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      33 13 185 110  0.001 22.751    1  0.243    1  0.231    1  0.372    1 0.5543   16  1.093    1  0.386    2  0.357
DUCKS          24 24 158 172  0.009 24.475   16  0.004   15  0.003   24 -0.076   16 0.5004    1  1.317    2  0.227   32 -0.379
OILERS         25 25 170 158 -0.023 24.659   18 -0.005   18 -0.011    9  0.058   19 0.4970    5  1.213    3  0.223   23 -0.107
CANADIENS      27 22 168 164 -0.005 24.580    9  0.045    7  0.053   15  0.014   10 0.5105    4  1.241    4  0.216   28 -0.188
SENATORS       22 26 159 163 -0.009 24.046   24 -0.042   24 -0.049   17 -0.022   24 0.4891    3  1.254    5  0.197   29 -0.241
MAPLE LEAFS    24 24 162 158 -0.011 23.953   17 -0.001   17 -0.003   14  0.025   17 0.5001    6  1.213    6  0.189   25 -0.140
HURRICANES     30 19 171 144  0.000 24.560    3  0.125    3  0.124    4  0.105    3 0.5297   10  1.148    7  0.188   14  0.023
LIGHTNING      30 17 166 120  0.016 23.705    2  0.160    2  0.152    2  0.204    2 0.5364   20  1.064    8  0.183    4  0.225
BRUINS         28 21 164 150 -0.003 24.550    5  0.072    5  0.076    6  0.066    5 0.5176    9  1.169    9  0.175   19 -0.043
SABRES         26 21 157 148 -0.009 23.486    7  0.047    8  0.052   12  0.026    7 0.5127    8  1.182   10  0.151   22 -0.100
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 24 23 160 145 -0.021 23.193   15  0.006   16  0.001    7  0.066   15 0.5029   11  1.142   11  0.141   17 -0.008
SHARKS         24 23 148 168  0.026 24.334   12  0.020   12  0.024   28 -0.100   13 0.5035    2  1.259   12  0.126   31 -0.326
PANTHERS       25 22 145 156  0.027 24.253   11  0.039   11  0.046   20 -0.031    9 0.5112    7  1.187   13  0.101   27 -0.163
STARS          27 22 163 139 -0.012 24.331    8  0.045    9  0.050    3  0.111    8 0.5113   21  1.064   14  0.090    8  0.132
CAPITALS       24 25 157 143 -0.017 24.289   20 -0.014   20 -0.019    8  0.066   18 0.4977   18  1.081   15  0.065   12  0.067
JETS           19 28 144 148  0.008 23.894   28 -0.090   28 -0.099   18 -0.029   28 0.4751   12  1.137   16  0.040   21 -0.098
PENGUINS       22 25 150 144 -0.036 22.977   23 -0.041   23 -0.049   13  0.025   23 0.4908   17  1.081   17  0.024   13  0.026
BLUE JACKETS   22 26 148 160  0.017 24.614   21 -0.035   21 -0.038   23 -0.062   22 0.4913   13  1.125   18 -0.008   24 -0.116
WILD           27 22 155 140 -0.013 24.319   10  0.042   10  0.049    5  0.087   11 0.5089   24  0.999   19 -0.011    5  0.185
RED WINGS      30 20 157 153 -0.024 24.719    4  0.093    4  0.100   16 -0.005    4 0.5228   19  1.068   20 -0.022   15  0.011
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
MAMMOTH        25 24 153 135 -0.001 24.595   14  0.012   14  0.010   10  0.056   14 0.5034   25  0.987   21 -0.056    6  0.168
PREDATORS      23 25 138 161  0.014 24.655   19 -0.012   19 -0.014   29 -0.106   20 0.4940   14  1.112   22 -0.069   26 -0.144
FLYERS         22 25 141 149 -0.011 23.544   22 -0.037   22 -0.039   22 -0.046   21 0.4928   22  1.038   23 -0.098   16  0.007
ISLANDERS      26 22 141 134  0.035 24.798    6  0.054    6  0.060   11  0.054    6 0.5140   29  0.919   24 -0.134    3  0.243
BLACKHAWKS     19 29 133 154 -0.035 23.653   30 -0.127   30 -0.127   30 -0.108   31 0.4702   23  1.026   25 -0.174   18 -0.041
CANUCKS        16 32 126 176 -0.004 24.447   32 -0.194   32 -0.181   32 -0.238   32 0.4604   15  1.110   26 -0.203   30 -0.273
KRAKEN         21 26 130 141 -0.023 23.317   26 -0.060   26 -0.068   21 -0.045   26 0.4847   30  0.910   27 -0.245    7  0.154
DEVILS         24 24 127 149  0.050 25.282   13  0.018   13  0.022   25 -0.083   12 0.5056   27  0.926   28 -0.264   10  0.098
RANGERS        21 28 132 150  0.031 25.451   25 -0.058   25 -0.065   26 -0.096   25 0.4863   28  0.921   29 -0.283   11  0.091
BLUES          19 30 120 168 -0.019 24.578   31 -0.135   31 -0.131   31 -0.174   30 0.4710   26  0.987   30 -0.286   20 -0.061
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLAMES         21 27 126 143 -0.032 23.686   27 -0.076   27 -0.082   27 -0.099   27 0.4808   31  0.905   31 -0.304    9  0.106
KINGS          19 29 125 136  0.012 24.470   29 -0.099   29 -0.108   19 -0.029   29 0.4745   32  0.728   32 -0.420    1  0.362

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          24 24 158 172  0.009 24.475   16  0.004   15  0.003   24 -0.076   16 0.5004    1  1.317    2  0.227   32 -0.379
OILERS         25 25 170 158 -0.023 24.659   18 -0.005   18 -0.011    9  0.058   19 0.4970    5  1.213    3  0.223   23 -0.107
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 24 23 160 145 -0.021 23.193   15  0.006   16  0.001    7  0.066   15 0.5029   11  1.142   11  0.141   17 -0.008
SHARKS         24 23 148 168  0.026 24.334   12  0.020   12  0.024   28 -0.100   13 0.5035    2  1.259   12  0.126   31 -0.326
CANUCKS        16 32 126 176 -0.004 24.447   32 -0.194   32 -0.181   32 -0.238   32 0.4604   15  1.110   26 -0.203   30 -0.273
KRAKEN         21 26 130 141 -0.023 23.317   26 -0.060   26 -0.068   21 -0.045   26 0.4847   30  0.910   27 -0.245    7  0.154
FLAMES         21 27 126 143 -0.032 23.686   27 -0.076   27 -0.082   27 -0.099   27 0.4808   31  0.905   31 -0.304    9  0.106
KINGS          19 29 125 136  0.012 24.470   29 -0.099   29 -0.108   19 -0.029   29 0.4745   32  0.728   32 -0.420    1  0.362

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      33 13 185 110  0.001 22.751    1  0.243    1  0.231    1  0.372    1 0.5543   16  1.093    1  0.386    2  0.357
STARS          27 22 163 139 -0.012 24.331    8  0.045    9  0.050    3  0.111    8 0.5113   21  1.064   14  0.090    8  0.132
JETS           19 28 144 148  0.008 23.894   28 -0.090   28 -0.099   18 -0.029   28 0.4751   12  1.137   16  0.040   21 -0.098
WILD           27 22 155 140 -0.013 24.319   10  0.042   10  0.049    5  0.087   11 0.5089   24  0.999   19 -0.011    5  0.185
MAMMOTH        25 24 153 135 -0.001 24.595   14  0.012   14  0.010   10  0.056   14 0.5034   25  0.987   21 -0.056    6  0.168
PREDATORS      23 25 138 161  0.014 24.655   19 -0.012   19 -0.014   29 -0.106   20 0.4940   14  1.112   22 -0.069   26 -0.144
BLACKHAWKS     19 29 133 154 -0.035 23.653   30 -0.127   30 -0.127   30 -0.108   31 0.4702   23  1.026   25 -0.174   18 -0.041
BLUES          19 30 120 168 -0.019 24.578   31 -0.135   31 -0.131   31 -0.174   30 0.4710   26  0.987   30 -0.286   20 -0.061

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     30 19 171 144  0.000 24.560    3  0.125    3  0.124    4  0.105    3 0.5297   10  1.148    7  0.188   14  0.023
CAPITALS       24 25 157 143 -0.017 24.289   20 -0.014   20 -0.019    8  0.066   18 0.4977   18  1.081   15  0.065   12  0.067
PENGUINS       22 25 150 144 -0.036 22.977   23 -0.041   23 -0.049   13  0.025   23 0.4908   17  1.081   17  0.024   13  0.026
BLUE JACKETS   22 26 148 160  0.017 24.614   21 -0.035   21 -0.038   23 -0.062   22 0.4913   13  1.125   18 -0.008   24 -0.116
FLYERS         22 25 141 149 -0.011 23.544   22 -0.037   22 -0.039   22 -0.046   21 0.4928   22  1.038   23 -0.098   16  0.007
ISLANDERS      26 22 141 134  0.035 24.798    6  0.054    6  0.060   11  0.054    6 0.5140   29  0.919   24 -0.134    3  0.243
DEVILS         24 24 127 149  0.050 25.282   13  0.018   13  0.022   25 -0.083   12 0.5056   27  0.926   28 -0.264   10  0.098
RANGERS        21 28 132 150  0.031 25.451   25 -0.058   25 -0.065   26 -0.096   25 0.4863   28  0.921   29 -0.283   11  0.091

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
CANADIENS      27 22 168 164 -0.005 24.580    9  0.045    7  0.053   15  0.014   10 0.5105    4  1.241    4  0.216   28 -0.188
SENATORS       22 26 159 163 -0.009 24.046   24 -0.042   24 -0.049   17 -0.022   24 0.4891    3  1.254    5  0.197   29 -0.241
MAPLE LEAFS    24 24 162 158 -0.011 23.953   17 -0.001   17 -0.003   14  0.025   17 0.5001    6  1.213    6  0.189   25 -0.140
LIGHTNING      30 17 166 120  0.016 23.705    2  0.160    2  0.152    2  0.204    2 0.5364   20  1.064    8  0.183    4  0.225
BRUINS         28 21 164 150 -0.003 24.550    5  0.072    5  0.076    6  0.066    5 0.5176    9  1.169    9  0.175   19 -0.043
SABRES         26 21 157 148 -0.009 23.486    7  0.047    8  0.052   12  0.026    7 0.5127    8  1.182   10  0.151   22 -0.100
PANTHERS       25 22 145 156  0.027 24.253   11  0.039   11  0.046   20 -0.031    9 0.5112    7  1.187   13  0.101   27 -0.163
RED WINGS      30 20 157 153 -0.024 24.719    4  0.093    4  0.100   16 -0.005    4 0.5228   19  1.068   20 -0.022   15  0.011

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     212 173 0.551    1  0.064
CENTRAL DIVISION      192 193 0.499    2  0.046
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 191 194 0.496    3 -0.009
PACIFIC DIVISION      174 209 0.454    4 -0.106

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.062 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: Mon Jan 19 05:30:15 2026
games through: Sun Jan 18 2026

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