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      59 27 315 208 -0.020 42.086    1  0.289    1  0.293    1  0.393    1 0.5422   23  1.024    1  0.316    1  0.471
HURRICANES     57 29 307 245  0.011 43.421    2  0.272    2  0.274    2  0.212    2 0.5406   10  1.146    2  0.284    7  0.141
LIGHTNING      52 35 303 245  0.017 44.148    4  0.190    4  0.169    3  0.208    4 0.5267   14  1.114    5  0.239    5  0.176
SABRES         53 34 304 252  0.014 44.049    3  0.209    3  0.188    4  0.195    3 0.5286    9  1.147    4  0.268    9  0.122
STARS          52 36 294 249  0.005 44.245    6  0.161    6  0.151    5  0.154    6 0.5216   20  1.057   11  0.116    4  0.192
WILD           50 38 295 255  0.001 44.091    7  0.110    7  0.110    6  0.153    7 0.5161   18  1.082   10  0.145    6  0.160
SENATORS       44 42 283 257  0.018 43.772   12  0.026   13  0.030    7  0.115   12 0.5059   12  1.115    9  0.149   10  0.082
CANADIENS      51 36 297 269  0.030 44.680    5  0.170    5  0.160    8  0.115    5 0.5240    7  1.163    7  0.207   17  0.022
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.004 41.296   10  0.034   11  0.038    9  0.089   10 0.5071   16  1.105   13  0.110   11  0.068
BRUINS         47 40 283 266  0.031 44.758    8  0.075    8  0.084   10  0.087    8 0.5134   15  1.108   12  0.111   12  0.064
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PENGUINS       43 45 304 284  0.012 44.610   17 -0.001   17 -0.012   11  0.080   17 0.4994    3  1.245    3  0.278   25 -0.118
MAMMOTH        45 42 285 258 -0.009 43.385   15  0.018   15  0.020   12  0.057   15 0.5021   13  1.115   14  0.090   14  0.024
FLYERS         47 41 266 254  0.018 44.893    9  0.056    9  0.067   13  0.047    9 0.5097   30  0.941   22 -0.126    2  0.219
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 42 45 283 267 -0.019 43.069   20 -0.025   20 -0.041   14  0.035   21 0.4932   17  1.098   15  0.047   16  0.023
OILERS         43 45 303 295 -0.035 43.023   21 -0.026   21 -0.043   15  0.018   20 0.4946    2  1.260    6  0.236   27 -0.200
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.011 41.674   18 -0.005   19 -0.014   16 -0.009   18 0.4989   19  1.058   19 -0.046   13  0.027
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.007 41.545   11  0.033   10  0.041   17 -0.027   11 0.5071   29  0.946   25 -0.195    8  0.140
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.011 41.707   16  0.007   16  0.006   18 -0.050   16 0.5014   21  1.034   21 -0.115   18  0.014
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.019 40.746   24 -0.077   24 -0.091   19 -0.066   24 0.4859   22  1.027   23 -0.139   19  0.008
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.014 41.854   26 -0.125   26 -0.128   20 -0.067   25 0.4813   25  1.013   24 -0.156   15  0.023
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.013 41.833   19 -0.006   18 -0.013   21 -0.082   19 0.4987    6  1.191   17  0.046   28 -0.210
KINGS          35 51 230 260 -0.004 43.317   29 -0.161   29 -0.157   22 -0.082   29 0.4766   32  0.848   31 -0.357    3  0.193
DUCKS          47 41 299 309 -0.027 43.480   13  0.026   12  0.035   23 -0.091   13 0.5048    1  1.297    8  0.176   31 -0.359
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.011 41.090   23 -0.053   23 -0.067   24 -0.097   23 0.4894   11  1.122   20 -0.057   26 -0.138
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.014 41.901   14  0.021   14  0.026   25 -0.115   14 0.5047   27  0.994   27 -0.227   20 -0.002
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.009 41.171   25 -0.121   25 -0.124   26 -0.120   26 0.4808   24  1.022   26 -0.199   23 -0.041
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.023 40.735   28 -0.160   28 -0.155   27 -0.140   28 0.4766   26  0.996   28 -0.251   22 -0.030
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.014 41.922   30 -0.176   30 -0.169   28 -0.144   30 0.4754    4  1.239   16  0.047   30 -0.336
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.025 40.722   22 -0.045   22 -0.056   29 -0.174   22 0.4913    5  1.213   18 -0.017   29 -0.331
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.019 40.916   27 -0.158   27 -0.152   30 -0.191   27 0.4771   31  0.930   32 -0.376   21 -0.006
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.015 41.096   31 -0.244   31 -0.248   31 -0.225   31 0.4626   28  0.985   30 -0.347   24 -0.102
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.020 41.125   32 -0.315   32 -0.330   32 -0.390   32 0.4504    8  1.160   29 -0.302   32 -0.479

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
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 42 45 283 267 -0.019 43.069   20 -0.025   20 -0.041   14  0.035   21 0.4932   17  1.098   15  0.047   16  0.023
OILERS         43 45 303 295 -0.035 43.023   21 -0.026   21 -0.043   15  0.018   20 0.4946    2  1.260    6  0.236   27 -0.200
KINGS          35 51 230 260 -0.004 43.317   29 -0.161   29 -0.157   22 -0.082   29 0.4766   32  0.848   31 -0.357    3  0.193
DUCKS          47 41 299 309 -0.027 43.480   13  0.026   12  0.035   23 -0.091   13 0.5048    1  1.297    8  0.176   31 -0.359
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.023 40.735   28 -0.160   28 -0.155   27 -0.140   28 0.4766   26  0.996   28 -0.251   22 -0.030
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.025 40.722   22 -0.045   22 -0.056   29 -0.174   22 0.4913    5  1.213   18 -0.017   29 -0.331
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.019 40.916   27 -0.158   27 -0.152   30 -0.191   27 0.4771   31  0.930   32 -0.376   21 -0.006
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.020 41.125   32 -0.315   32 -0.330   32 -0.390   32 0.4504    8  1.160   29 -0.302   32 -0.479

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      59 27 315 208 -0.020 42.086    1  0.289    1  0.293    1  0.393    1 0.5422   23  1.024    1  0.316    1  0.471
STARS          52 36 294 249  0.005 44.245    6  0.161    6  0.151    5  0.154    6 0.5216   20  1.057   11  0.116    4  0.192
WILD           50 38 295 255  0.001 44.091    7  0.110    7  0.110    6  0.153    7 0.5161   18  1.082   10  0.145    6  0.160
MAMMOTH        45 42 285 258 -0.009 43.385   15  0.018   15  0.020   12  0.057   15 0.5021   13  1.115   14  0.090   14  0.024
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.019 40.746   24 -0.077   24 -0.091   19 -0.066   24 0.4859   22  1.027   23 -0.139   19  0.008
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.011 41.090   23 -0.053   23 -0.067   24 -0.097   23 0.4894   11  1.122   20 -0.057   26 -0.138
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.009 41.171   25 -0.121   25 -0.124   26 -0.120   26 0.4808   24  1.022   26 -0.199   23 -0.041
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.015 41.096   31 -0.244   31 -0.248   31 -0.225   31 0.4626   28  0.985   30 -0.347   24 -0.102

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     57 29 307 245  0.011 43.421    2  0.272    2  0.274    2  0.212    2 0.5406   10  1.146    2  0.284    7  0.141
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.004 41.296   10  0.034   11  0.038    9  0.089   10 0.5071   16  1.105   13  0.110   11  0.068
PENGUINS       43 45 304 284  0.012 44.610   17 -0.001   17 -0.012   11  0.080   17 0.4994    3  1.245    3  0.278   25 -0.118
FLYERS         47 41 266 254  0.018 44.893    9  0.056    9  0.067   13  0.047    9 0.5097   30  0.941   22 -0.126    2  0.219
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.011 41.674   18 -0.005   19 -0.014   16 -0.009   18 0.4989   19  1.058   19 -0.046   13  0.027
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.007 41.545   11  0.033   10  0.041   17 -0.027   11 0.5071   29  0.946   25 -0.195    8  0.140
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.014 41.854   26 -0.125   26 -0.128   20 -0.067   25 0.4813   25  1.013   24 -0.156   15  0.023
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.014 41.901   14  0.021   14  0.026   25 -0.115   14 0.5047   27  0.994   27 -0.227   20 -0.002

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      52 35 303 245  0.017 44.148    4  0.190    4  0.169    3  0.208    4 0.5267   14  1.114    5  0.239    5  0.176
SABRES         53 34 304 252  0.014 44.049    3  0.209    3  0.188    4  0.195    3 0.5286    9  1.147    4  0.268    9  0.122
SENATORS       44 42 283 257  0.018 43.772   12  0.026   13  0.030    7  0.115   12 0.5059   12  1.115    9  0.149   10  0.082
CANADIENS      51 36 297 269  0.030 44.680    5  0.170    5  0.160    8  0.115    5 0.5240    7  1.163    7  0.207   17  0.022
BRUINS         47 40 283 266  0.031 44.758    8  0.075    8  0.084   10  0.087    8 0.5134   15  1.108   12  0.111   12  0.064
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.011 41.707   16  0.007   16  0.006   18 -0.050   16 0.5014   21  1.034   21 -0.115   18  0.014
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.013 41.833   19 -0.006   18 -0.013   21 -0.082   19 0.4987    6  1.191   17  0.046   28 -0.210
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.014 41.922   30 -0.176   30 -0.169   28 -0.144   30 0.4754    4  1.239   16  0.047   30 -0.336

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     360 320 0.529    1  0.075
CENTRAL DIVISION      345 332 0.510    2  0.041
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 349 323 0.519    3  0.036
PACIFIC DIVISION      299 378 0.442    4 -0.171

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.054 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: Fri May  1 05:30:11 2026
games through: Thu Apr 30 2026

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