12  0.060 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PREDATORS       9  9 55 51  0.112  9.684   15  0.038   15  0.035    9  0.110   17 0.5031   28  0.902   21 -0.116    4  0.336 P
JETS            8 11 53 65  0.075 10.173   20 -0.048   20 -0.047   23 -0.077   21 0.4868   19  1.051   22 -0.131   18 -0.023 P
RANGERS        10  9 56 55  0.024  9.619   16  0.036   16  0.032   15  0.031   15 0.5067   25  0.942   23 -0.150    7  0.213 P
KINGS           5 11 45 55 -0.014  8.058   29 -0.170   29 -0.167   27 -0.142   29 0.4585   18  1.074   24 -0.169   21 -0.115 P
ISLANDERS       7 10 49 52  0.023  8.655   24 -0.071   24 -0.072   18 -0.011   24 0.4789   26  0.934   25 -0.201    9  0.178 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  9 41 51  0.013  8.197   22 -0.052   21 -0.051   25 -0.136   23 0.4835   24  0.952   26 -0.305   16  0.034 P
SHARKS          8 12 51 71 -0.005 10.294   26 -0.106   25 -0.097   30 -0.245   25 0.4749   20  1.035   27 -0.319   23 -0.171 P
STARS          10  7 49 41 -0.048  8.054   11  0.068   11  0.066   11  0.068   11 0.5150   32  0.722   28 -0.347    2  0.483 P
RED WINGS       7 12 51 59 -0.076  9.071   28 -0.157   28 -0.154   26 -0.140   28 0.4639   29  0.895   29 -0.374   10  0.094 P
FLAMES          8 10 46 63 -0.024  9.024   23 -0.057   23 -0.056   29 -0.173   22 0.4855   27  0.912   30 -0.388   15  0.042 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS      4 14 39 76  0.027  9.601   31 -0.250   31 -0.254   32 -0.374   31 0.4371   17  1.076   31 -0.399   29 -0.349 P
FLYERS          5 15 45 66  0.042 10.534   30 -0.236   30 -0.238   28 -0.163   30 0.4469   31  0.784   32 -0.515    8  0.190 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
DUCKS          10  8 69 66 -0.042  8.672   17  0.032   17  0.030   17 -0.011   16 0.5065    1  1.489    2  0.517   31 -0.540 P
OILERS         13  6 78 56 -0.057  8.710    5  0.152    5  0.147    4  0.225    5 0.5326   10  1.230    3  0.394   13  0.056 P
KRAKEN          9  7 57 57 -0.044  7.726   14  0.041   14  0.036   20 -0.038   13 0.5121    3  1.386    6  0.342   30 -0.419 P
CANUCKS         3 17 56 90  0.050 10.815   32 -0.324   32 -0.334   31 -0.296   32 0.4229    4  1.354   16  0.040   32 -0.631 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 12  7 64 51 -0.034  9.036    8  0.115    8  0.113    7  0.119    8 0.5242   23  0.991   17 -0.006    6  0.244 P
KINGS           5 11 45 55 -0.014  8.058   29 -0.170   29 -0.167   27 -0.142   29 0.4585   18  1.074   24 -0.169   21 -0.115 P
SHARKS          8 12 51 71 -0.005 10.294   26 -0.106   25 -0.097   30 -0.245   25 0.4749   20  1.035   27 -0.319   23 -0.171 P
FLAMES          8 10 46 63 -0.024  9.024   23 -0.057   23 -0.056   29 -0.173   22 0.4855   27  0.912   30 -0.388   15  0.042 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      11  8 78 59 -0.055  8.845   13  0.057   13  0.053    5  0.170   14 0.5089    2  1.442    1  0.630   28 -0.290 P
MAMMOTH        10  8 63 63  0.078  9.509   10  0.080   10  0.080   13  0.036    9 0.5177    6  1.286    8  0.280   24 -0.208 P
BLUES           8 10 53 55  0.066  9.477   19 -0.030   19 -0.033   16 -0.004   19 0.4920   11  1.138   15  0.048   19 -0.056 P
WILD           13  7 65 44  0.060 10.131    4  0.170    4  0.168    2  0.269    3 0.5415   30  0.789   18 -0.078    1  0.616 P
PREDATORS       9  9 55 51  0.112  9.684   15  0.038   15  0.035    9  0.110   17 0.5031   28  0.902   21 -0.116    4  0.336 P
JETS            8 11 53 65  0.075 10.173   20 -0.048   20 -0.047   23 -0.077   21 0.4868   19  1.051   22 -0.131   18 -0.023 P
STARS          10  7 49 41 -0.048  8.054   11  0.068   11  0.066   11  0.068   11 0.5150   32  0.722   28 -0.347    2  0.483 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 14 39 76  0.027  9.601   31 -0.250   31 -0.254   32 -0.374   31 0.4371   17  1.076   31 -0.399   29 -0.349 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       10  6 56 53  0.071  8.381    7  0.133    7  0.133   12  0.054    7 0.5320    5  1.325    5  0.350   26 -0.242 P
HURRICANES     14  5 78 45 -0.059  8.596    2  0.204    2  0.204    1  0.279    2 0.5445   13  1.119    7  0.307    5  0.251 P
DEVILS         13  6 68 55  0.016  9.472    3  0.185    3  0.184    8  0.116    4 0.5369   14  1.115   11  0.139   11  0.092 P
PENGUINS        6 12 58 65  0.027  9.222   27 -0.155   27 -0.151   22 -0.044   27 0.4642    9  1.240   12  0.138   25 -0.227 P
RANGERS        10  9 56 55  0.024  9.619   16  0.036   16  0.032   15  0.031   15 0.5067   25  0.942   23 -0.150    7  0.213 P
ISLANDERS       7 10 49 52  0.023  8.655   24 -0.071   24 -0.072   18 -0.011   24 0.4789   26  0.934   25 -0.201    9  0.178 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  9 41 51  0.013  8.197   22 -0.052   21 -0.051   25 -0.136   23 0.4835   24  0.952   26 -0.305   16  0.034 P
FLYERS          5 15 45 66  0.042 10.534   30 -0.236   30 -0.238   28 -0.163   30 0.4469   31  0.784   32 -0.515    8  0.190 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      11  6 63 53  0.030  8.498    6  0.150    6  0.147    6  0.127    6 0.5320    7  1.272    4  0.352   20 -0.097 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8 12 67 70 -0.008  9.958   25 -0.101   26 -0.101   21 -0.044   26 0.4744    8  1.269    9  0.177   27 -0.264 P
BRUINS         13  5 68 41  0.013  8.714    1  0.205    1  0.209    3  0.256    1 0.5485   21  1.030   10  0.176    3  0.336 P
CANADIENS      11  7 62 55 -0.047  8.537    9  0.086    9  0.082   10  0.071   10 0.5170   16  1.110   13  0.088   14  0.054 P
SENATORS       11  8 60 57 -0.044  9.089   12  0.061   12  0.058   14  0.032   12 0.5136   12  1.120   14  0.061   17  0.002 P
SABRES          8  9 50 57 -0.079  8.050   21 -0.050   22 -0.051   24 -0.113   20 0.4894   15  1.113   19 -0.092   22 -0.134 P
PANTHERS       10  9 60 56 -0.092  8.779   18 -0.006   18 -0.008   19 -0.023   18 0.5007   22  1.027   20 -0.106   12  0.060 P
RED WINGS       7 12 51 59 -0.076  9.071   28 -0.157   28 -0.154   26 -0.140   28 0.4639   29  0.895   29 -0.374   10  0.094 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      73 74 0.497    1  0.057
ATLANTIC DIVISION     79 68 0.537    2  0.044
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 72 72 0.500    3  0.031
PACIFIC DIVISION      68 78 0.466    4 -0.138

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.103 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: Wed Nov 11 05:30:12 2026
games through: Tue Nov 10 2026

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.