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     62 30 325 258  0.010 46.589    1  0.288    1  0.298    2  0.219    1 0.5435   12  1.120    4  0.259    6  0.180
AVALANCHE      63 30 342 233 -0.011 46.061    2  0.285    2  0.291    1  0.375    2 0.5405   19  1.065    1  0.347    1  0.403
SABRES         57 38 331 280  0.024 48.656    3  0.206    3  0.183    4  0.188    3 0.5277    7  1.163    2  0.281   10  0.095
CANADIENS      57 41 334 299  0.053 51.355    4  0.192    4  0.173    7  0.147    5 0.5257    9  1.148    6  0.221   12  0.073
LIGHTNING      53 36 305 247  0.020 45.403    5  0.190    5  0.167    3  0.204    4 0.5264   17  1.080    7  0.195    3  0.213
STARS          52 36 294 249 -0.000 44.216    6  0.162    6  0.146    5  0.149    6 0.5209   21  1.054   12  0.108    4  0.190
WILD           51 42 313 279  0.024 47.568    7  0.095    7  0.092    6  0.148    7 0.5131   10  1.124    8  0.193    9  0.104
BRUINS         47 41 284 270  0.029 45.350    8  0.070    8  0.071   12  0.072    8 0.5117   16  1.104   13  0.092   14  0.053
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.002 41.526   10  0.038    9  0.037   17 -0.032   10 0.5066   29  0.947   25 -0.197    7  0.133
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244 -0.001 41.276    9  0.039   10  0.034    9  0.084    9 0.5066   15  1.107   11  0.108   13  0.061
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLYERS         47 45 271 267  0.025 47.400   11  0.034   11  0.033   14  0.022   12 0.5054   31  0.916   24 -0.178    2  0.222
SENATORS       44 42 283 257  0.015 43.792   12  0.033   12  0.026    8  0.112   11 0.5056   13  1.119    9  0.149   11  0.074
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.010 41.897   13  0.026   13  0.022   25 -0.119   13 0.5043   27  0.996   27 -0.228   20 -0.009
DUCKS          49 45 312 330 -0.023 46.793   15  0.013   14  0.016   24 -0.110   14 0.5015    1  1.276   10  0.130   31 -0.350
MAMMOTH        45 43 286 263 -0.009 44.049   16  0.012   15  0.009   13  0.041   17 0.5006   14  1.117   14  0.077   18  0.005
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 49 47 316 284 -0.019 47.615   14  0.015   16  0.004   10  0.082   16 0.5008   18  1.069   15  0.059    8  0.105
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.006 41.693   17  0.006   17  0.002   18 -0.055   15 0.5009   22  1.036   21 -0.117   17  0.007
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.009 41.823   20 -0.007   18 -0.017   21 -0.086   20 0.4982    6  1.193   17  0.045   28 -0.217
PENGUINS       43 45 304 284  0.005 44.529   18 -0.003   19 -0.018   11  0.074   18 0.4987    3  1.248    3  0.277   25 -0.128
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.007 41.670   19 -0.007   20 -0.018   16 -0.014   19 0.4985   20  1.060   19 -0.047   15  0.020
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
OILERS         43 45 303 295 -0.040 43.001   21 -0.027   21 -0.047   15  0.014   21 0.4941    2  1.262    5  0.235   27 -0.208
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.028 40.737   22 -0.047   22 -0.060   29 -0.178   22 0.4909    5  1.214   18 -0.019   29 -0.336
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.015 41.068   23 -0.056   23 -0.072   23 -0.102   23 0.4889   11  1.121   20 -0.062   26 -0.143
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.024 40.736   24 -0.080   24 -0.095   19 -0.070   24 0.4854   23  1.027   22 -0.143   19  0.003
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.014 41.156   25 -0.124   25 -0.128   26 -0.125   26 0.4803   24  1.022   26 -0.204   23 -0.046
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.010 41.839   26 -0.129   26 -0.133   20 -0.071   25 0.4809   25  1.015   23 -0.158   16  0.016
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.023 40.931   27 -0.160   27 -0.155   30 -0.195   27 0.4767   30  0.931   32 -0.378   21 -0.012
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.027 40.747   28 -0.162   28 -0.159   27 -0.144   28 0.4762   26  0.997   28 -0.252   22 -0.036
KINGS          35 51 230 260 -0.008 43.293   29 -0.164   29 -0.162   22 -0.087   29 0.4761   32  0.848   31 -0.362    5  0.188
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.010 41.928   30 -0.178   30 -0.173   28 -0.148   30 0.4750    4  1.241   16  0.045   30 -0.342
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.019 41.081   31 -0.244   31 -0.252   31 -0.229   31 0.4621   28  0.985   30 -0.352   24 -0.107
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.024 41.114   32 -0.317   32 -0.335   32 -0.395   32 0.4499    8  1.160   29 -0.305   32 -0.484

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
DUCKS          49 45 312 330 -0.023 46.793   15  0.013   14  0.016   24 -0.110   14 0.5015    1  1.276   10  0.130   31 -0.350
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 49 47 316 284 -0.019 47.615   14  0.015   16  0.004   10  0.082   16 0.5008   18  1.069   15  0.059    8  0.105
OILERS         43 45 303 295 -0.040 43.001   21 -0.027   21 -0.047   15  0.014   21 0.4941    2  1.262    5  0.235   27 -0.208
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.028 40.737   22 -0.047   22 -0.060   29 -0.178   22 0.4909    5  1.214   18 -0.019   29 -0.336
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.023 40.931   27 -0.160   27 -0.155   30 -0.195   27 0.4767   30  0.931   32 -0.378   21 -0.012
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.027 40.747   28 -0.162   28 -0.159   27 -0.144   28 0.4762   26  0.997   28 -0.252   22 -0.036
KINGS          35 51 230 260 -0.008 43.293   29 -0.164   29 -0.162   22 -0.087   29 0.4761   32  0.848   31 -0.362    5  0.188
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.024 41.114   32 -0.317   32 -0.335   32 -0.395   32 0.4499    8  1.160   29 -0.305   32 -0.484

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
AVALANCHE      63 30 342 233 -0.011 46.061    2  0.285    2  0.291    1  0.375    2 0.5405   19  1.065    1  0.347    1  0.403
STARS          52 36 294 249 -0.000 44.216    6  0.162    6  0.146    5  0.149    6 0.5209   21  1.054   12  0.108    4  0.190
WILD           51 42 313 279  0.024 47.568    7  0.095    7  0.092    6  0.148    7 0.5131   10  1.124    8  0.193    9  0.104
MAMMOTH        45 43 286 263 -0.009 44.049   16  0.012   15  0.009   13  0.041   17 0.5006   14  1.117   14  0.077   18  0.005
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.015 41.068   23 -0.056   23 -0.072   23 -0.102   23 0.4889   11  1.121   20 -0.062   26 -0.143
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.024 40.736   24 -0.080   24 -0.095   19 -0.070   24 0.4854   23  1.027   22 -0.143   19  0.003
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.014 41.156   25 -0.124   25 -0.128   26 -0.125   26 0.4803   24  1.022   26 -0.204   23 -0.046
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.019 41.081   31 -0.244   31 -0.252   31 -0.229   31 0.4621   28  0.985   30 -0.352   24 -0.107

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     62 30 325 258  0.010 46.589    1  0.288    1  0.298    2  0.219    1 0.5435   12  1.120    4  0.259    6  0.180
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.002 41.526   10  0.038    9  0.037   17 -0.032   10 0.5066   29  0.947   25 -0.197    7  0.133
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244 -0.001 41.276    9  0.039   10  0.034    9  0.084    9 0.5066   15  1.107   11  0.108   13  0.061
FLYERS         47 45 271 267  0.025 47.400   11  0.034   11  0.033   14  0.022   12 0.5054   31  0.916   24 -0.178    2  0.222
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.010 41.897   13  0.026   13  0.022   25 -0.119   13 0.5043   27  0.996   27 -0.228   20 -0.009
PENGUINS       43 45 304 284  0.005 44.529   18 -0.003   19 -0.018   11  0.074   18 0.4987    3  1.248    3  0.277   25 -0.128
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.007 41.670   19 -0.007   20 -0.018   16 -0.014   19 0.4985   20  1.060   19 -0.047   15  0.020
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.010 41.839   26 -0.129   26 -0.133   20 -0.071   25 0.4809   25  1.015   23 -0.158   16  0.016

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
SABRES         57 38 331 280  0.024 48.656    3  0.206    3  0.183    4  0.188    3 0.5277    7  1.163    2  0.281   10  0.095
CANADIENS      57 41 334 299  0.053 51.355    4  0.192    4  0.173    7  0.147    5 0.5257    9  1.148    6  0.221   12  0.073
LIGHTNING      53 36 305 247  0.020 45.403    5  0.190    5  0.167    3  0.204    4 0.5264   17  1.080    7  0.195    3  0.213
BRUINS         47 41 284 270  0.029 45.350    8  0.070    8  0.071   12  0.072    8 0.5117   16  1.104   13  0.092   14  0.053
SENATORS       44 42 283 257  0.015 43.792   12  0.033   12  0.026    8  0.112   11 0.5056   13  1.119    9  0.149   11  0.074
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.006 41.693   17  0.006   17  0.002   18 -0.055   15 0.5009   22  1.036   21 -0.117   17  0.007
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.009 41.823   20 -0.007   18 -0.017   21 -0.086   20 0.4982    6  1.193   17  0.045   28 -0.217
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.010 41.928   30 -0.178   30 -0.173   28 -0.148   30 0.4750    4  1.241   16  0.045   30 -0.342

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     371 331 0.528    1  0.074
CENTRAL DIVISION      350 340 0.507    2  0.030
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 354 328 0.519    3  0.029
PACIFIC DIVISION      308 384 0.445    4 -0.169

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Sun May 24 05:30:10 2026
games through: Sat May 23 2026

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