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         34 36 243 239 -0.024 34.507   21 -0.021   21 -0.034   15  0.010   21 0.4943    1  1.307    3  0.295   29 -0.276
DUCKS          38 31 229 237  0.003 34.869   11  0.054    9  0.071   20 -0.059    9 0.5115    2  1.272    9  0.181   30 -0.298
CANADIENS      37 31 237 225  0.015 34.536   10  0.055   11  0.069   12  0.057   11 0.5111    3  1.247    4  0.262   25 -0.149
SHARKS         32 35 207 239  0.011 34.192   20 -0.018   20 -0.024   28 -0.133   20 0.4949    4  1.225   15  0.045   31 -0.310
MAPLE LEAFS    29 41 219 245  0.016 35.761   25 -0.102   25 -0.110   22 -0.071   25 0.4815    5  1.204   14  0.078   28 -0.220
SENATORS       35 33 229 211  0.001 34.125   14  0.014   14  0.021    8  0.078   14 0.5041    6  1.183    8  0.201   23 -0.045
HURRICANES     44 25 245 205 -0.002 34.487    2  0.202    2  0.191    5  0.136    2 0.5335    7  1.180    5  0.255   15  0.016
PENGUINS       34 34 235 210 -0.005 33.932   16  0.001   16 -0.002    7  0.113   18 0.5005    8  1.175    7  0.226   17  0.001
LIGHTNING      42 25 243 186  0.007 33.600    3  0.191    3  0.177    2  0.220    3 0.5330    9  1.162    2  0.316    8  0.124
BRUINS         38 31 230 215  0.001 34.653    9  0.057   10  0.071    9  0.073    8 0.5124   10  1.158   10  0.164   20 -0.018
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PANTHERS       34 35 206 229  0.014 35.200   18 -0.003   17 -0.003   23 -0.078   17 0.5008   11  1.157   18  0.012   26 -0.167
SABRES         43 26 242 200  0.008 34.726    4  0.188    4  0.176    4  0.162    4 0.5313   12  1.155    6  0.249   11  0.076
PREDATORS      31 37 202 229  0.003 34.460   22 -0.046   22 -0.059   25 -0.109   22 0.4878   13  1.144   20 -0.035   27 -0.183
BLUE JACKETS   36 32 223 212  0.006 34.318   12  0.031   12  0.044   13  0.041   12 0.5078   14  1.133   12  0.101   21 -0.019
CANUCKS        21 47 178 254 -0.011 34.298   32 -0.266   32 -0.273   32 -0.307   32 0.4528   15  1.120   28 -0.263   32 -0.350
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 31 38 220 215 -0.009 34.436   23 -0.060   23 -0.077   16  0.010   23 0.4870   16  1.100   16  0.028   19 -0.009
AVALANCHE      45 23 254 173  0.006 33.959    1  0.238    1  0.229    1  0.350    1 0.5402   17  1.081    1  0.346    1  0.355
STARS          43 25 237 185 -0.016 33.495    5  0.185    5  0.174    3  0.187    5 0.5297   18  1.063   11  0.161    2  0.214
CAPITALS       35 35 218 205 -0.005 34.988   17 -0.001   18 -0.004   11  0.062   16 0.5013   19  1.054   17  0.025    9  0.098
WILD           39 31 231 201 -0.013 34.668    8  0.058    8  0.072    6  0.121   10 0.5111   20  1.049   13  0.079    5  0.164
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
RANGERS        28 41 196 221  0.019 35.395   27 -0.116   27 -0.120   27 -0.115   26 0.4796   21  1.037   23 -0.172   24 -0.058
BLUES          27 41 178 224 -0.013 34.020   29 -0.154   30 -0.149   29 -0.137   30 0.4737   22  1.007   27 -0.229   22 -0.044
MAMMOTH        36 34 219 195  0.009 35.369   13  0.017   13  0.025   10  0.070   13 0.5043   23  1.007   19 -0.023    6  0.163
JETS           28 40 192 212 -0.017 33.891   28 -0.129   28 -0.131   24 -0.098   28 0.4771   24  1.006   26 -0.191   18 -0.004
KRAKEN         31 37 194 208 -0.032 33.405   24 -0.065   24 -0.080   19 -0.058   24 0.4863   25  0.986   24 -0.175   13  0.059
FLYERS         33 35 198 210  0.015 34.685   19 -0.008   19 -0.012   18 -0.048   19 0.4974   26  0.964   25 -0.190   10  0.094
RED WINGS      38 31 203 204  0.010 34.958    7  0.062    7  0.076   17  0.002    7 0.5134   27  0.956   21 -0.149    7  0.154
BLACKHAWKS     26 43 181 222 -0.001 34.893   31 -0.182   31 -0.173   30 -0.150   31 0.4684   28  0.950   30 -0.308   16  0.007
DEVILS         35 34 187 209  0.013 35.222   15  0.008   15  0.017   26 -0.110   15 0.5035   29  0.933   29 -0.287   12  0.067
ISLANDERS      39 30 202 195 -0.001 34.649    6  0.078    6  0.090   14  0.022    6 0.5164   30  0.933   22 -0.155    3  0.199
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLAMES         28 41 173 214 -0.031 34.033   30 -0.157   29 -0.149   31 -0.189   29 0.4740   31  0.893   32 -0.410   14  0.032
KINGS          28 40 183 205  0.008 34.522   26 -0.110   26 -0.117   21 -0.059   27 0.4794   32  0.863   31 -0.313    4  0.195

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         34 36 243 239 -0.024 34.507   21 -0.021   21 -0.034   15  0.010   21 0.4943    1  1.307    3  0.295   29 -0.276
DUCKS          38 31 229 237  0.003 34.869   11  0.054    9  0.071   20 -0.059    9 0.5115    2  1.272    9  0.181   30 -0.298
SHARKS         32 35 207 239  0.011 34.192   20 -0.018   20 -0.024   28 -0.133   20 0.4949    4  1.225   15  0.045   31 -0.310
CANUCKS        21 47 178 254 -0.011 34.298   32 -0.266   32 -0.273   32 -0.307   32 0.4528   15  1.120   28 -0.263   32 -0.350
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 31 38 220 215 -0.009 34.436   23 -0.060   23 -0.077   16  0.010   23 0.4870   16  1.100   16  0.028   19 -0.009
KRAKEN         31 37 194 208 -0.032 33.405   24 -0.065   24 -0.080   19 -0.058   24 0.4863   25  0.986   24 -0.175   13  0.059
FLAMES         28 41 173 214 -0.031 34.033   30 -0.157   29 -0.149   31 -0.189   29 0.4740   31  0.893   32 -0.410   14  0.032
KINGS          28 40 183 205  0.008 34.522   26 -0.110   26 -0.117   21 -0.059   27 0.4794   32  0.863   31 -0.313    4  0.195

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      31 37 202 229  0.003 34.460   22 -0.046   22 -0.059   25 -0.109   22 0.4878   13  1.144   20 -0.035   27 -0.183
AVALANCHE      45 23 254 173  0.006 33.959    1  0.238    1  0.229    1  0.350    1 0.5402   17  1.081    1  0.346    1  0.355
STARS          43 25 237 185 -0.016 33.495    5  0.185    5  0.174    3  0.187    5 0.5297   18  1.063   11  0.161    2  0.214
WILD           39 31 231 201 -0.013 34.668    8  0.058    8  0.072    6  0.121   10 0.5111   20  1.049   13  0.079    5  0.164
BLUES          27 41 178 224 -0.013 34.020   29 -0.154   30 -0.149   29 -0.137   30 0.4737   22  1.007   27 -0.229   22 -0.044
MAMMOTH        36 34 219 195  0.009 35.369   13  0.017   13  0.025   10  0.070   13 0.5043   23  1.007   19 -0.023    6  0.163
JETS           28 40 192 212 -0.017 33.891   28 -0.129   28 -0.131   24 -0.098   28 0.4771   24  1.006   26 -0.191   18 -0.004
BLACKHAWKS     26 43 181 222 -0.001 34.893   31 -0.182   31 -0.173   30 -0.150   31 0.4684   28  0.950   30 -0.308   16  0.007

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     44 25 245 205 -0.002 34.487    2  0.202    2  0.191    5  0.136    2 0.5335    7  1.180    5  0.255   15  0.016
PENGUINS       34 34 235 210 -0.005 33.932   16  0.001   16 -0.002    7  0.113   18 0.5005    8  1.175    7  0.226   17  0.001
BLUE JACKETS   36 32 223 212  0.006 34.318   12  0.031   12  0.044   13  0.041   12 0.5078   14  1.133   12  0.101   21 -0.019
CAPITALS       35 35 218 205 -0.005 34.988   17 -0.001   18 -0.004   11  0.062   16 0.5013   19  1.054   17  0.025    9  0.098
RANGERS        28 41 196 221  0.019 35.395   27 -0.116   27 -0.120   27 -0.115   26 0.4796   21  1.037   23 -0.172   24 -0.058
FLYERS         33 35 198 210  0.015 34.685   19 -0.008   19 -0.012   18 -0.048   19 0.4974   26  0.964   25 -0.190   10  0.094
DEVILS         35 34 187 209  0.013 35.222   15  0.008   15  0.017   26 -0.110   15 0.5035   29  0.933   29 -0.287   12  0.067
ISLANDERS      39 30 202 195 -0.001 34.649    6  0.078    6  0.090   14  0.022    6 0.5164   30  0.933   22 -0.155    3  0.199

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      37 31 237 225  0.015 34.536   10  0.055   11  0.069   12  0.057   11 0.5111    3  1.247    4  0.262   25 -0.149
MAPLE LEAFS    29 41 219 245  0.016 35.761   25 -0.102   25 -0.110   22 -0.071   25 0.4815    5  1.204   14  0.078   28 -0.220
SENATORS       35 33 229 211  0.001 34.125   14  0.014   14  0.021    8  0.078   14 0.5041    6  1.183    8  0.201   23 -0.045
LIGHTNING      42 25 243 186  0.007 33.600    3  0.191    3  0.177    2  0.220    3 0.5330    9  1.162    2  0.316    8  0.124
BRUINS         38 31 230 215  0.001 34.653    9  0.057   10  0.071    9  0.073    8 0.5124   10  1.158   10  0.164   20 -0.018
PANTHERS       34 35 206 229  0.014 35.200   18 -0.003   17 -0.003   23 -0.078   17 0.5008   11  1.157   18  0.012   26 -0.167
SABRES         43 26 242 200  0.008 34.726    4  0.188    4  0.176    4  0.162    4 0.5313   12  1.155    6  0.249   11  0.076
RED WINGS      38 31 203 204  0.010 34.958    7  0.062    7  0.076   17  0.002    7 0.5134   27  0.956   21 -0.149    7  0.154

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     296 253 0.539    1  0.085
CENTRAL DIVISION      275 274 0.501    2  0.043
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 284 266 0.516    3  0.019
PACIFIC DIVISION      243 305 0.443    4 -0.149

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.050 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: Sat Mar 21 05:30:08 2026
games through: Fri Mar 20 2026

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