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
HURRICANES     12  4 63 36 -0.068  7.235    1  0.151    1  0.139    1  0.207    2 0.5487   21  1.034   12  0.123    4  0.291 P
OILERS         11  4 64 44 -0.017  7.146    2  0.143    2  0.130    2  0.182    1 0.5490    8  1.270    3  0.395   19 -0.031 P
WILD           10  6 52 36  0.065  8.206    3  0.104    3  0.089    3  0.178    3 0.5370   30  0.824   21 -0.142    2  0.497 P
BRUINS         10  5 55 36 -0.026  7.108    4  0.102    4  0.089    4  0.137    4 0.5324   17  1.062   14  0.087    7  0.187 P
MAMMOTH         9  6 54 52  0.082  7.965    5  0.083    5  0.077   12  0.033    5 0.5280    6  1.302    7  0.290   28 -0.223 P
DEVILS          9  5 48 40 -0.013  6.865    6  0.080    6  0.075   10  0.046    8 0.5232   16  1.084   18  0.023   11  0.070 P
CAPITALS        8  5 44 42  0.055  6.759    8  0.075    7  0.073   13  0.030    6 0.5264    9  1.251    8  0.218   23 -0.158 P
LIGHTNING       8  5 48 43  0.030  6.575    7  0.077    8  0.071    6  0.073    7 0.5248    7  1.275    6  0.292   21 -0.147 P
CANADIENS       9  5 48 42 -0.053  6.630    9  0.066    9  0.064   11  0.046    9 0.5228   14  1.119   15  0.066   14  0.026 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  9  6 53 44 -0.081  6.931   10  0.045   10  0.039    8  0.049   11 0.5128   15  1.091   17  0.035   12  0.064 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
KRAKEN          8  6 52 52  0.004  7.050   11  0.035   11  0.036   20 -0.017   10 0.5193    2  1.435    2  0.423   30 -0.458 P
AVALANCHE       8  6 59 44 -0.033  6.680   12  0.034   12  0.034    5  0.123   13 0.5095    1  1.482    1  0.633   29 -0.386 P
STARS           8  6 38 31 -0.042  6.686   13  0.027   13  0.032    7  0.056   14 0.5086   32  0.596   31 -0.490    1  0.601 P
SENATORS        9  7 52 51 -0.057  7.623   14  0.019   14  0.023   18 -0.001   15 0.5077   11  1.239   11  0.171   24 -0.173 P
PANTHERS        8  6 44 39 -0.087  6.488   15  0.016   15  0.022   17  0.004   12 0.5103   27  0.942   23 -0.186    6  0.193 P
ISLANDERS       7  7 40 39  0.023  7.125   16 -0.001   16  0.003   15  0.009   19 0.4968   29  0.842   28 -0.291    3  0.309 P
BLUES           7  7 44 42  0.027  7.141   17 -0.003   17  0.000   14  0.012   18 0.5003   13  1.171   13  0.097   20 -0.073 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8  8 60 53 -0.012  7.856   18 -0.008   18 -0.006    9  0.047   16 0.5011    5  1.309    5  0.313   27 -0.218 P
SABRES          7  7 43 49 -0.049  6.805   19 -0.014   19 -0.012   22 -0.064   17 0.5009   12  1.197   16  0.054   25 -0.182 P
RANGERS         7  8 45 46  0.023  7.643   20 -0.020   20 -0.018   16  0.007   20 0.4955   22  1.006   20 -0.110    8  0.124 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SHARKS          7  8 41 52  0.018  7.814   21 -0.024   21 -0.021   30 -0.144   21 0.4922   23  0.992   27 -0.277   18 -0.011 P
FLAMES          6  8 36 52  0.042  7.422   22 -0.033   22 -0.033   28 -0.122   22 0.4875   25  0.980   26 -0.269   16  0.025 P
BLUE JACKETS    5  7 29 39  0.041  6.327   23 -0.039   23 -0.038   26 -0.101   23 0.4832   28  0.913   30 -0.323    9  0.122 P
DUCKS           6  8 49 53 -0.062  6.740   24 -0.060   24 -0.064   23 -0.076   24 0.4786    3  1.425    4  0.351   31 -0.503 P
PREDATORS       5  9 42 47  0.084  7.518   25 -0.066   25 -0.069   21 -0.019   26 0.4725   18  1.057   19 -0.076   13  0.038 P
RED WINGS       6  8 41 43 -0.156  6.205   26 -0.072   26 -0.078   25 -0.079   25 0.4738   26  0.948   24 -0.262   10  0.105 P
PENGUINS        5  9 47 49 -0.013  6.944   27 -0.083   27 -0.090   19 -0.013   27 0.4691   10  1.248   10  0.172   26 -0.197 P
KINGS           4  9 36 45  0.043  6.830   28 -0.091   28 -0.098   24 -0.078   28 0.4687   19  1.047   22 -0.147   17 -0.010 P
JETS            4 11 34 54  0.092  8.250   29 -0.111   29 -0.120   27 -0.121   29 0.4561   24  0.980   25 -0.268   15  0.026 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 10 31 53 -0.020  7.160   30 -0.126   30 -0.134   32 -0.231   31 0.4490   20  1.035   29 -0.314   22 -0.148 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLYERS          4 12 35 54  0.044  8.481   31 -0.142   31 -0.152   29 -0.135   30 0.4505   31  0.757   32 -0.524    5  0.255 P
CANUCKS         3 13 47 72  0.097  8.909   32 -0.166   32 -0.178   31 -0.174   32 0.4415    4  1.395    9  0.212   32 -0.559 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         11  4 64 44 -0.017  7.146    2  0.143    2  0.130    2  0.182    1 0.5490    8  1.270    3  0.395   19 -0.031 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  9  6 53 44 -0.081  6.931   10  0.045   10  0.039    8  0.049   11 0.5128   15  1.091   17  0.035   12  0.064 P
KRAKEN          8  6 52 52  0.004  7.050   11  0.035   11  0.036   20 -0.017   10 0.5193    2  1.435    2  0.423   30 -0.458 P
SHARKS          7  8 41 52  0.018  7.814   21 -0.024   21 -0.021   30 -0.144   21 0.4922   23  0.992   27 -0.277   18 -0.011 P
FLAMES          6  8 36 52  0.042  7.422   22 -0.033   22 -0.033   28 -0.122   22 0.4875   25  0.980   26 -0.269   16  0.025 P
DUCKS           6  8 49 53 -0.062  6.740   24 -0.060   24 -0.064   23 -0.076   24 0.4786    3  1.425    4  0.351   31 -0.503 P
KINGS           4  9 36 45  0.043  6.830   28 -0.091   28 -0.098   24 -0.078   28 0.4687   19  1.047   22 -0.147   17 -0.010 P
CANUCKS         3 13 47 72  0.097  8.909   32 -0.166   32 -0.178   31 -0.174   32 0.4415    4  1.395    9  0.212   32 -0.559 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           10  6 52 36  0.065  8.206    3  0.104    3  0.089    3  0.178    3 0.5370   30  0.824   21 -0.142    2  0.497 P
MAMMOTH         9  6 54 52  0.082  7.965    5  0.083    5  0.077   12  0.033    5 0.5280    6  1.302    7  0.290   28 -0.223 P
AVALANCHE       8  6 59 44 -0.033  6.680   12  0.034   12  0.034    5  0.123   13 0.5095    1  1.482    1  0.633   29 -0.386 P
STARS           8  6 38 31 -0.042  6.686   13  0.027   13  0.032    7  0.056   14 0.5086   32  0.596   31 -0.490    1  0.601 P
BLUES           7  7 44 42  0.027  7.141   17 -0.003   17  0.000   14  0.012   18 0.5003   13  1.171   13  0.097   20 -0.073 P
PREDATORS       5  9 42 47  0.084  7.518   25 -0.066   25 -0.069   21 -0.019   26 0.4725   18  1.057   19 -0.076   13  0.038 P
JETS            4 11 34 54  0.092  8.250   29 -0.111   29 -0.120   27 -0.121   29 0.4561   24  0.980   25 -0.268   15  0.026 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 10 31 53 -0.020  7.160   30 -0.126   30 -0.134   32 -0.231   31 0.4490   20  1.035   29 -0.314   22 -0.148 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
HURRICANES     12  4 63 36 -0.068  7.235    1  0.151    1  0.139    1  0.207    2 0.5487   21  1.034   12  0.123    4  0.291 P
DEVILS          9  5 48 40 -0.013  6.865    6  0.080    6  0.075   10  0.046    8 0.5232   16  1.084   18  0.023   11  0.070 P
CAPITALS        8  5 44 42  0.055  6.759    8  0.075    7  0.073   13  0.030    6 0.5264    9  1.251    8  0.218   23 -0.158 P
ISLANDERS       7  7 40 39  0.023  7.125   16 -0.001   16  0.003   15  0.009   19 0.4968   29  0.842   28 -0.291    3  0.309 P
RANGERS         7  8 45 46  0.023  7.643   20 -0.020   20 -0.018   16  0.007   20 0.4955   22  1.006   20 -0.110    8  0.124 P
BLUE JACKETS    5  7 29 39  0.041  6.327   23 -0.039   23 -0.038   26 -0.101   23 0.4832   28  0.913   30 -0.323    9  0.122 P
PENGUINS        5  9 47 49 -0.013  6.944   27 -0.083   27 -0.090   19 -0.013   27 0.4691   10  1.248   10  0.172   26 -0.197 P
FLYERS          4 12 35 54  0.044  8.481   31 -0.142   31 -0.152   29 -0.135   30 0.4505   31  0.757   32 -0.524    5  0.255 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
BRUINS         10  5 55 36 -0.026  7.108    4  0.102    4  0.089    4  0.137    4 0.5324   17  1.062   14  0.087    7  0.187 P
LIGHTNING       8  5 48 43  0.030  6.575    7  0.077    8  0.071    6  0.073    7 0.5248    7  1.275    6  0.292   21 -0.147 P
CANADIENS       9  5 48 42 -0.053  6.630    9  0.066    9  0.064   11  0.046    9 0.5228   14  1.119   15  0.066   14  0.026 P
SENATORS        9  7 52 51 -0.057  7.623   14  0.019   14  0.023   18 -0.001   15 0.5077   11  1.239   11  0.171   24 -0.173 P
PANTHERS        8  6 44 39 -0.087  6.488   15  0.016   15  0.022   17  0.004   12 0.5103   27  0.942   23 -0.186    6  0.193 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8  8 60 53 -0.012  7.856   18 -0.008   18 -0.006    9  0.047   16 0.5011    5  1.309    5  0.313   27 -0.218 P
SABRES          7  7 43 49 -0.049  6.805   19 -0.014   19 -0.012   22 -0.064   17 0.5009   12  1.197   16  0.054   25 -0.182 P
RED WINGS       6  8 41 43 -0.156  6.205   26 -0.072   26 -0.078   25 -0.079   25 0.4738   26  0.948   24 -0.262   10  0.105 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     65 51 0.560    1  0.062
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 57 57 0.500    2  0.021
CENTRAL DIVISION      55 61 0.474    3  0.020
PACIFIC DIVISION      54 62 0.466    4 -0.123

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Mon Nov  2 05:30:12 2026
games through: Sun Nov  1 2026

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