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
WILD           4 2 19 11  0.157  3.257    4  0.107    5  0.094    1  0.167    5 0.5405   27  0.814   22 -0.100    3  0.433 P
AVALANCHE      3 2 26 17 -0.120  2.121   14  0.036   14  0.035    2  0.152   14 0.5100    1  1.623    1  0.936   31 -0.633 P
RANGERS        5 2 23 13  0.085  3.583    3  0.124    3  0.114    3  0.137    4 0.5414   29  0.787   23 -0.158    4  0.431 P
LIGHTNING      4 1 16 12  0.115  2.609    1  0.142    1  0.134    4  0.134    1 0.5526   13  1.104    7  0.198   11  0.069 P
BRUINS         4 2 20 13  0.101  3.111    7  0.088    6  0.086    5  0.122    6 0.5366   19  1.046   13  0.117   10  0.127 P
HURRICANES     5 2 27 17 -0.225  2.697   10  0.073    9  0.072    6  0.115   11 0.5217   12  1.104    9  0.180   12  0.050 P
OILERS         4 1 25 17 -0.149  2.080    6  0.090    7  0.085    7  0.109    2 0.5451    3  1.363    3  0.512   27 -0.293 P
CAPITALS       3 2 17 14  0.217  2.867    9  0.073   10  0.068    8  0.092    9 0.5300   11  1.139    6  0.200   17 -0.015 P
SENATORS       5 1 19 12 -0.046  2.760    2  0.139    2  0.128    9  0.088    3 0.5433   25  0.946   21 -0.033    5  0.210 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5 2 25 18 -0.052  3.207    5  0.100    4  0.096   10  0.085    8 0.5339   23  0.973   19 -0.006    7  0.176 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STARS          2 3 11  8 -0.068  2.264   21 -0.033   21 -0.037   11  0.077   21 0.4879   32  0.322   31 -0.641    1  0.796 P
MAMMOTH        4 2 22 15 -0.013  2.845   11  0.050   11  0.057   12  0.072   10 0.5264   14  1.102   12  0.135   16  0.010 P
PENGUINS       3 3 22 17 -0.047  2.791   17  0.003   17 -0.012   13  0.043   16 0.4933    7  1.196    5  0.224   20 -0.137 P
KRAKEN         4 2 26 17 -0.068  2.728   13  0.039   13  0.044   14  0.043   13 0.5159    4  1.351    4  0.429   29 -0.344 P
MAPLE LEAFS    3 3 20 18  0.097  3.158   15  0.019   15  0.014   15  0.041   15 0.5021   16  1.067   14  0.061   13  0.021 P
ISLANDERS      2 3 16 13 -0.035  2.360   23 -0.047   23 -0.049   16  0.019   23 0.4839   18  1.057   17  0.027   15  0.011 P
JETS           3 2 13 15  0.083  2.618   12  0.043   12  0.048   17  0.008   12 0.5187   26  0.897   24 -0.168    6  0.185 P
PREDATORS      2 3 14 14  0.179  2.820   20 -0.022   20 -0.023   18  0.007   20 0.4890   20  1.040   18 -0.006   14  0.021 P
DUCKS          4 1 18 13 -0.011  2.428    8  0.085    8  0.084   19 -0.010    7 0.5354    8  1.181   11  0.151   22 -0.170 P
PANTHERS       2 4 12 17  0.044  3.057   25 -0.055   25 -0.059   20 -0.021   22 0.4848   31  0.616   30 -0.485    2  0.444 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          2 3 14 16 -0.101  2.257   24 -0.053   24 -0.057   21 -0.033   25 0.4781   17  1.066   20 -0.015   19 -0.051 P
CANADIENS      2 3 15 19  0.025  2.520   22 -0.038   22 -0.038   22 -0.048   24 0.4789    6  1.230   10  0.177   26 -0.272 P
KINGS          0 4 10 17  0.059  2.086   29 -0.135   29 -0.141   23 -0.060   29 0.4446   10  1.144   16  0.054   23 -0.175 P
BLUE JACKETS   2 2 13 14 -0.066  1.867   18 -0.001   19 -0.019   24 -0.070   19 0.4910    9  1.153   15  0.056   24 -0.196 P
SABRES         3 3 16 22 -0.090  2.777   19 -0.004   18 -0.012   25 -0.106   17 0.4932    5  1.286    8  0.192   30 -0.405 P
RED WINGS      1 4 10 15  0.033  2.552   28 -0.113   28 -0.113   26 -0.107   28 0.4600   28  0.811   29 -0.377    9  0.163 P
DEVILS         2 3 11 18 -0.178  2.159   26 -0.059   26 -0.065   27 -0.146   26 0.4733   24  0.956   27 -0.256   18 -0.035 P
CANUCKS        2 5 24 35  0.021  3.639   27 -0.112   27 -0.108   28 -0.165   27 0.4677    2  1.569    2  0.537   32 -0.867 P
SHARKS         3 2 13 17 -0.019  2.486   16  0.011   16  0.006   29 -0.183   18 0.4924   21  1.016   26 -0.224   21 -0.143 P
FLYERS         0 7  8 28  0.124  3.933   32 -0.213   32 -0.223   30 -0.243   32 0.4278   30  0.673   32 -0.653    8  0.167 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS     1 5 12 26  0.051  3.189   30 -0.154   30 -0.155   31 -0.257   30 0.4428   15  1.092   25 -0.207   28 -0.306 P
FLAMES         0 5  8 27 -0.031  2.498   31 -0.180   31 -0.189   32 -0.268   31 0.4293   22  0.991   28 -0.338   25 -0.199 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         4 1 25 17 -0.149  2.080    6  0.090    7  0.085    7  0.109    2 0.5451    3  1.363    3  0.512   27 -0.293 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5 2 25 18 -0.052  3.207    5  0.100    4  0.096   10  0.085    8 0.5339   23  0.973   19 -0.006    7  0.176 P
KRAKEN         4 2 26 17 -0.068  2.728   13  0.039   13  0.044   14  0.043   13 0.5159    4  1.351    4  0.429   29 -0.344 P
DUCKS          4 1 18 13 -0.011  2.428    8  0.085    8  0.084   19 -0.010    7 0.5354    8  1.181   11  0.151   22 -0.170 P
KINGS          0 4 10 17  0.059  2.086   29 -0.135   29 -0.141   23 -0.060   29 0.4446   10  1.144   16  0.054   23 -0.175 P
CANUCKS        2 5 24 35  0.021  3.639   27 -0.112   27 -0.108   28 -0.165   27 0.4677    2  1.569    2  0.537   32 -0.867 P
SHARKS         3 2 13 17 -0.019  2.486   16  0.011   16  0.006   29 -0.183   18 0.4924   21  1.016   26 -0.224   21 -0.143 P
FLAMES         0 5  8 27 -0.031  2.498   31 -0.180   31 -0.189   32 -0.268   31 0.4293   22  0.991   28 -0.338   25 -0.199 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
WILD           4 2 19 11  0.157  3.257    4  0.107    5  0.094    1  0.167    5 0.5405   27  0.814   22 -0.100    3  0.433 P
AVALANCHE      3 2 26 17 -0.120  2.121   14  0.036   14  0.035    2  0.152   14 0.5100    1  1.623    1  0.936   31 -0.633 P
STARS          2 3 11  8 -0.068  2.264   21 -0.033   21 -0.037   11  0.077   21 0.4879   32  0.322   31 -0.641    1  0.796 P
MAMMOTH        4 2 22 15 -0.013  2.845   11  0.050   11  0.057   12  0.072   10 0.5264   14  1.102   12  0.135   16  0.010 P
JETS           3 2 13 15  0.083  2.618   12  0.043   12  0.048   17  0.008   12 0.5187   26  0.897   24 -0.168    6  0.185 P
PREDATORS      2 3 14 14  0.179  2.820   20 -0.022   20 -0.023   18  0.007   20 0.4890   20  1.040   18 -0.006   14  0.021 P
BLUES          2 3 14 16 -0.101  2.257   24 -0.053   24 -0.057   21 -0.033   25 0.4781   17  1.066   20 -0.015   19 -0.051 P
BLACKHAWKS     1 5 12 26  0.051  3.189   30 -0.154   30 -0.155   31 -0.257   30 0.4428   15  1.092   25 -0.207   28 -0.306 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
RANGERS        5 2 23 13  0.085  3.583    3  0.124    3  0.114    3  0.137    4 0.5414   29  0.787   23 -0.158    4  0.431 P
HURRICANES     5 2 27 17 -0.225  2.697   10  0.073    9  0.072    6  0.115   11 0.5217   12  1.104    9  0.180   12  0.050 P
CAPITALS       3 2 17 14  0.217  2.867    9  0.073   10  0.068    8  0.092    9 0.5300   11  1.139    6  0.200   17 -0.015 P
PENGUINS       3 3 22 17 -0.047  2.791   17  0.003   17 -0.012   13  0.043   16 0.4933    7  1.196    5  0.224   20 -0.137 P
ISLANDERS      2 3 16 13 -0.035  2.360   23 -0.047   23 -0.049   16  0.019   23 0.4839   18  1.057   17  0.027   15  0.011 P
BLUE JACKETS   2 2 13 14 -0.066  1.867   18 -0.001   19 -0.019   24 -0.070   19 0.4910    9  1.153   15  0.056   24 -0.196 P
DEVILS         2 3 11 18 -0.178  2.159   26 -0.059   26 -0.065   27 -0.146   26 0.4733   24  0.956   27 -0.256   18 -0.035 P
FLYERS         0 7  8 28  0.124  3.933   32 -0.213   32 -0.223   30 -0.243   32 0.4278   30  0.673   32 -0.653    8  0.167 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      4 1 16 12  0.115  2.609    1  0.142    1  0.134    4  0.134    1 0.5526   13  1.104    7  0.198   11  0.069 P
BRUINS         4 2 20 13  0.101  3.111    7  0.088    6  0.086    5  0.122    6 0.5366   19  1.046   13  0.117   10  0.127 P
SENATORS       5 1 19 12 -0.046  2.760    2  0.139    2  0.128    9  0.088    3 0.5433   25  0.946   21 -0.033    5  0.210 P
MAPLE LEAFS    3 3 20 18  0.097  3.158   15  0.019   15  0.014   15  0.041   15 0.5021   16  1.067   14  0.061   13  0.021 P
PANTHERS       2 4 12 17  0.044  3.057   25 -0.055   25 -0.059   20 -0.021   22 0.4848   31  0.616   30 -0.485    2  0.444 P
CANADIENS      2 3 15 19  0.025  2.520   22 -0.038   22 -0.038   22 -0.048   24 0.4789    6  1.230   10  0.177   26 -0.272 P
SABRES         3 3 16 22 -0.090  2.777   19 -0.004   18 -0.012   25 -0.106   17 0.4932    5  1.286    8  0.192   30 -0.405 P
RED WINGS      1 4 10 15  0.033  2.552   28 -0.113   28 -0.113   26 -0.107   28 0.4600   28  0.811   29 -0.377    9  0.163 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      21 22 0.488    1  0.076
ATLANTIC DIVISION     24 21 0.533    2  0.041
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 22 24 0.478    3 -0.003
PACIFIC DIVISION      22 22 0.500    4 -0.124

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.113 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: Tue Oct 13 05:30:19 2026
games through: Mon Oct 12 2026

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