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  9 81 63 -0.040  9.437   13  0.044   14  0.033    6  0.179   15 0.5061    2  1.420    1  0.609   26 -0.251 P
DUCKS          10  9 71 70 -0.044  9.173   17  0.005   18  0.003   19 -0.034   19 0.5005    1  1.477    2  0.477   31 -0.546 P
LIGHTNING      13  6 74 57  0.033  9.450    3  0.216    3  0.215    5  0.199    3 0.5434    7  1.293    3  0.452   19 -0.055 P
OILERS         14  6 81 58 -0.076  9.018    6  0.184    6  0.180    4  0.233    6 0.5332    9  1.221    4  0.392   13  0.074 P
CAPITALS       10  7 58 58  0.101  9.140    8  0.135    8  0.130   12  0.041    7 0.5302    5  1.325    5  0.339   27 -0.256 P
HURRICANES     15  5 82 46 -0.048  9.118    1  0.253    1  0.254    1  0.335    1 0.5525   17  1.086    6  0.324    3  0.346 P
KRAKEN          9  8 58 61 -0.026  8.374   16  0.017   16  0.017   23 -0.069   16 0.5058    3  1.342    7  0.252   30 -0.389 P
BRUINS         13  6 70 46  0.020  9.303    5  0.205    5  0.203    3  0.248    5 0.5429   19  1.064    8  0.210    5  0.285 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8 13 69 75  0.015 10.682   25 -0.126   25 -0.130   22 -0.066   25 0.4716    6  1.293    9  0.188   28 -0.319 P
DEVILS         14  6 73 57  0.018  9.963    2  0.231    2  0.231    8  0.157    4 0.5431   14  1.112   10  0.176   10  0.137 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
MAMMOTH        10 10 66 69  0.072 10.558   15  0.029   15  0.031   17  0.011   14 0.5067    8  1.226   11  0.176   21 -0.153 P
CANADIENS      12  7 67 57 -0.013  9.219    7  0.137    7  0.131   10  0.123    8 0.5271   13  1.122   12  0.155   12  0.091 P
PENGUINS        7 12 61 67 -0.003  9.509   26 -0.144   27 -0.149   21 -0.057   26 0.4711   10  1.206   13  0.082   23 -0.196 P
SENATORS       12  8 64 60 -0.035  9.634   11  0.102   11  0.093   13  0.041   11 0.5183   15  1.106   14  0.054   15  0.028 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 13  8 71 57 -0.032 10.013    9  0.127    9  0.120    9  0.135    9 0.5234   22  1.008   15  0.030    7  0.240 P
JETS            9 11 61 68  0.100 10.842   20 -0.018   20 -0.013   18 -0.028   20 0.4984   12  1.140   16  0.028   20 -0.083 P
WILD           14  7 70 46  0.058 10.593    4  0.215    4  0.209    2  0.318    2 0.5458   31  0.804   17 -0.013    1  0.648 P
CANUCKS         3 18 57 95  0.054 11.423   32 -0.391   32 -0.395   31 -0.355   32 0.4218    4  1.333   18 -0.046   32 -0.663 P
PANTHERS       11  9 65 60 -0.122  9.016   18  0.004   17  0.004   20 -0.035   17 0.5043   18  1.086   19 -0.046   18 -0.023 P
BLUES           9 10 54 55  0.086 10.133   19 -0.002   19  0.001   16  0.017   18 0.5030   21  1.020   20 -0.073   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
PREDATORS      11  9 62 55  0.130 10.875   10  0.114   10  0.106    7  0.162   10 0.5199   29  0.878   21 -0.090    2  0.413 P
RANGERS        12  9 64 57 -0.011 10.271   12  0.082   12  0.073   11  0.081   12 0.5147   26  0.922   22 -0.122    6  0.284 P
SABRES          8 11 55 68 -0.109  8.847   24 -0.125   24 -0.129   27 -0.188   24 0.4766   11  1.144   23 -0.128   25 -0.248 P
ISLANDERS       8 10 54 54  0.019  9.097   21 -0.055   21 -0.053   15  0.018   21 0.4871   25  0.959   24 -0.143    9  0.178 P
KINGS           5 12 47 60 -0.026  8.529   29 -0.213   29 -0.218   28 -0.191   29 0.4535   16  1.101   25 -0.184   24 -0.198 P
STARS          10  8 52 49 -0.054  8.543   14  0.037   13  0.038   14  0.023   13 0.5088   30  0.855   26 -0.254    4  0.300 P
RED WINGS       7 13 55 64 -0.058  9.691   28 -0.189   28 -0.193   24 -0.152   28 0.4628   24  0.968   27 -0.302   17 -0.001 P
BLUE JACKETS    7 10 42 54  0.007  8.707   22 -0.087   22 -0.087   26 -0.174   22 0.4788   28  0.898   28 -0.404   14  0.056 P
SHARKS          8 13 53 74 -0.036 10.552   27 -0.153   26 -0.147   30 -0.283   27 0.4684   23  0.988   29 -0.410   22 -0.155 P
FLAMES          8 11 47 66 -0.041  9.423   23 -0.096   23 -0.097   29 -0.221   23 0.4776   27  0.907   30 -0.441   16 -0.001 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS      5 14 42 78  0.002  9.953   30 -0.255   30 -0.259   32 -0.403   30 0.4463   20  1.032   31 -0.479   29 -0.327 P
FLYERS          5 16 47 69  0.054 11.173   31 -0.281   31 -0.286   25 -0.171   31 0.4453   32  0.768   32 -0.539    8  0.197 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  9 71 70 -0.044  9.173   17  0.005   18  0.003   19 -0.034   19 0.5005    1  1.477    2  0.477   31 -0.546 P
OILERS         14  6 81 58 -0.076  9.018    6  0.184    6  0.180    4  0.233    6 0.5332    9  1.221    4  0.392   13  0.074 P
KRAKEN          9  8 58 61 -0.026  8.374   16  0.017   16  0.017   23 -0.069   16 0.5058    3  1.342    7  0.252   30 -0.389 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 13  8 71 57 -0.032 10.013    9  0.127    9  0.120    9  0.135    9 0.5234   22  1.008   15  0.030    7  0.240 P
CANUCKS         3 18 57 95  0.054 11.423   32 -0.391   32 -0.395   31 -0.355   32 0.4218    4  1.333   18 -0.046   32 -0.663 P
KINGS           5 12 47 60 -0.026  8.529   29 -0.213   29 -0.218   28 -0.191   29 0.4535   16  1.101   25 -0.184   24 -0.198 P
SHARKS          8 13 53 74 -0.036 10.552   27 -0.153   26 -0.147   30 -0.283   27 0.4684   23  0.988   29 -0.410   22 -0.155 P
FLAMES          8 11 47 66 -0.041  9.423   23 -0.096   23 -0.097   29 -0.221   23 0.4776   27  0.907   30 -0.441   16 -0.001 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  9 81 63 -0.040  9.437   13  0.044   14  0.033    6  0.179   15 0.5061    2  1.420    1  0.609   26 -0.251 P
MAMMOTH        10 10 66 69  0.072 10.558   15  0.029   15  0.031   17  0.011   14 0.5067    8  1.226   11  0.176   21 -0.153 P
JETS            9 11 61 68  0.100 10.842   20 -0.018   20 -0.013   18 -0.028   20 0.4984   12  1.140   16  0.028   20 -0.083 P
WILD           14  7 70 46  0.058 10.593    4  0.215    4  0.209    2  0.318    2 0.5458   31  0.804   17 -0.013    1  0.648 P
BLUES           9 10 54 55  0.086 10.133   19 -0.002   19  0.001   16  0.017   18 0.5030   21  1.020   20 -0.073   11  0.108 P
PREDATORS      11  9 62 55  0.130 10.875   10  0.114   10  0.106    7  0.162   10 0.5199   29  0.878   21 -0.090    2  0.413 P
STARS          10  8 52 49 -0.054  8.543   14  0.037   13  0.038   14  0.023   13 0.5088   30  0.855   26 -0.254    4  0.300 P
BLACKHAWKS      5 14 42 78  0.002  9.953   30 -0.255   30 -0.259   32 -0.403   30 0.4463   20  1.032   31 -0.479   29 -0.327 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  7 58 58  0.101  9.140    8  0.135    8  0.130   12  0.041    7 0.5302    5  1.325    5  0.339   27 -0.256 P
HURRICANES     15  5 82 46 -0.048  9.118    1  0.253    1  0.254    1  0.335    1 0.5525   17  1.086    6  0.324    3  0.346 P
DEVILS         14  6 73 57  0.018  9.963    2  0.231    2  0.231    8  0.157    4 0.5431   14  1.112   10  0.176   10  0.137 P
PENGUINS        7 12 61 67 -0.003  9.509   26 -0.144   27 -0.149   21 -0.057   26 0.4711   10  1.206   13  0.082   23 -0.196 P
RANGERS        12  9 64 57 -0.011 10.271   12  0.082   12  0.073   11  0.081   12 0.5147   26  0.922   22 -0.122    6  0.284 P
ISLANDERS       8 10 54 54  0.019  9.097   21 -0.055   21 -0.053   15  0.018   21 0.4871   25  0.959   24 -0.143    9  0.178 P
BLUE JACKETS    7 10 42 54  0.007  8.707   22 -0.087   22 -0.087   26 -0.174   22 0.4788   28  0.898   28 -0.404   14  0.056 P
FLYERS          5 16 47 69  0.054 11.173   31 -0.281   31 -0.286   25 -0.171   31 0.4453   32  0.768   32 -0.539    8  0.197 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      13  6 74 57  0.033  9.450    3  0.216    3  0.215    5  0.199    3 0.5434    7  1.293    3  0.452   19 -0.055 P
BRUINS         13  6 70 46  0.020  9.303    5  0.205    5  0.203    3  0.248    5 0.5429   19  1.064    8  0.210    5  0.285 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8 13 69 75  0.015 10.682   25 -0.126   25 -0.130   22 -0.066   25 0.4716    6  1.293    9  0.188   28 -0.319 P
CANADIENS      12  7 67 57 -0.013  9.219    7  0.137    7  0.131   10  0.123    8 0.5271   13  1.122   12  0.155   12  0.091 P
SENATORS       12  8 64 60 -0.035  9.634   11  0.102   11  0.093   13  0.041   11 0.5183   15  1.106   14  0.054   15  0.028 P
PANTHERS       11  9 65 60 -0.122  9.016   18  0.004   17  0.004   20 -0.035   17 0.5043   18  1.086   19 -0.046   18 -0.023 P
SABRES          8 11 55 68 -0.109  8.847   24 -0.125   24 -0.129   27 -0.188   24 0.4766   11  1.144   23 -0.128   25 -0.248 P
RED WINGS       7 13 55 64 -0.058  9.691   28 -0.189   28 -0.193   24 -0.152   28 0.4628   24  0.968   27 -0.302   17 -0.001 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      79 78 0.503    1  0.069
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 78 75 0.510    2  0.051
ATLANTIC DIVISION     84 73 0.535    3  0.041
PACIFIC DIVISION      70 85 0.452    4 -0.175

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Sat Nov 14 05:30:15 2026
games through: Fri Nov 13 2026

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