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 3 36 24 -0.027  3.752   11  0.068   11  0.061    2  0.165   13 0.5094    1  1.502    1  0.740   31 -0.410 P
OILERS         6 2 37 24 -0.055  3.686    5  0.112    5  0.104    3  0.152    4 0.5440    5  1.352    2  0.512   21 -0.208 P
KRAKEN         5 4 35 31 -0.013  4.413   13  0.017   13  0.015   15  0.009   12 0.5097    3  1.382    3  0.411   30 -0.393 P
BLUES          3 5 27 28  0.038  4.105   23 -0.062   23 -0.059   16  0.000   23 0.4800    4  1.363    4  0.376   29 -0.375 P
CANUCKS        2 8 30 45  0.139  5.709   29 -0.140   29 -0.148   28 -0.143   29 0.4570    2  1.391    5  0.271   32 -0.558 P
PENGUINS       3 6 29 33  0.012  4.560   26 -0.077   26 -0.089   20 -0.042   26 0.4693    6  1.280    6  0.221   28 -0.305 P
CAPITALS       5 3 28 24  0.082  4.194    8  0.078    8  0.073   11  0.072    8 0.5345   11  1.191    7  0.217   18 -0.074 P
BRUINS         7 2 34 19  0.005  4.346    2  0.147    1  0.141    1  0.172    1 0.5548   15  1.108    8  0.214    9  0.130 P
MAMMOTH        6 3 33 27  0.080  4.694    6  0.095    6  0.095   10  0.080    6 0.5401   12  1.176    9  0.206   16 -0.047 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 8 2 42 24 -0.131  4.266    1  0.149    2  0.140    4  0.148    5 0.5413   16  1.106   10  0.187   11  0.108 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
MAPLE LEAFS    3 6 29 32  0.052  4.687   25 -0.070   25 -0.079   19 -0.019   25 0.4698    8  1.234   11  0.183   22 -0.221 P
DEVILS         4 4 25 27 -0.084  3.759   21 -0.026   21 -0.021   23 -0.076   19 0.4931    7  1.254   12  0.151   27 -0.303 P
HURRICANES     7 2 34 21 -0.112  3.940    3  0.137    4  0.128    5  0.144    3 0.5477   18  1.075   13  0.146    8  0.142 P
CANADIENS      4 4 27 30 -0.078  3.759   19 -0.013   19 -0.020   22 -0.060   20 0.4909    9  1.223   14  0.128   23 -0.248 P
SABRES         4 5 27 34 -0.039  4.403   22 -0.039   22 -0.037   25 -0.096   21 0.4887   10  1.223   15  0.092   24 -0.283 P
LIGHTNING      6 2 25 21  0.036  4.023    4  0.137    3  0.131    8  0.088    2 0.5505   21  1.057   16  0.068   12  0.108 P
WILD           5 3 26 20  0.160  4.440    7  0.090    7  0.087    6  0.131    7 0.5362   23  0.994   17  0.037    5  0.225 P
DUCKS          4 3 22 21 -0.007  3.505   14  0.015   14  0.011   21 -0.049   14 0.5075   17  1.101   18 -0.015   19 -0.082 P
PANTHERS       5 4 30 25 -0.039  4.288   12  0.030   12  0.020   13  0.044   11 0.5128   25  0.967   19 -0.082    7  0.170 P
PREDATORS      3 5 23 24  0.027  4.078   24 -0.063   24 -0.065   18 -0.016   24 0.4742   22  1.010   20 -0.092   14  0.059 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
JETS           4 4 23 24  0.037  4.097   16  0.008   15  0.004   14  0.015   15 0.5038   24  0.979   21 -0.097   10  0.127 P
BLUE JACKETS   3 3 17 21 -0.046  2.909   18 -0.011   18 -0.017   24 -0.086   18 0.4931   19  1.062   22 -0.101   17 -0.072 P
BLACKHAWKS     3 6 21 36  0.059  4.867   27 -0.087   27 -0.092   31 -0.231   27 0.4651   13  1.125   23 -0.168   25 -0.293 P
SHARKS         4 4 22 29  0.043  4.240   17 -0.009   17 -0.011   29 -0.160   22 0.4880   20  1.060   24 -0.176   20 -0.144 P
SENATORS       6 3 24 23 -0.088  4.142    9  0.072    9  0.065   17 -0.004   10 0.5157   27  0.918   25 -0.185    6  0.177 P
FLAMES         1 6 14 35  0.000  3.643   30 -0.154   30 -0.157   32 -0.247   30 0.4423   14  1.117   26 -0.194   26 -0.301 P
KINGS          0 6 12 25  0.179  3.505   31 -0.158   31 -0.163   26 -0.106   31 0.4384   26  0.946   27 -0.256   15  0.044 P
ISLANDERS      4 4 24 18 -0.062  3.725   20 -0.013   20 -0.020   12  0.050   17 0.4944   29  0.788   28 -0.271    3  0.371 P
RANGERS        6 4 28 22  0.055  5.132   10  0.071   10  0.064    9  0.084    9 0.5307   30  0.739   29 -0.288    2  0.456 P
RED WINGS      3 5 20 24 -0.203  3.379   28 -0.094   28 -0.105   27 -0.124   28 0.4644   28  0.903   30 -0.321   13  0.074 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STARS          4 4 20 13  0.007  3.900   15  0.009   16  0.004    7  0.116   16 0.4964   32  0.200   31 -0.721    1  0.954 P
FLYERS         1 9 14 34  0.036  5.303   32 -0.217   32 -0.226   30 -0.217   32 0.4327   31  0.542   32 -0.777    4  0.343 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         6 2 37 24 -0.055  3.686    5  0.112    5  0.104    3  0.152    4 0.5440    5  1.352    2  0.512   21 -0.208 P
KRAKEN         5 4 35 31 -0.013  4.413   13  0.017   13  0.015   15  0.009   12 0.5097    3  1.382    3  0.411   30 -0.393 P
CANUCKS        2 8 30 45  0.139  5.709   29 -0.140   29 -0.148   28 -0.143   29 0.4570    2  1.391    5  0.271   32 -0.558 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 8 2 42 24 -0.131  4.266    1  0.149    2  0.140    4  0.148    5 0.5413   16  1.106   10  0.187   11  0.108 P
DUCKS          4 3 22 21 -0.007  3.505   14  0.015   14  0.011   21 -0.049   14 0.5075   17  1.101   18 -0.015   19 -0.082 P
SHARKS         4 4 22 29  0.043  4.240   17 -0.009   17 -0.011   29 -0.160   22 0.4880   20  1.060   24 -0.176   20 -0.144 P
FLAMES         1 6 14 35  0.000  3.643   30 -0.154   30 -0.157   32 -0.247   30 0.4423   14  1.117   26 -0.194   26 -0.301 P
KINGS          0 6 12 25  0.179  3.505   31 -0.158   31 -0.163   26 -0.106   31 0.4384   26  0.946   27 -0.256   15  0.044 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 3 36 24 -0.027  3.752   11  0.068   11  0.061    2  0.165   13 0.5094    1  1.502    1  0.740   31 -0.410 P
BLUES          3 5 27 28  0.038  4.105   23 -0.062   23 -0.059   16  0.000   23 0.4800    4  1.363    4  0.376   29 -0.375 P
MAMMOTH        6 3 33 27  0.080  4.694    6  0.095    6  0.095   10  0.080    6 0.5401   12  1.176    9  0.206   16 -0.047 P
WILD           5 3 26 20  0.160  4.440    7  0.090    7  0.087    6  0.131    7 0.5362   23  0.994   17  0.037    5  0.225 P
PREDATORS      3 5 23 24  0.027  4.078   24 -0.063   24 -0.065   18 -0.016   24 0.4742   22  1.010   20 -0.092   14  0.059 P
JETS           4 4 23 24  0.037  4.097   16  0.008   15  0.004   14  0.015   15 0.5038   24  0.979   21 -0.097   10  0.127 P
BLACKHAWKS     3 6 21 36  0.059  4.867   27 -0.087   27 -0.092   31 -0.231   27 0.4651   13  1.125   23 -0.168   25 -0.293 P
STARS          4 4 20 13  0.007  3.900   15  0.009   16  0.004    7  0.116   16 0.4964   32  0.200   31 -0.721    1  0.954 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 6 29 33  0.012  4.560   26 -0.077   26 -0.089   20 -0.042   26 0.4693    6  1.280    6  0.221   28 -0.305 P
CAPITALS       5 3 28 24  0.082  4.194    8  0.078    8  0.073   11  0.072    8 0.5345   11  1.191    7  0.217   18 -0.074 P
DEVILS         4 4 25 27 -0.084  3.759   21 -0.026   21 -0.021   23 -0.076   19 0.4931    7  1.254   12  0.151   27 -0.303 P
HURRICANES     7 2 34 21 -0.112  3.940    3  0.137    4  0.128    5  0.144    3 0.5477   18  1.075   13  0.146    8  0.142 P
BLUE JACKETS   3 3 17 21 -0.046  2.909   18 -0.011   18 -0.017   24 -0.086   18 0.4931   19  1.062   22 -0.101   17 -0.072 P
ISLANDERS      4 4 24 18 -0.062  3.725   20 -0.013   20 -0.020   12  0.050   17 0.4944   29  0.788   28 -0.271    3  0.371 P
RANGERS        6 4 28 22  0.055  5.132   10  0.071   10  0.064    9  0.084    9 0.5307   30  0.739   29 -0.288    2  0.456 P
FLYERS         1 9 14 34  0.036  5.303   32 -0.217   32 -0.226   30 -0.217   32 0.4327   31  0.542   32 -0.777    4  0.343 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 2 34 19  0.005  4.346    2  0.147    1  0.141    1  0.172    1 0.5548   15  1.108    8  0.214    9  0.130 P
MAPLE LEAFS    3 6 29 32  0.052  4.687   25 -0.070   25 -0.079   19 -0.019   25 0.4698    8  1.234   11  0.183   22 -0.221 P
CANADIENS      4 4 27 30 -0.078  3.759   19 -0.013   19 -0.020   22 -0.060   20 0.4909    9  1.223   14  0.128   23 -0.248 P
SABRES         4 5 27 34 -0.039  4.403   22 -0.039   22 -0.037   25 -0.096   21 0.4887   10  1.223   15  0.092   24 -0.283 P
LIGHTNING      6 2 25 21  0.036  4.023    4  0.137    3  0.131    8  0.088    2 0.5505   21  1.057   16  0.068   12  0.108 P
PANTHERS       5 4 30 25 -0.039  4.288   12  0.030   12  0.020   13  0.044   11 0.5128   25  0.967   19 -0.082    7  0.170 P
SENATORS       6 3 24 23 -0.088  4.142    9  0.072    9  0.065   17 -0.004   10 0.5157   27  0.918   25 -0.185    6  0.177 P
RED WINGS      3 5 20 24 -0.203  3.379   28 -0.094   28 -0.105   27 -0.124   28 0.4644   28  0.903   30 -0.321   13  0.074 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      33 33 0.500    1  0.098
ATLANTIC DIVISION     38 31 0.551    2  0.010
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 33 35 0.485    3 -0.011
PACIFIC DIVISION      30 35 0.462    4 -0.118

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Sun Oct 18 05:30:19 2026
games through: Sat Oct 17 2026

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