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
DEVILS          9  4 46 40  0.084  6.818    1  0.038    1  0.039    5  0.033    1 0.5419   10  1.203   10  0.184   22 -0.118 P
JETS            9  3 45 30 -0.089  5.427    2  0.035    2  0.037    3  0.041    4 0.5357    9  1.210    8  0.200   23 -0.119 P
CANADIENS       9  3 44 36 -0.062  5.646    3  0.034    3  0.036   12  0.011    2 0.5406    8  1.225    9  0.190   24 -0.168 P
HURRICANES      7  4 41 32  0.126  5.947    4  0.028    4  0.031    2  0.041    3 0.5365   13  1.158   12  0.135   19 -0.053 P
RED WINGS       9  4 44 41 -0.062  6.149    5  0.027    5  0.030   21  0.000    5 0.5339   17  1.093   17  0.014   15 -0.013 P
MAMMOTH         8  4 42 34  0.016  6.003    6  0.025    6  0.029    8  0.017    7 0.5213   15  1.135   15  0.082   18 -0.047 P
DUCKS           7  4 41 34  0.065  5.759    7  0.020    7  0.024   10  0.012    6 0.5279    6  1.274    4  0.257   27 -0.232 P
AVALANCHE       7  6 47 35  0.124  6.978    8  0.015    8  0.020    1  0.064    8 0.5202   21  1.006   19 -0.026    8  0.155 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  5 40 36  0.020  6.081    9  0.010    9  0.018   17  0.004   10 0.5103   16  1.132   16  0.066   20 -0.058 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  6  5 39 32  0.057  5.647   10  0.008   10  0.016    6  0.032   12 0.5073   12  1.183   11  0.157   21 -0.093 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PENGUINS        8  6 49 40 -0.027  6.719   11  0.008   11  0.015    4  0.035    9 0.5104   14  1.144   14  0.111   17 -0.042 P
BRUINS          7  7 45 48  0.088  7.468   12  0.005   12  0.012   11  0.011   16 0.5016    7  1.248    7  0.221   26 -0.199 P
MAPLE LEAFS     7  6 47 47 -0.055  6.180   13  0.003   13  0.009   18  0.004   11 0.5073    2  1.442    2  0.482   31 -0.473 P
LIGHTNING       6  6 35 33  0.035  6.109   14  0.002   14  0.009    7  0.021   13 0.5069   26  0.871   26 -0.222    5  0.264 P
PANTHERS        6  6 31 34  0.022  6.090   15  0.002   15  0.009   16  0.005   14 0.5038   27  0.856   27 -0.254    6  0.264 P
STARS           6  6 33 36  0.007  6.007   16  0.000   16  0.008   14  0.007   18 0.4980   23  0.974   22 -0.121   10  0.135 P
ISLANDERS       6  6 40 42  0.040  6.186   17  0.000   17  0.008   19  0.003   17 0.5012    5  1.281    5  0.257   28 -0.250 P
KRAKEN          6  6 33 33  0.046  6.187   18 -0.000   18  0.007    9  0.013   15 0.5026   29  0.771   29 -0.336    3  0.362 P
CAPITALS        6  6 31 29 -0.045  5.735   19 -0.003   19  0.003   13  0.010   19 0.4930   31  0.737   31 -0.374    2  0.394 P
FLYERS          6  6 33 31 -0.054  5.740   20 -0.005   20  0.001   23 -0.004   20 0.4880   30  0.762   30 -0.363    4  0.354 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
RANGERS         6  7 31 31 -0.019  6.378   21 -0.006   22 -0.001   20  0.001   21 0.4858   32  0.619   32 -0.498    1  0.501 P
CANUCKS         7  7 40 45 -0.101  6.502   22 -0.008   21 -0.001   29 -0.029   23 0.4833   19  1.072   20 -0.041   16 -0.017 P
SENATORS        6  7 48 51 -0.046  6.264   23 -0.010   23 -0.004   26 -0.007   25 0.4820    1  1.545    1  0.622   32 -0.637 P
SABRES          5  7 37 38  0.009  6.042   24 -0.013   24 -0.007   22 -0.003   22 0.4836   20  1.023   21 -0.074   13  0.069 P
KINGS           5  8 37 44  0.057  6.823   25 -0.014   25 -0.008   24 -0.005   26 0.4780   24  0.964   24 -0.144   11  0.134 P
OILERS          6  8 43 44 -0.056  6.644   26 -0.015   26 -0.010   15  0.005   24 0.4825   18  1.079   18  0.001   14  0.009 P
BLACKHAWKS      5  8 39 38  0.003  6.528   27 -0.020   27 -0.015   25 -0.006   27 0.4724   25  0.946   25 -0.166    9  0.155 P
SHARKS          4  9 42 53  0.074  7.003   28 -0.026   28 -0.022   30 -0.035   29 0.4614    4  1.294    6  0.236   29 -0.306 P
PREDATORS       5  9 37 48 -0.075  6.651   29 -0.027   29 -0.023   28 -0.029   28 0.4644   22  0.997   23 -0.129   12  0.072 P
WILD            4  9 37 49 -0.036  6.381   30 -0.030   30 -0.026   27 -0.024   30 0.4550   11  1.200   13  0.123   25 -0.172 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES           4  9 37 53 -0.117  5.971   31 -0.036   31 -0.031   31 -0.039   31 0.4499    3  1.328    3  0.278   30 -0.356 P
FLAMES          3 11 31 48  0.012  7.205   32 -0.048   32 -0.040   32 -0.039   32 0.4393   28  0.844   28 -0.312    7  0.233 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
DUCKS           7  4 41 34  0.065  5.759    7  0.020    7  0.024   10  0.012    6 0.5279    6  1.274    4  0.257   27 -0.232 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  6  5 39 32  0.057  5.647   10  0.008   10  0.016    6  0.032   12 0.5073   12  1.183   11  0.157   21 -0.093 P
KRAKEN          6  6 33 33  0.046  6.187   18 -0.000   18  0.007    9  0.013   15 0.5026   29  0.771   29 -0.336    3  0.362 P
CANUCKS         7  7 40 45 -0.101  6.502   22 -0.008   21 -0.001   29 -0.029   23 0.4833   19  1.072   20 -0.041   16 -0.017 P
KINGS           5  8 37 44  0.057  6.823   25 -0.014   25 -0.008   24 -0.005   26 0.4780   24  0.964   24 -0.144   11  0.134 P
OILERS          6  8 43 44 -0.056  6.644   26 -0.015   26 -0.010   15  0.005   24 0.4825   18  1.079   18  0.001   14  0.009 P
SHARKS          4  9 42 53  0.074  7.003   28 -0.026   28 -0.022   30 -0.035   29 0.4614    4  1.294    6  0.236   29 -0.306 P
FLAMES          3 11 31 48  0.012  7.205   32 -0.048   32 -0.040   32 -0.039   32 0.4393   28  0.844   28 -0.312    7  0.233 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
JETS            9  3 45 30 -0.089  5.427    2  0.035    2  0.037    3  0.041    4 0.5357    9  1.210    8  0.200   23 -0.119 P
MAMMOTH         8  4 42 34  0.016  6.003    6  0.025    6  0.029    8  0.017    7 0.5213   15  1.135   15  0.082   18 -0.047 P
AVALANCHE       7  6 47 35  0.124  6.978    8  0.015    8  0.020    1  0.064    8 0.5202   21  1.006   19 -0.026    8  0.155 P
STARS           6  6 33 36  0.007  6.007   16  0.000   16  0.008   14  0.007   18 0.4980   23  0.974   22 -0.121   10  0.135 P
BLACKHAWKS      5  8 39 38  0.003  6.528   27 -0.020   27 -0.015   25 -0.006   27 0.4724   25  0.946   25 -0.166    9  0.155 P
PREDATORS       5  9 37 48 -0.075  6.651   29 -0.027   29 -0.023   28 -0.029   28 0.4644   22  0.997   23 -0.129   12  0.072 P
WILD            4  9 37 49 -0.036  6.381   30 -0.030   30 -0.026   27 -0.024   30 0.4550   11  1.200   13  0.123   25 -0.172 P
BLUES           4  9 37 53 -0.117  5.971   31 -0.036   31 -0.031   31 -0.039   31 0.4499    3  1.328    3  0.278   30 -0.356 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
DEVILS          9  4 46 40  0.084  6.818    1  0.038    1  0.039    5  0.033    1 0.5419   10  1.203   10  0.184   22 -0.118 P
HURRICANES      7  4 41 32  0.126  5.947    4  0.028    4  0.031    2  0.041    3 0.5365   13  1.158   12  0.135   19 -0.053 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  5 40 36  0.020  6.081    9  0.010    9  0.018   17  0.004   10 0.5103   16  1.132   16  0.066   20 -0.058 P
PENGUINS        8  6 49 40 -0.027  6.719   11  0.008   11  0.015    4  0.035    9 0.5104   14  1.144   14  0.111   17 -0.042 P
ISLANDERS       6  6 40 42  0.040  6.186   17  0.000   17  0.008   19  0.003   17 0.5012    5  1.281    5  0.257   28 -0.250 P
CAPITALS        6  6 31 29 -0.045  5.735   19 -0.003   19  0.003   13  0.010   19 0.4930   31  0.737   31 -0.374    2  0.394 P
FLYERS          6  6 33 31 -0.054  5.740   20 -0.005   20  0.001   23 -0.004   20 0.4880   30  0.762   30 -0.363    4  0.354 P
RANGERS         6  7 31 31 -0.019  6.378   21 -0.006   22 -0.001   20  0.001   21 0.4858   32  0.619   32 -0.498    1  0.501 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
CANADIENS       9  3 44 36 -0.062  5.646    3  0.034    3  0.036   12  0.011    2 0.5406    8  1.225    9  0.190   24 -0.168 P
RED WINGS       9  4 44 41 -0.062  6.149    5  0.027    5  0.030   21  0.000    5 0.5339   17  1.093   17  0.014   15 -0.013 P
BRUINS          7  7 45 48  0.088  7.468   12  0.005   12  0.012   11  0.011   16 0.5016    7  1.248    7  0.221   26 -0.199 P
MAPLE LEAFS     7  6 47 47 -0.055  6.180   13  0.003   13  0.009   18  0.004   11 0.5073    2  1.442    2  0.482   31 -0.473 P
LIGHTNING       6  6 35 33  0.035  6.109   14  0.002   14  0.009    7  0.021   13 0.5069   26  0.871   26 -0.222    5  0.264 P
PANTHERS        6  6 31 34  0.022  6.090   15  0.002   15  0.009   16  0.005   14 0.5038   27  0.856   27 -0.254    6  0.264 P
SENATORS        6  7 48 51 -0.046  6.264   23 -0.010   23 -0.004   26 -0.007   25 0.4820    1  1.545    1  0.622   32 -0.637 P
SABRES          5  7 37 38  0.009  6.042   24 -0.013   24 -0.007   22 -0.003   22 0.4836   20  1.023   21 -0.074   13  0.069 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 55 44 0.556    1  0.096
ATLANTIC DIVISION     55 46 0.545    2  0.008
CENTRAL DIVISION      48 54 0.471    3 -0.003
PACIFIC DIVISION      44 58 0.431    4 -0.080

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Tue Nov  4 05:30:12 2025
games through: Mon Nov  3 2025

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.