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
BRUINS         12  5 64 40  0.005  8.153    3  0.161    3  0.164    3  0.205    1 0.5428   19  1.043   13  0.128    3  0.283 P
HURRICANES     14  5 78 45 -0.075  8.445    1  0.177    1  0.179    1  0.251    2 0.5424   17  1.109    8  0.253    5  0.249 P
DEVILS         12  5 62 51  0.012  8.421    2  0.167    2  0.170    8  0.079    3 0.5416   13  1.151   12  0.133   14  0.025 P
LIGHTNING      11  5 60 49  0.028  7.920    4  0.155    4  0.159    6  0.129    4 0.5400   10  1.247    6  0.306   19 -0.049 P
WILD           12  7 63 43  0.045  9.463    5  0.127    5  0.125    2  0.239    5 0.5347   30  0.846   19 -0.062    1  0.540 P
OILERS         12  6 75 55 -0.052  8.260    6  0.119    6  0.116    4  0.193    6 0.5299    8  1.252    3  0.378   15  0.008 P
CAPITALS        9  6 53 51  0.064  7.781    8  0.098    8  0.093   14  0.042    7 0.5257    5  1.360    4  0.372   28 -0.289 P
CANADIENS      11  6 61 53 -0.061  7.915    7  0.098    7  0.095    9  0.067    8 0.5227   11  1.164   11  0.138   16 -0.003 P
MAMMOTH        10  8 63 63  0.106  9.654   10  0.084   10  0.081   13  0.044    9 0.5210    7  1.276    7  0.260   24 -0.172 P
SENATORS       11  7 58 54 -0.046  8.536   11  0.083   11  0.076   15  0.034   10 0.5207   12  1.157   15  0.096   18 -0.028 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 11  7 60 50 -0.026  8.611    9  0.090    9  0.084    7  0.087   11 0.5201   23  0.998   17 -0.043    6  0.217 P
STARS          10  7 49 41 -0.055  7.966   12  0.064   12  0.057   11  0.059   12 0.5143   32  0.720   29 -0.372    2  0.491 P
RANGERS        10  8 55 52  0.010  8.946   13  0.056   13  0.049   12  0.046   13 0.5140   24  0.971   22 -0.117    7  0.208 P
KRAKEN          9  7 57 57 -0.041  7.700   14  0.035   14  0.033   21 -0.034   14 0.5119    3  1.385    5  0.330   30 -0.399 P
AVALANCHE      10  8 72 56 -0.068  8.260   15  0.026   15  0.024    5  0.134   15 0.5039    2  1.421    1  0.551   27 -0.282 P
DUCKS           9  8 64 64 -0.046  8.158   17  0.007   17  0.004   22 -0.041   16 0.5021    1  1.494    2  0.481   31 -0.563 P
PREDATORS       8  9 52 51  0.119  9.200   16  0.011   16  0.010   10  0.063   17 0.4974   26  0.947   23 -0.126    4  0.253 P
SABRES          8  8 49 53 -0.068  7.567   20 -0.022   20 -0.019   23 -0.068   18 0.4973   16  1.114   18 -0.060   21 -0.076 P
PANTHERS        9  8 55 51 -0.125  7.597   18 -0.011   18 -0.013   20 -0.029   19 0.4967   20  1.043   21 -0.106   13  0.049 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  8 40 47  0.043  7.792   19 -0.019   19 -0.015   24 -0.085   20 0.4918   25  0.960   26 -0.260   12  0.089 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
ISLANDERS       7  9 47 49  0.059  8.323   21 -0.034   21 -0.031   17  0.007   21 0.4885   27  0.945   24 -0.185    9  0.199 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8 10 64 60 -0.008  8.836   22 -0.050   22 -0.050   16  0.028   22 0.4870    6  1.281    9  0.251   25 -0.195 P
BLUES           7 10 50 53  0.070  8.950   23 -0.056   23 -0.054   18 -0.015   23 0.4864   14  1.137   16  0.022   20 -0.051 P
FLAMES          7 10 42 60 -0.012  8.560   24 -0.073   24 -0.072   29 -0.163   24 0.4804   29  0.887   31 -0.419   11  0.094 P
SHARKS          7 12 48 69  0.011  9.861   26 -0.110   26 -0.109   30 -0.232   25 0.4700   21  1.037   27 -0.317   23 -0.147 P
JETS            6 11 45 60  0.052  8.964   25 -0.101   25 -0.101   26 -0.112   26 0.4693   22  1.026   25 -0.210   17 -0.013 P
RED WINGS       7 11 49 56 -0.098  8.397   28 -0.123   28 -0.124   27 -0.129   27 0.4680   28  0.901   28 -0.370   10  0.111 P
PENGUINS        6 11 56 60  0.016  8.568   27 -0.119   27 -0.119   19 -0.020   28 0.4673    9  1.247   10  0.158   26 -0.198 P
KINGS           5 10 45 52 -0.019  7.447   29 -0.129   29 -0.130   25 -0.095   29 0.4649   15  1.117   20 -0.083   22 -0.107 P
FLYERS          4 14 39 61  0.089  9.779   30 -0.208   30 -0.209   28 -0.159   30 0.4473   31  0.785   32 -0.523    8  0.206 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS      4 14 39 76  0.026  9.543   31 -0.227   31 -0.229   32 -0.346   31 0.4369   18  1.073   30 -0.388   29 -0.304 P
CANUCKS         3 16 55 87  0.070 10.347   32 -0.275   32 -0.278   31 -0.250   32 0.4285    4  1.377   14  0.104   32 -0.604 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         12  6 75 55 -0.052  8.260    6  0.119    6  0.116    4  0.193    6 0.5299    8  1.252    3  0.378   15  0.008 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 11  7 60 50 -0.026  8.611    9  0.090    9  0.084    7  0.087   11 0.5201   23  0.998   17 -0.043    6  0.217 P
KRAKEN          9  7 57 57 -0.041  7.700   14  0.035   14  0.033   21 -0.034   14 0.5119    3  1.385    5  0.330   30 -0.399 P
DUCKS           9  8 64 64 -0.046  8.158   17  0.007   17  0.004   22 -0.041   16 0.5021    1  1.494    2  0.481   31 -0.563 P
FLAMES          7 10 42 60 -0.012  8.560   24 -0.073   24 -0.072   29 -0.163   24 0.4804   29  0.887   31 -0.419   11  0.094 P
SHARKS          7 12 48 69  0.011  9.861   26 -0.110   26 -0.109   30 -0.232   25 0.4700   21  1.037   27 -0.317   23 -0.147 P
KINGS           5 10 45 52 -0.019  7.447   29 -0.129   29 -0.130   25 -0.095   29 0.4649   15  1.117   20 -0.083   22 -0.107 P
CANUCKS         3 16 55 87  0.070 10.347   32 -0.275   32 -0.278   31 -0.250   32 0.4285    4  1.377   14  0.104   32 -0.604 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           12  7 63 43  0.045  9.463    5  0.127    5  0.125    2  0.239    5 0.5347   30  0.846   19 -0.062    1  0.540 P
MAMMOTH        10  8 63 63  0.106  9.654   10  0.084   10  0.081   13  0.044    9 0.5210    7  1.276    7  0.260   24 -0.172 P
STARS          10  7 49 41 -0.055  7.966   12  0.064   12  0.057   11  0.059   12 0.5143   32  0.720   29 -0.372    2  0.491 P
AVALANCHE      10  8 72 56 -0.068  8.260   15  0.026   15  0.024    5  0.134   15 0.5039    2  1.421    1  0.551   27 -0.282 P
PREDATORS       8  9 52 51  0.119  9.200   16  0.011   16  0.010   10  0.063   17 0.4974   26  0.947   23 -0.126    4  0.253 P
BLUES           7 10 50 53  0.070  8.950   23 -0.056   23 -0.054   18 -0.015   23 0.4864   14  1.137   16  0.022   20 -0.051 P
JETS            6 11 45 60  0.052  8.964   25 -0.101   25 -0.101   26 -0.112   26 0.4693   22  1.026   25 -0.210   17 -0.013 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 14 39 76  0.026  9.543   31 -0.227   31 -0.229   32 -0.346   31 0.4369   18  1.073   30 -0.388   29 -0.304 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     14  5 78 45 -0.075  8.445    1  0.177    1  0.179    1  0.251    2 0.5424   17  1.109    8  0.253    5  0.249 P
DEVILS         12  5 62 51  0.012  8.421    2  0.167    2  0.170    8  0.079    3 0.5416   13  1.151   12  0.133   14  0.025 P
CAPITALS        9  6 53 51  0.064  7.781    8  0.098    8  0.093   14  0.042    7 0.5257    5  1.360    4  0.372   28 -0.289 P
RANGERS        10  8 55 52  0.010  8.946   13  0.056   13  0.049   12  0.046   13 0.5140   24  0.971   22 -0.117    7  0.208 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  8 40 47  0.043  7.792   19 -0.019   19 -0.015   24 -0.085   20 0.4918   25  0.960   26 -0.260   12  0.089 P
ISLANDERS       7  9 47 49  0.059  8.323   21 -0.034   21 -0.031   17  0.007   21 0.4885   27  0.945   24 -0.185    9  0.199 P
PENGUINS        6 11 56 60  0.016  8.568   27 -0.119   27 -0.119   19 -0.020   28 0.4673    9  1.247   10  0.158   26 -0.198 P
FLYERS          4 14 39 61  0.089  9.779   30 -0.208   30 -0.209   28 -0.159   30 0.4473   31  0.785   32 -0.523    8  0.206 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         12  5 64 40  0.005  8.153    3  0.161    3  0.164    3  0.205    1 0.5428   19  1.043   13  0.128    3  0.283 P
LIGHTNING      11  5 60 49  0.028  7.920    4  0.155    4  0.159    6  0.129    4 0.5400   10  1.247    6  0.306   19 -0.049 P
CANADIENS      11  6 61 53 -0.061  7.915    7  0.098    7  0.095    9  0.067    8 0.5227   11  1.164   11  0.138   16 -0.003 P
SENATORS       11  7 58 54 -0.046  8.536   11  0.083   11  0.076   15  0.034   10 0.5207   12  1.157   15  0.096   18 -0.028 P
SABRES          8  8 49 53 -0.068  7.567   20 -0.022   20 -0.019   23 -0.068   18 0.4973   16  1.114   18 -0.060   21 -0.076 P
PANTHERS        9  8 55 51 -0.125  7.597   18 -0.011   18 -0.013   20 -0.029   19 0.4967   20  1.043   21 -0.106   13  0.049 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8 10 64 60 -0.008  8.836   22 -0.050   22 -0.050   16  0.028   22 0.4870    6  1.281    9  0.251   25 -0.195 P
RED WINGS       7 11 49 56 -0.098  8.397   28 -0.123   28 -0.124   27 -0.129   27 0.4680   28  0.901   28 -0.370   10  0.111 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     77 60 0.562    1  0.068
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 69 66 0.511    2  0.044
CENTRAL DIVISION      67 74 0.475    3  0.027
PACIFIC DIVISION      63 76 0.453    4 -0.144

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.109 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: Sun Nov  8 05:30:13 2026
games through: Sat Nov  7 2026

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