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
AVALANCHE      57 27 306 205 -0.017 41.094    1  0.273    1  0.278    1  0.379    1 0.5410   24  1.020    2  0.297    1  0.462
HURRICANES     55 29 301 242  0.009 42.219    2  0.255    2  0.256    3  0.202    2 0.5387   10  1.157    3  0.286    8  0.117
LIGHTNING      51 33 296 237  0.013 42.361    4  0.196    4  0.179    2  0.212    3 0.5283   11  1.129    5  0.261    5  0.162
SABRES         51 33 294 248  0.013 42.381    3  0.197    3  0.181    4  0.175    4 0.5278    8  1.167    4  0.272   10  0.078
STARS          51 33 284 234 -0.005 41.747    5  0.183    5  0.169    5  0.170    5 0.5247   19  1.058   11  0.132    3  0.208
CANADIENS      49 35 289 262  0.025 42.824    6  0.159    6  0.149    8  0.111    6 0.5229    7  1.178    7  0.221   20  0.000
BRUINS         46 38 279 256  0.025 42.845    8  0.082    8  0.091    9  0.108    7 0.5146   12  1.126    9  0.154   12  0.062
WILD           47 37 280 245 -0.005 41.782    7  0.083    7  0.091    6  0.136    8 0.5135   17  1.084   12  0.130    7  0.142
FLYERS         45 39 256 245  0.018 42.695    9  0.055    9  0.068   13  0.045    9 0.5105   29  0.963   21 -0.103    4  0.194
SENATORS       44 40 280 251  0.016 42.505   10  0.040   10  0.048    7  0.127   10 0.5083   13  1.126    8  0.173    9  0.082
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.006 41.240   11  0.034   12  0.041   10  0.091   11 0.5073   15  1.102   13  0.107   11  0.075
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.009 41.489   12  0.032   11  0.044   17 -0.024   12 0.5073   30  0.943   25 -0.195    6  0.147
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.016 41.842   14  0.019   14  0.029   25 -0.111   13 0.5049   27  0.991   27 -0.228   19  0.005
MAMMOTH        44 40 273 246 -0.008 41.794   13  0.024   13  0.032   12  0.056   14 0.5041   16  1.100   14  0.069   14  0.043
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.014 41.671   15  0.007   16  0.009   18 -0.047   15 0.5017   21  1.031   22 -0.116   17  0.022
DUCKS          43 40 276 292 -0.027 40.925   16  0.007   15  0.010   24 -0.107   16 0.5013    1  1.285   10  0.144   31 -0.357
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.014 41.616   19 -0.005   19 -0.011   16 -0.007   17 0.4991   20  1.055   19 -0.047   15  0.034
PENGUINS       41 43 295 274  0.010 42.380   18 -0.003   20 -0.013   11  0.084   18 0.4989    2  1.263    1  0.306   26 -0.138
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.016 41.776   20 -0.005   18 -0.010   22 -0.079   19 0.4989    6  1.188   16  0.045   28 -0.203
OILERS         42 41 286 272 -0.029 40.627   17 -0.001   17 -0.009   14  0.040   20 0.4985    3  1.247    6  0.241   27 -0.160
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 40 44 271 255 -0.021 41.394   21 -0.034   21 -0.051   15  0.040   21 0.4917   18  1.083   17  0.033   13  0.047
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.022 40.670   22 -0.044   22 -0.053   29 -0.170   22 0.4915    5  1.213   18 -0.014   29 -0.326
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.008 41.020   23 -0.052   23 -0.065   23 -0.095   23 0.4896   14  1.121   20 -0.055   25 -0.135
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.017 40.698   24 -0.075   24 -0.087   19 -0.062   24 0.4861   22  1.026   23 -0.138   18  0.013
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.017 41.793   26 -0.122   26 -0.125   20 -0.064   25 0.4815   25  1.010   24 -0.158   16  0.030
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.007 41.110   25 -0.118   25 -0.121   26 -0.117   26 0.4810   23  1.022   26 -0.197   23 -0.037
KINGS          35 49 227 251 -0.012 41.849   27 -0.145   27 -0.143   21 -0.067   27 0.4782   32  0.844   31 -0.348    2  0.214
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.016 40.870   28 -0.156   28 -0.148   30 -0.187   28 0.4773   31  0.930   32 -0.374   21 -0.001
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.020 40.689   29 -0.157   29 -0.151   27 -0.137   29 0.4768   26  0.996   28 -0.248   22 -0.026
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.016 41.860   30 -0.175   30 -0.165   28 -0.141   30 0.4756    4  1.236   15  0.045   30 -0.327
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 -0.012 41.031   31 -0.243   31 -0.243   31 -0.221   31 0.4628   28  0.985   30 -0.345   24 -0.098
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.018 41.077   32 -0.310   32 -0.325   32 -0.385   32 0.4507    9  1.159   29 -0.298   32 -0.473

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          43 40 276 292 -0.027 40.925   16  0.007   15  0.010   24 -0.107   16 0.5013    1  1.285   10  0.144   31 -0.357
OILERS         42 41 286 272 -0.029 40.627   17 -0.001   17 -0.009   14  0.040   20 0.4985    3  1.247    6  0.241   27 -0.160
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 40 44 271 255 -0.021 41.394   21 -0.034   21 -0.051   15  0.040   21 0.4917   18  1.083   17  0.033   13  0.047
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.022 40.670   22 -0.044   22 -0.053   29 -0.170   22 0.4915    5  1.213   18 -0.014   29 -0.326
KINGS          35 49 227 251 -0.012 41.849   27 -0.145   27 -0.143   21 -0.067   27 0.4782   32  0.844   31 -0.348    2  0.214
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.016 40.870   28 -0.156   28 -0.148   30 -0.187   28 0.4773   31  0.930   32 -0.374   21 -0.001
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.020 40.689   29 -0.157   29 -0.151   27 -0.137   29 0.4768   26  0.996   28 -0.248   22 -0.026
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.018 41.077   32 -0.310   32 -0.325   32 -0.385   32 0.4507    9  1.159   29 -0.298   32 -0.473

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      57 27 306 205 -0.017 41.094    1  0.273    1  0.278    1  0.379    1 0.5410   24  1.020    2  0.297    1  0.462
STARS          51 33 284 234 -0.005 41.747    5  0.183    5  0.169    5  0.170    5 0.5247   19  1.058   11  0.132    3  0.208
WILD           47 37 280 245 -0.005 41.782    7  0.083    7  0.091    6  0.136    8 0.5135   17  1.084   12  0.130    7  0.142
MAMMOTH        44 40 273 246 -0.008 41.794   13  0.024   13  0.032   12  0.056   14 0.5041   16  1.100   14  0.069   14  0.043
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.008 41.020   23 -0.052   23 -0.065   23 -0.095   23 0.4896   14  1.121   20 -0.055   25 -0.135
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.017 40.698   24 -0.075   24 -0.087   19 -0.062   24 0.4861   22  1.026   23 -0.138   18  0.013
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.007 41.110   25 -0.118   25 -0.121   26 -0.117   26 0.4810   23  1.022   26 -0.197   23 -0.037
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.012 41.031   31 -0.243   31 -0.243   31 -0.221   31 0.4628   28  0.985   30 -0.345   24 -0.098

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     55 29 301 242  0.009 42.219    2  0.255    2  0.256    3  0.202    2 0.5387   10  1.157    3  0.286    8  0.117
FLYERS         45 39 256 245  0.018 42.695    9  0.055    9  0.068   13  0.045    9 0.5105   29  0.963   21 -0.103    4  0.194
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.006 41.240   11  0.034   12  0.041   10  0.091   11 0.5073   15  1.102   13  0.107   11  0.075
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.009 41.489   12  0.032   11  0.044   17 -0.024   12 0.5073   30  0.943   25 -0.195    6  0.147
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.016 41.842   14  0.019   14  0.029   25 -0.111   13 0.5049   27  0.991   27 -0.228   19  0.005
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.014 41.616   19 -0.005   19 -0.011   16 -0.007   17 0.4991   20  1.055   19 -0.047   15  0.034
PENGUINS       41 43 295 274  0.010 42.380   18 -0.003   20 -0.013   11  0.084   18 0.4989    2  1.263    1  0.306   26 -0.138
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.017 41.793   26 -0.122   26 -0.125   20 -0.064   25 0.4815   25  1.010   24 -0.158   16  0.030

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
LIGHTNING      51 33 296 237  0.013 42.361    4  0.196    4  0.179    2  0.212    3 0.5283   11  1.129    5  0.261    5  0.162
SABRES         51 33 294 248  0.013 42.381    3  0.197    3  0.181    4  0.175    4 0.5278    8  1.167    4  0.272   10  0.078
CANADIENS      49 35 289 262  0.025 42.824    6  0.159    6  0.149    8  0.111    6 0.5229    7  1.178    7  0.221   20  0.000
BRUINS         46 38 279 256  0.025 42.845    8  0.082    8  0.091    9  0.108    7 0.5146   12  1.126    9  0.154   12  0.062
SENATORS       44 40 280 251  0.016 42.505   10  0.040   10  0.048    7  0.127   10 0.5083   13  1.126    8  0.173    9  0.082
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.014 41.671   15  0.007   16  0.009   18 -0.047   15 0.5017   21  1.031   22 -0.116   17  0.022
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.016 41.776   20 -0.005   18 -0.010   22 -0.079   19 0.4989    6  1.188   16  0.045   28 -0.203
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.016 41.860   30 -0.175   30 -0.165   28 -0.141   30 0.4756    4  1.236   15  0.045   30 -0.327

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     354 312 0.532    1  0.080
CENTRAL DIVISION      338 326 0.509    2  0.041
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 343 319 0.518    3  0.037
PACIFIC DIVISION      292 370 0.441    4 -0.166

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.055 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: Wed Apr 22 05:30:09 2026
games through: Tue Apr 21 2026

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