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
OILERS         32 34 233 228 -0.013 32.900   21 -0.020   21 -0.029   14  0.023   21 0.4947    1  1.336    2  0.344   30 -0.298
DUCKS          36 29 219 228 -0.001 32.853   10  0.061   10  0.073   22 -0.066   11 0.5119    2  1.310    7  0.220   32 -0.353
CANADIENS      36 28 228 212  0.017 32.621    7  0.085    8  0.094    8  0.081    8 0.5151    3  1.267    3  0.309   26 -0.148
MAPLE LEAFS    28 38 209 233  0.003 33.477   25 -0.096   25 -0.102   23 -0.077   25 0.4825    4  1.224   13  0.095   28 -0.249
SHARKS         31 32 196 220  0.005 32.074   17 -0.004   17 -0.007   26 -0.111   18 0.4979    5  1.214   16  0.048   29 -0.270
SABRES         40 26 232 198  0.011 33.406    5  0.157    5  0.152    6  0.132    5 0.5277    6  1.196    5  0.268   19 -0.003
SENATORS       32 32 216 201  0.003 32.269   15  0.006   15  0.002    9  0.070   15 0.5002    7  1.192    8  0.200   23 -0.060
BRUINS         36 29 216 205 -0.000 32.711    9  0.064    9  0.073   11  0.058    9 0.5129    8  1.171   10  0.162   21 -0.046
HURRICANES     41 24 230 190 -0.012 32.293    3  0.180    2  0.173    5  0.140    3 0.5311    9  1.166    6  0.238   13  0.043
PREDATORS      29 36 194 222  0.007 33.155   23 -0.060   23 -0.069   27 -0.112   23 0.4862   10  1.161   19 -0.020   27 -0.204
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PANTHERS       33 32 197 214  0.018 33.352   13  0.016   13  0.021   20 -0.058   12 0.5052   11  1.152   18  0.022   25 -0.138
LIGHTNING      40 24 229 178  0.008 32.222    2  0.182    3  0.173    2  0.208    2 0.5328   12  1.145    4  0.278    7  0.137
BLUE JACKETS   33 32 210 207  0.004 32.866   14  0.012   14  0.013   16  0.011   14 0.5022   13  1.137   15  0.072   22 -0.050
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 30 36 216 209 -0.008 33.055   22 -0.056   22 -0.068   13  0.024   22 0.4888   14  1.136   14  0.084   20 -0.036
PENGUINS       32 33 219 199 -0.024 32.053   19 -0.012   20 -0.023    7  0.085   19 0.4967   15  1.134   11  0.142   14  0.028
CANUCKS        20 45 169 241 -0.011 32.896   32 -0.269   32 -0.271   32 -0.303   32 0.4525   16  1.099   29 -0.288   31 -0.317
AVALANCHE      44 20 246 160  0.007 32.027    1  0.261    1  0.262    1  0.385    1 0.5472   17  1.087    1  0.385    1  0.385
CAPITALS       33 34 210 200 -0.005 33.596   18 -0.006   18 -0.015   12  0.048   17 0.4995   18  1.080   17  0.038   12  0.057
STARS          41 24 229 176 -0.023 31.907    4  0.174    4  0.166    3  0.196    4 0.5285   19  1.068    9  0.172    3  0.220
WILD           38 28 222 188  0.001 33.085    6  0.098    6  0.104    4  0.157    7 0.5173   20  1.051   12  0.112    4  0.201
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          26 39 172 217 -0.008 32.741   29 -0.147   29 -0.141   29 -0.133   29 0.4750   21  1.035   25 -0.196   24 -0.070
JETS           26 38 182 199 -0.018 31.943   28 -0.141   28 -0.138   24 -0.096   28 0.4758   22  1.007   24 -0.192   17  0.001
RANGERS        27 38 185 203  0.018 33.375   26 -0.102   26 -0.106   25 -0.096   26 0.4818   23  0.997   26 -0.204   16  0.012
MAMMOTH        34 32 205 184  0.008 33.414   12  0.021   12  0.025   10  0.060   13 0.5047   24  0.992   20 -0.054    6  0.173
FLYERS         31 34 190 203  0.016 33.269   20 -0.017   19 -0.023   18 -0.051   20 0.4953   25  0.990   23 -0.167   11  0.065
BLACKHAWKS     25 40 175 209 -0.016 32.572   31 -0.176   31 -0.167   30 -0.137   31 0.4695   26  0.972   28 -0.273   18 -0.001
KRAKEN         29 35 180 195 -0.027 31.663   24 -0.071   24 -0.080   19 -0.058   24 0.4859   27  0.962   27 -0.206   10  0.090
RED WINGS      36 30 193 198  0.007 33.498   11  0.056   11  0.067   17 -0.019   10 0.5121   28  0.962   22 -0.167    8  0.130
ISLANDERS      37 28 192 186  0.001 32.789    8  0.085    7  0.095   15  0.019    6 0.5181   29  0.946   21 -0.148    5  0.186
FLAMES         26 39 163 204 -0.027 32.267   30 -0.163   30 -0.153   31 -0.194   30 0.4723   30  0.899   32 -0.414   15  0.025
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
DEVILS         32 33 170 197  0.011 33.244   16 -0.002   16 -0.005   28 -0.131   16 0.5002   31  0.892   30 -0.357    9  0.096
KINGS          26 38 169 192  0.017 32.817   27 -0.117   27 -0.119   21 -0.066   27 0.4784   32  0.821   31 -0.369    2  0.237

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         32 34 233 228 -0.013 32.900   21 -0.020   21 -0.029   14  0.023   21 0.4947    1  1.336    2  0.344   30 -0.298
DUCKS          36 29 219 228 -0.001 32.853   10  0.061   10  0.073   22 -0.066   11 0.5119    2  1.310    7  0.220   32 -0.353
SHARKS         31 32 196 220  0.005 32.074   17 -0.004   17 -0.007   26 -0.111   18 0.4979    5  1.214   16  0.048   29 -0.270
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 30 36 216 209 -0.008 33.055   22 -0.056   22 -0.068   13  0.024   22 0.4888   14  1.136   14  0.084   20 -0.036
CANUCKS        20 45 169 241 -0.011 32.896   32 -0.269   32 -0.271   32 -0.303   32 0.4525   16  1.099   29 -0.288   31 -0.317
KRAKEN         29 35 180 195 -0.027 31.663   24 -0.071   24 -0.080   19 -0.058   24 0.4859   27  0.962   27 -0.206   10  0.090
FLAMES         26 39 163 204 -0.027 32.267   30 -0.163   30 -0.153   31 -0.194   30 0.4723   30  0.899   32 -0.414   15  0.025
KINGS          26 38 169 192  0.017 32.817   27 -0.117   27 -0.119   21 -0.066   27 0.4784   32  0.821   31 -0.369    2  0.237

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
PREDATORS      29 36 194 222  0.007 33.155   23 -0.060   23 -0.069   27 -0.112   23 0.4862   10  1.161   19 -0.020   27 -0.204
AVALANCHE      44 20 246 160  0.007 32.027    1  0.261    1  0.262    1  0.385    1 0.5472   17  1.087    1  0.385    1  0.385
STARS          41 24 229 176 -0.023 31.907    4  0.174    4  0.166    3  0.196    4 0.5285   19  1.068    9  0.172    3  0.220
WILD           38 28 222 188  0.001 33.085    6  0.098    6  0.104    4  0.157    7 0.5173   20  1.051   12  0.112    4  0.201
BLUES          26 39 172 217 -0.008 32.741   29 -0.147   29 -0.141   29 -0.133   29 0.4750   21  1.035   25 -0.196   24 -0.070
JETS           26 38 182 199 -0.018 31.943   28 -0.141   28 -0.138   24 -0.096   28 0.4758   22  1.007   24 -0.192   17  0.001
MAMMOTH        34 32 205 184  0.008 33.414   12  0.021   12  0.025   10  0.060   13 0.5047   24  0.992   20 -0.054    6  0.173
BLACKHAWKS     25 40 175 209 -0.016 32.572   31 -0.176   31 -0.167   30 -0.137   31 0.4695   26  0.972   28 -0.273   18 -0.001

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     41 24 230 190 -0.012 32.293    3  0.180    2  0.173    5  0.140    3 0.5311    9  1.166    6  0.238   13  0.043
BLUE JACKETS   33 32 210 207  0.004 32.866   14  0.012   14  0.013   16  0.011   14 0.5022   13  1.137   15  0.072   22 -0.050
PENGUINS       32 33 219 199 -0.024 32.053   19 -0.012   20 -0.023    7  0.085   19 0.4967   15  1.134   11  0.142   14  0.028
CAPITALS       33 34 210 200 -0.005 33.596   18 -0.006   18 -0.015   12  0.048   17 0.4995   18  1.080   17  0.038   12  0.057
RANGERS        27 38 185 203  0.018 33.375   26 -0.102   26 -0.106   25 -0.096   26 0.4818   23  0.997   26 -0.204   16  0.012
FLYERS         31 34 190 203  0.016 33.269   20 -0.017   19 -0.023   18 -0.051   20 0.4953   25  0.990   23 -0.167   11  0.065
ISLANDERS      37 28 192 186  0.001 32.789    8  0.085    7  0.095   15  0.019    6 0.5181   29  0.946   21 -0.148    5  0.186
DEVILS         32 33 170 197  0.011 33.244   16 -0.002   16 -0.005   28 -0.131   16 0.5002   31  0.892   30 -0.357    9  0.096

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      36 28 228 212  0.017 32.621    7  0.085    8  0.094    8  0.081    8 0.5151    3  1.267    3  0.309   26 -0.148
MAPLE LEAFS    28 38 209 233  0.003 33.477   25 -0.096   25 -0.102   23 -0.077   25 0.4825    4  1.224   13  0.095   28 -0.249
SABRES         40 26 232 198  0.011 33.406    5  0.157    5  0.152    6  0.132    5 0.5277    6  1.196    5  0.268   19 -0.003
SENATORS       32 32 216 201  0.003 32.269   15  0.006   15  0.002    9  0.070   15 0.5002    7  1.192    8  0.200   23 -0.060
BRUINS         36 29 216 205 -0.000 32.711    9  0.064    9  0.073   11  0.058    9 0.5129    8  1.171   10  0.162   21 -0.046
PANTHERS       33 32 197 214  0.018 33.352   13  0.016   13  0.021   20 -0.058   12 0.5052   11  1.152   18  0.022   25 -0.138
LIGHTNING      40 24 229 178  0.008 32.222    2  0.182    3  0.173    2  0.208    2 0.5328   12  1.145    4  0.278    7  0.137
RED WINGS      36 30 193 198  0.007 33.498   11  0.056   11  0.067   17 -0.019   10 0.5121   28  0.962   22 -0.167    8  0.130

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     281 239 0.540    1  0.076
CENTRAL DIVISION      263 257 0.506    2  0.059
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 266 256 0.510    3  0.005
PACIFIC DIVISION      230 288 0.444    4 -0.144

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.056 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 Mar 13 05:30:07 2026
games through: Thu Mar 12 2026

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