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     16  5 87 47 -0.061  9.501    1  0.277    1  0.277    1  0.369    1 0.5559   21  1.045    5  0.310    2  0.429 P
DEVILS         15  6 80 61  0.039 10.651    2  0.269    2  0.270    6  0.195    2 0.5510   11  1.163    7  0.280   11  0.110 P
WILD           15  7 76 48  0.058 11.112    3  0.240    3  0.238    2  0.357    3 0.5502   30  0.843   14  0.069    1  0.645
OILERS         15  6 82 58 -0.062  9.615    4  0.217    4  0.214    3  0.260    4 0.5386   12  1.128    6  0.302    7  0.218 P
BRUINS         13  7 72 52  0.038 10.026    5  0.188    5  0.184    5  0.219    5 0.5374   13  1.103    9  0.231    8  0.208 P
LIGHTNING      13  7 74 59  0.012  9.895    6  0.183    6  0.179    8  0.154    6 0.5341    7  1.225    4  0.320   18 -0.011 P
CAPITALS       10  8 62 65  0.116  9.848    9  0.123    9  0.110   15  0.025    7 0.5257    3  1.395    3  0.420   28 -0.371 P
SENATORS       13  8 68 61 -0.032 10.157    7  0.130    7  0.121   12  0.078    8 0.5235   18  1.075   15  0.054   13  0.102 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 13  8 71 57 -0.047  9.936    8  0.130    8  0.116    9  0.129    9 0.5218   22  1.011   16  0.030    6  0.229 P
PREDATORS      11  9 62 55  0.125 10.874   10  0.121   10  0.107    7  0.162   10 0.5197   29  0.887   21 -0.078    4  0.403 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CANADIENS      12  8 68 61 -0.015  9.776   11  0.113   11  0.103   10  0.087   11 0.5192   14  1.094   11  0.087   15  0.088 P
RANGERS        12  9 64 57 -0.017 10.266   12  0.084   12  0.072   11  0.079   12 0.5146   26  0.927   22 -0.116    5  0.275 P
AVALANCHE      12  9 85 64 -0.019 10.100   13  0.081   13  0.068    4  0.222   13 0.5139    2  1.402    1  0.627   21 -0.183 P
STARS          11  8 54 49 -0.073  8.887   14  0.059   14  0.057   14  0.044   14 0.5128   32  0.770   28 -0.321    3  0.409 P
PANTHERS       12  9 69 61 -0.118  9.491   15  0.034   15  0.030   16 -0.002   15 0.5094   20  1.063   19 -0.039   16  0.035 P
KRAKEN          9  9 59 66  0.022  9.278   16  0.006   16  0.007   22 -0.087   16 0.5052    5  1.331   10  0.220   30 -0.395 P
JETS           10 11 66 72  0.063 11.124   17  0.002   17  0.002   19 -0.042   17 0.5020    9  1.185   13  0.071   20 -0.155 P
BLUES           9 11 55 59  0.082 10.716   21 -0.037   21 -0.027   17 -0.017   18 0.4977   23  1.002   23 -0.127   14  0.093 P
MAMMOTH        10 11 71 75  0.021 10.720   20 -0.033   19 -0.020   18 -0.018   19 0.4970    6  1.292    8  0.235   27 -0.272 P
DUCKS          10 10 73 76 -0.036  9.802   19 -0.032   20 -0.020   20 -0.066   20 0.4965    1  1.493    2  0.471   31 -0.604 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
ISLANDERS       9 10 60 56  0.032  9.673   18 -0.018   18 -0.020   13  0.065   21 0.4952   24  0.987   20 -0.062    9  0.192 P
FLAMES          9 11 50 68 -0.047  9.893   22 -0.077   22 -0.072   28 -0.212   22 0.4849   28  0.908   30 -0.428   17  0.005 P
SHARKS          9 13 59 79 -0.026 11.138   23 -0.124   23 -0.117   30 -0.272   23 0.4764   19  1.066   26 -0.305   26 -0.238
RED WINGS       8 13 57 64 -0.032 10.374   26 -0.150   26 -0.154   24 -0.105   24 0.4736   27  0.915   27 -0.314   12  0.105 P
SABRES          8 12 55 70 -0.110  9.372   27 -0.155   27 -0.161   29 -0.226   25 0.4704   15  1.082   25 -0.241   24 -0.212 P
BLUE JACKETS    7 11 45 58 -0.013  9.126   24 -0.131   24 -0.125   26 -0.193   26 0.4703   25  0.962   29 -0.349   19 -0.037 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8 14 69 76  0.042 11.487   25 -0.143   25 -0.145   21 -0.070   27 0.4695    8  1.212   12  0.078   25 -0.217
PENGUINS        7 13 62 71 -0.021  9.942   28 -0.180   28 -0.186   23 -0.104   28 0.4647   10  1.170   17 -0.010   23 -0.198 P
FLYERS          6 16 51 72  0.040 11.614   30 -0.258   30 -0.264   25 -0.166   29 0.4523   31  0.813   32 -0.486   10  0.154
KINGS           5 13 49 63 -0.036  9.005   29 -0.249   29 -0.255   27 -0.210   30 0.4493   16  1.082   24 -0.224   22 -0.195 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS      5 15 46 83 -0.010 10.404   31 -0.286   31 -0.294   32 -0.412   31 0.4417   17  1.079   31 -0.430   29 -0.393 P
CANUCKS         3 18 57 95  0.069 11.578   32 -0.382   32 -0.399   31 -0.353   32 0.4247    4  1.345   18 -0.027   32 -0.678 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         15  6 82 58 -0.062  9.615    4  0.217    4  0.214    3  0.260    4 0.5386   12  1.128    6  0.302    7  0.218 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 13  8 71 57 -0.047  9.936    8  0.130    8  0.116    9  0.129    9 0.5218   22  1.011   16  0.030    6  0.229 P
KRAKEN          9  9 59 66  0.022  9.278   16  0.006   16  0.007   22 -0.087   16 0.5052    5  1.331   10  0.220   30 -0.395 P
DUCKS          10 10 73 76 -0.036  9.802   19 -0.032   20 -0.020   20 -0.066   20 0.4965    1  1.493    2  0.471   31 -0.604 P
FLAMES          9 11 50 68 -0.047  9.893   22 -0.077   22 -0.072   28 -0.212   22 0.4849   28  0.908   30 -0.428   17  0.005 P
SHARKS          9 13 59 79 -0.026 11.138   23 -0.124   23 -0.117   30 -0.272   23 0.4764   19  1.066   26 -0.305   26 -0.238
KINGS           5 13 49 63 -0.036  9.005   29 -0.249   29 -0.255   27 -0.210   30 0.4493   16  1.082   24 -0.224   22 -0.195 P
CANUCKS         3 18 57 95  0.069 11.578   32 -0.382   32 -0.399   31 -0.353   32 0.4247    4  1.345   18 -0.027   32 -0.678 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           15  7 76 48  0.058 11.112    3  0.240    3  0.238    2  0.357    3 0.5502   30  0.843   14  0.069    1  0.645
PREDATORS      11  9 62 55  0.125 10.874   10  0.121   10  0.107    7  0.162   10 0.5197   29  0.887   21 -0.078    4  0.403 P
AVALANCHE      12  9 85 64 -0.019 10.100   13  0.081   13  0.068    4  0.222   13 0.5139    2  1.402    1  0.627   21 -0.183 P
STARS          11  8 54 49 -0.073  8.887   14  0.059   14  0.057   14  0.044   14 0.5128   32  0.770   28 -0.321    3  0.409 P
JETS           10 11 66 72  0.063 11.124   17  0.002   17  0.002   19 -0.042   17 0.5020    9  1.185   13  0.071   20 -0.155 P
BLUES           9 11 55 59  0.082 10.716   21 -0.037   21 -0.027   17 -0.017   18 0.4977   23  1.002   23 -0.127   14  0.093 P
MAMMOTH        10 11 71 75  0.021 10.720   20 -0.033   19 -0.020   18 -0.018   19 0.4970    6  1.292    8  0.235   27 -0.272 P
BLACKHAWKS      5 15 46 83 -0.010 10.404   31 -0.286   31 -0.294   32 -0.412   31 0.4417   17  1.079   31 -0.430   29 -0.393 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     16  5 87 47 -0.061  9.501    1  0.277    1  0.277    1  0.369    1 0.5559   21  1.045    5  0.310    2  0.429 P
DEVILS         15  6 80 61  0.039 10.651    2  0.269    2  0.270    6  0.195    2 0.5510   11  1.163    7  0.280   11  0.110 P
CAPITALS       10  8 62 65  0.116  9.848    9  0.123    9  0.110   15  0.025    7 0.5257    3  1.395    3  0.420   28 -0.371 P
RANGERS        12  9 64 57 -0.017 10.266   12  0.084   12  0.072   11  0.079   12 0.5146   26  0.927   22 -0.116    5  0.275 P
ISLANDERS       9 10 60 56  0.032  9.673   18 -0.018   18 -0.020   13  0.065   21 0.4952   24  0.987   20 -0.062    9  0.192 P
BLUE JACKETS    7 11 45 58 -0.013  9.126   24 -0.131   24 -0.125   26 -0.193   26 0.4703   25  0.962   29 -0.349   19 -0.037 P
PENGUINS        7 13 62 71 -0.021  9.942   28 -0.180   28 -0.186   23 -0.104   28 0.4647   10  1.170   17 -0.010   23 -0.198 P
FLYERS          6 16 51 72  0.040 11.614   30 -0.258   30 -0.264   25 -0.166   29 0.4523   31  0.813   32 -0.486   10  0.154

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         13  7 72 52  0.038 10.026    5  0.188    5  0.184    5  0.219    5 0.5374   13  1.103    9  0.231    8  0.208 P
LIGHTNING      13  7 74 59  0.012  9.895    6  0.183    6  0.179    8  0.154    6 0.5341    7  1.225    4  0.320   18 -0.011 P
SENATORS       13  8 68 61 -0.032 10.157    7  0.130    7  0.121   12  0.078    8 0.5235   18  1.075   15  0.054   13  0.102 P
CANADIENS      12  8 68 61 -0.015  9.776   11  0.113   11  0.103   10  0.087   11 0.5192   14  1.094   11  0.087   15  0.088 P
PANTHERS       12  9 69 61 -0.118  9.491   15  0.034   15  0.030   16 -0.002   15 0.5094   20  1.063   19 -0.039   16  0.035 P
RED WINGS       8 13 57 64 -0.032 10.374   26 -0.150   26 -0.154   24 -0.105   24 0.4736   27  0.915   27 -0.314   12  0.105 P
SABRES          8 12 55 70 -0.110  9.372   27 -0.155   27 -0.161   29 -0.226   25 0.4704   15  1.082   25 -0.241   24 -0.212 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8 14 69 76  0.042 11.487   25 -0.143   25 -0.145   21 -0.070   27 0.4695    8  1.212   12  0.078   25 -0.217

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      83 81 0.506    1  0.070
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 82 78 0.512    2  0.057
ATLANTIC DIVISION     87 78 0.527    3  0.033
PACIFIC DIVISION      73 88 0.453    4 -0.178

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.061 points in main ratings (0.079 for semineutral)
     0.010 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 15 05:30:15 2026
games through: Sat Nov 14 2026

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