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  5 64 40 -0.068  7.683    1  0.131    1  0.119    3  0.176    4 0.5361   23  1.008   13  0.060    4  0.293 P
OILERS         11  5 67 48  0.010  7.739    2  0.130    2  0.117    2  0.185    1 0.5425    8  1.271    3  0.396   16 -0.026 P
BRUINS         11  5 58 38 -0.016  7.581    4  0.122    3  0.113    4  0.143    3 0.5380   21  1.023   14  0.043    5  0.242 P
WILD           11  6 56 38  0.065  8.632    3  0.123    4  0.111    1  0.195    2 0.5402   28  0.855   21 -0.095    1  0.484 P
DEVILS         10  5 52 43  0.023  7.500    6  0.106    5  0.105    8  0.064    6 0.5331   17  1.055   16  0.002   10  0.125 P
MAMMOTH        10  6 57 54  0.106  8.562    5  0.108    6  0.105   10  0.054    5 0.5338    7  1.281    8  0.278   25 -0.171 P
LIGHTNING       9  5 52 45  0.032  7.012    7  0.095    7  0.093    6  0.089    7 0.5309    9  1.264    6  0.292   23 -0.114 P
KRAKEN          9  6 54 53 -0.010  7.394    9  0.052    8  0.056   19 -0.012    8 0.5250    5  1.365    5  0.327   29 -0.351 P
CAPITALS        8  6 49 48  0.058  7.249   11  0.047    9  0.056   14  0.026    9 0.5165    4  1.370    4  0.372   28 -0.320 P
STARS           9  6 44 36 -0.037  7.129   10  0.051   10  0.055    9  0.062   10 0.5160   32  0.736   30 -0.351    2  0.475 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 10  7 58 49 -0.017  8.203    8  0.056   11  0.054    7  0.070   11 0.5146   18  1.047   17 -0.000    9  0.141 P
SENATORS       10  7 54 52 -0.053  8.041   12  0.036   12  0.044   17  0.012   12 0.5143   11  1.176   11  0.100   22 -0.075 P
CANADIENS       9  6 52 47 -0.094  6.809   13  0.028   13  0.034   13  0.031   14 0.5073   12  1.167   10  0.108   18 -0.046 P
AVALANCHE       9  7 66 53 -0.050  7.483   14  0.023   14  0.029    5  0.098   13 0.5084    1  1.519    1  0.659   30 -0.463 P
ISLANDERS       7  7 40 39  0.045  7.188   16  0.002   15  0.011   15  0.018   17 0.4985   30  0.836   27 -0.291    3  0.327 P
RANGERS         8  8 48 47  0.044  8.186   15  0.005   16  0.010   12  0.035   15 0.5038   27  0.959   23 -0.138    7  0.208 P
PANTHERS        9  7 52 47 -0.138  7.048   17  0.001   17  0.008   21 -0.017   16 0.5019   19  1.047   20 -0.089   13  0.055 P
BLUE JACKETS    6  7 36 41  0.054  6.806   19 -0.023   18 -0.011   23 -0.056   21 0.4904   26  0.991   25 -0.194   12  0.081 P
BLUES           7  8 45 45  0.035  7.668   18 -0.021   19 -0.015   18 -0.003   19 0.4938   13  1.126   15  0.022   17 -0.027 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8  9 62 56  0.001  8.376   20 -0.023   20 -0.019   11  0.044   18 0.4949    6  1.290    7  0.282   26 -0.194 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SABRES          7  8 44 51 -0.055  7.203   21 -0.034   21 -0.030   26 -0.075   22 0.4904   15  1.086   22 -0.099   19 -0.051 P
FLAMES          7  9 39 55  0.014  8.198   22 -0.038   22 -0.034   27 -0.117   20 0.4910   29  0.854   31 -0.407    8  0.172 P
PREDATORS       6  9 46 48  0.097  8.027   24 -0.041   23 -0.041   16  0.017   24 0.4811   20  1.040   19 -0.062   11  0.096 P
DUCKS           7  8 54 57 -0.071  7.089   23 -0.041   24 -0.042   24 -0.067   23 0.4852    2  1.460    2  0.408   31 -0.542 P
SHARKS          7 10 44 61 -0.017  8.589   26 -0.067   25 -0.063   31 -0.187   26 0.4774   25  1.002   28 -0.311   20 -0.063 P
RED WINGS       7  9 48 50 -0.117  7.274   25 -0.064   26 -0.067   25 -0.067   25 0.4792   22  1.012   24 -0.180   14  0.046 P
KINGS           5  9 43 47 -0.004  7.004   27 -0.076   27 -0.083   22 -0.052   27 0.4740   14  1.117   18 -0.039   21 -0.066 P
JETS            5 11 39 58  0.076  8.611   28 -0.090   28 -0.097   28 -0.118   28 0.4637   24  1.008   26 -0.236   15 -0.000 P
PENGUINS        5 10 49 52 -0.004  7.440   29 -0.094   29 -0.104   20 -0.017   29 0.4618   10  1.193   12  0.092   24 -0.126 P
FLYERS          4 13 37 58  0.065  9.076   30 -0.155   30 -0.160   29 -0.138   30 0.4479   31  0.792   32 -0.494    6  0.218 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS      4 12 36 63 -0.013  8.152   31 -0.159   31 -0.165   32 -0.253   31 0.4395   16  1.057   29 -0.312   27 -0.194 P
CANUCKS         3 14 51 77  0.070  9.211   32 -0.190   32 -0.197   30 -0.181   32 0.4345    3  1.408    9  0.220   32 -0.582 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  5 67 48  0.010  7.739    2  0.130    2  0.117    2  0.185    1 0.5425    8  1.271    3  0.396   16 -0.026 P
KRAKEN          9  6 54 53 -0.010  7.394    9  0.052    8  0.056   19 -0.012    8 0.5250    5  1.365    5  0.327   29 -0.351 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 10  7 58 49 -0.017  8.203    8  0.056   11  0.054    7  0.070   11 0.5146   18  1.047   17 -0.000    9  0.141 P
FLAMES          7  9 39 55  0.014  8.198   22 -0.038   22 -0.034   27 -0.117   20 0.4910   29  0.854   31 -0.407    8  0.172 P
DUCKS           7  8 54 57 -0.071  7.089   23 -0.041   24 -0.042   24 -0.067   23 0.4852    2  1.460    2  0.408   31 -0.542 P
SHARKS          7 10 44 61 -0.017  8.589   26 -0.067   25 -0.063   31 -0.187   26 0.4774   25  1.002   28 -0.311   20 -0.063 P
KINGS           5  9 43 47 -0.004  7.004   27 -0.076   27 -0.083   22 -0.052   27 0.4740   14  1.117   18 -0.039   21 -0.066 P
CANUCKS         3 14 51 77  0.070  9.211   32 -0.190   32 -0.197   30 -0.181   32 0.4345    3  1.408    9  0.220   32 -0.582 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           11  6 56 38  0.065  8.632    3  0.123    4  0.111    1  0.195    2 0.5402   28  0.855   21 -0.095    1  0.484 P
MAMMOTH        10  6 57 54  0.106  8.562    5  0.108    6  0.105   10  0.054    5 0.5338    7  1.281    8  0.278   25 -0.171 P
STARS           9  6 44 36 -0.037  7.129   10  0.051   10  0.055    9  0.062   10 0.5160   32  0.736   30 -0.351    2  0.475 P
AVALANCHE       9  7 66 53 -0.050  7.483   14  0.023   14  0.029    5  0.098   13 0.5084    1  1.519    1  0.659   30 -0.463 P
BLUES           7  8 45 45  0.035  7.668   18 -0.021   19 -0.015   18 -0.003   19 0.4938   13  1.126   15  0.022   17 -0.027 P
PREDATORS       6  9 46 48  0.097  8.027   24 -0.041   23 -0.041   16  0.017   24 0.4811   20  1.040   19 -0.062   11  0.096 P
JETS            5 11 39 58  0.076  8.611   28 -0.090   28 -0.097   28 -0.118   28 0.4637   24  1.008   26 -0.236   15 -0.000 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 12 36 63 -0.013  8.152   31 -0.159   31 -0.165   32 -0.253   31 0.4395   16  1.057   29 -0.312   27 -0.194 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  5 64 40 -0.068  7.683    1  0.131    1  0.119    3  0.176    4 0.5361   23  1.008   13  0.060    4  0.293 P
DEVILS         10  5 52 43  0.023  7.500    6  0.106    5  0.105    8  0.064    6 0.5331   17  1.055   16  0.002   10  0.125 P
CAPITALS        8  6 49 48  0.058  7.249   11  0.047    9  0.056   14  0.026    9 0.5165    4  1.370    4  0.372   28 -0.320 P
ISLANDERS       7  7 40 39  0.045  7.188   16  0.002   15  0.011   15  0.018   17 0.4985   30  0.836   27 -0.291    3  0.327 P
RANGERS         8  8 48 47  0.044  8.186   15  0.005   16  0.010   12  0.035   15 0.5038   27  0.959   23 -0.138    7  0.208 P
BLUE JACKETS    6  7 36 41  0.054  6.806   19 -0.023   18 -0.011   23 -0.056   21 0.4904   26  0.991   25 -0.194   12  0.081 P
PENGUINS        5 10 49 52 -0.004  7.440   29 -0.094   29 -0.104   20 -0.017   29 0.4618   10  1.193   12  0.092   24 -0.126 P
FLYERS          4 13 37 58  0.065  9.076   30 -0.155   30 -0.160   29 -0.138   30 0.4479   31  0.792   32 -0.494    6  0.218 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         11  5 58 38 -0.016  7.581    4  0.122    3  0.113    4  0.143    3 0.5380   21  1.023   14  0.043    5  0.242 P
LIGHTNING       9  5 52 45  0.032  7.012    7  0.095    7  0.093    6  0.089    7 0.5309    9  1.264    6  0.292   23 -0.114 P
SENATORS       10  7 54 52 -0.053  8.041   12  0.036   12  0.044   17  0.012   12 0.5143   11  1.176   11  0.100   22 -0.075 P
CANADIENS       9  6 52 47 -0.094  6.809   13  0.028   13  0.034   13  0.031   14 0.5073   12  1.167   10  0.108   18 -0.046 P
PANTHERS        9  7 52 47 -0.138  7.048   17  0.001   17  0.008   21 -0.017   16 0.5019   19  1.047   20 -0.089   13  0.055 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8  9 62 56  0.001  8.376   20 -0.023   20 -0.019   11  0.044   18 0.4949    6  1.290    7  0.282   26 -0.194 P
SABRES          7  8 44 51 -0.055  7.203   21 -0.034   21 -0.030   26 -0.075   22 0.4904   15  1.086   22 -0.099   19 -0.051 P
RED WINGS       7  9 48 50 -0.117  7.274   25 -0.064   26 -0.067   25 -0.067   25 0.4792   22  1.012   24 -0.180   14  0.046 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     70 56 0.556    1  0.055
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 60 61 0.496    2  0.037
CENTRAL DIVISION      61 65 0.484    3  0.024
PACIFIC DIVISION      59 68 0.465    4 -0.118

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Thu Nov  5 05:30:12 2026
games through: Wed Nov  4 2026

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