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         6 1 28 18  0.086  3.681    1  0.076    1  0.085    4  0.080    1 0.5601    7  1.250    5  0.344   24 -0.184 P
HURRICANES     5 1 24 15  0.021  2.960    2  0.068    2  0.071    3  0.081    2 0.5578   17  1.031   13  0.071   11  0.092 P
JETS           5 1 23 13 -0.087  2.706    3  0.062    3  0.062    2  0.089    3 0.5478   13  1.081   10  0.138   14  0.040 P
AVALANCHE      5 2 24 14  0.039  3.519    4  0.056    4  0.055    1  0.116    4 0.5428   29  0.827   23 -0.124    3  0.356 P
CANADIENS      6 2 27 21 -0.105  3.646    5  0.049    5  0.047   16 -0.001    5 0.5281   11  1.142   12  0.124   22 -0.126 P
CAPITALS       5 2 21 13 -0.041  3.327    6  0.047    6  0.045    6  0.060    6 0.5261   30  0.754   29 -0.256    2  0.376 P
RED WINGS      5 2 22 18 -0.028  3.415    9  0.042    8  0.040   14  0.001    7 0.5249   22  0.979   22 -0.070   12  0.072 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5 2 30 20 -0.137  3.011    7  0.043    9  0.039    5  0.071    8 0.5220    4  1.318    3  0.425   27 -0.283 P
PENGUINS       5 2 23 16 -0.098  3.163   10  0.040   10  0.036    7  0.044    9 0.5215   16  1.036   14  0.039   13  0.049 P
MAMMOTH        5 2 21 16 -0.044  3.372    8  0.043    7  0.040   17 -0.002   10 0.5183   24  0.889   24 -0.175    8  0.172 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STARS          3 3 20 23  0.102  3.257   12  0.014   12  0.015   13  0.005   11 0.5136    3  1.366    4  0.424   29 -0.414 P
CANUCKS        4 3 21 22  0.012  3.553   11  0.019   11  0.017   20 -0.013   12 0.5114   10  1.176    9  0.154   23 -0.181 P
PANTHERS       4 4 19 23 -0.017  3.964   13  0.006   13  0.005   21 -0.015   13 0.5058   27  0.836   28 -0.246    5  0.216 P
FLYERS         3 3 18 16  0.038  3.106   15 -0.001   15 -0.003   19 -0.010   14 0.5011   21  1.013   20 -0.042   16  0.022 P
BLUE JACKETS   3 3 19 16  0.102  3.260   14  0.002   14  0.002   15 -0.000   15 0.4973   15  1.059   17  0.022   19 -0.023 P
MAPLE LEAFS    3 4 24 25 -0.030  3.405   18 -0.008   18 -0.015   12  0.008   16 0.4949    2  1.379    2  0.446   30 -0.430 P
OILERS         3 4 18 20 -0.035  3.384   19 -0.010   20 -0.016    9  0.012   17 0.4922   26  0.863   26 -0.189    6  0.214 P
ISLANDERS      3 3 20 22 -0.040  2.937   16 -0.001   16 -0.004   23 -0.026   18 0.4910    5  1.303    6  0.307   28 -0.359 P
BLUES          3 3 16 20 -0.131  2.692   17 -0.005   17 -0.009   24 -0.028   19 0.4906   12  1.090   15  0.032   21 -0.088 P
KRAKEN         3 4 19 23  0.008  3.567   20 -0.013   21 -0.019   27 -0.039   20 0.4877   28  0.835   30 -0.270    7  0.192 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
WILD           3 5 21 27  0.092  4.334   23 -0.020   25 -0.022   22 -0.018   21 0.4869   14  1.076   16  0.025   20 -0.062 P
RANGERS        3 5 16 15  0.072  4.238   24 -0.022   24 -0.021    8  0.012   22 0.4856   32  0.410   32 -0.623    1  0.647 P
KINGS          2 5 19 25  0.221  4.157   26 -0.032   26 -0.025   18 -0.003   23 0.4843   18  1.028   18 -0.018   17  0.011 P
SABRES         3 4 19 20 -0.012  3.502   25 -0.027   23 -0.020   26 -0.033   24 0.4839   20  1.014   21 -0.063   18 -0.002 P
DUCKS          3 3 19 20 -0.080  2.864   21 -0.015   19 -0.015   29 -0.066   25 0.4835    9  1.199   11  0.130   26 -0.263 P
BRUINS         3 5 24 26  0.099  4.322   22 -0.018   22 -0.020   10  0.012   26 0.4833    8  1.236    7  0.256   25 -0.233 P
BLACKHAWKS     3 4 22 18 -0.075  3.303   27 -0.039   27 -0.034   25 -0.032   27 0.4779   23  0.912   25 -0.179   10  0.115 P
PREDATORS      2 5 17 24 -0.035  3.453   29 -0.053   29 -0.053   28 -0.049   28 0.4641   25  0.886   27 -0.225    9  0.127 P
LIGHTNING      1 5 16 21  0.079  3.195   28 -0.051   28 -0.052   11  0.009   29 0.4618   19  1.015   19 -0.021   15  0.039 P
SENATORS       2 5 22 33 -0.110  3.255   30 -0.063   30 -0.059   30 -0.090   30 0.4500    1  1.540    1  0.581   32 -0.760 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLAMES         1 7 13 29  0.076  4.372   31 -0.086   31 -0.085   31 -0.103   31 0.4447   31  0.719   31 -0.454    4  0.249 P
SHARKS         0 6 16 29  0.004  3.148   32 -0.106   32 -0.108   32 -0.143   32 0.4152    6  1.284    8  0.166   31 -0.451 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
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5 2 30 20 -0.137  3.011    7  0.043    9  0.039    5  0.071    8 0.5220    4  1.318    3  0.425   27 -0.283 P
CANUCKS        4 3 21 22  0.012  3.553   11  0.019   11  0.017   20 -0.013   12 0.5114   10  1.176    9  0.154   23 -0.181 P
OILERS         3 4 18 20 -0.035  3.384   19 -0.010   20 -0.016    9  0.012   17 0.4922   26  0.863   26 -0.189    6  0.214 P
KRAKEN         3 4 19 23  0.008  3.567   20 -0.013   21 -0.019   27 -0.039   20 0.4877   28  0.835   30 -0.270    7  0.192 P
KINGS          2 5 19 25  0.221  4.157   26 -0.032   26 -0.025   18 -0.003   23 0.4843   18  1.028   18 -0.018   17  0.011 P
DUCKS          3 3 19 20 -0.080  2.864   21 -0.015   19 -0.015   29 -0.066   25 0.4835    9  1.199   11  0.130   26 -0.263 P
FLAMES         1 7 13 29  0.076  4.372   31 -0.086   31 -0.085   31 -0.103   31 0.4447   31  0.719   31 -0.454    4  0.249 P
SHARKS         0 6 16 29  0.004  3.148   32 -0.106   32 -0.108   32 -0.143   32 0.4152    6  1.284    8  0.166   31 -0.451 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           5 1 23 13 -0.087  2.706    3  0.062    3  0.062    2  0.089    3 0.5478   13  1.081   10  0.138   14  0.040 P
AVALANCHE      5 2 24 14  0.039  3.519    4  0.056    4  0.055    1  0.116    4 0.5428   29  0.827   23 -0.124    3  0.356 P
MAMMOTH        5 2 21 16 -0.044  3.372    8  0.043    7  0.040   17 -0.002   10 0.5183   24  0.889   24 -0.175    8  0.172 P
STARS          3 3 20 23  0.102  3.257   12  0.014   12  0.015   13  0.005   11 0.5136    3  1.366    4  0.424   29 -0.414 P
BLUES          3 3 16 20 -0.131  2.692   17 -0.005   17 -0.009   24 -0.028   19 0.4906   12  1.090   15  0.032   21 -0.088 P
WILD           3 5 21 27  0.092  4.334   23 -0.020   25 -0.022   22 -0.018   21 0.4869   14  1.076   16  0.025   20 -0.062 P
BLACKHAWKS     3 4 22 18 -0.075  3.303   27 -0.039   27 -0.034   25 -0.032   27 0.4779   23  0.912   25 -0.179   10  0.115 P
PREDATORS      2 5 17 24 -0.035  3.453   29 -0.053   29 -0.053   28 -0.049   28 0.4641   25  0.886   27 -0.225    9  0.127 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         6 1 28 18  0.086  3.681    1  0.076    1  0.085    4  0.080    1 0.5601    7  1.250    5  0.344   24 -0.184 P
HURRICANES     5 1 24 15  0.021  2.960    2  0.068    2  0.071    3  0.081    2 0.5578   17  1.031   13  0.071   11  0.092 P
CAPITALS       5 2 21 13 -0.041  3.327    6  0.047    6  0.045    6  0.060    6 0.5261   30  0.754   29 -0.256    2  0.376 P
PENGUINS       5 2 23 16 -0.098  3.163   10  0.040   10  0.036    7  0.044    9 0.5215   16  1.036   14  0.039   13  0.049 P
FLYERS         3 3 18 16  0.038  3.106   15 -0.001   15 -0.003   19 -0.010   14 0.5011   21  1.013   20 -0.042   16  0.022 P
BLUE JACKETS   3 3 19 16  0.102  3.260   14  0.002   14  0.002   15 -0.000   15 0.4973   15  1.059   17  0.022   19 -0.023 P
ISLANDERS      3 3 20 22 -0.040  2.937   16 -0.001   16 -0.004   23 -0.026   18 0.4910    5  1.303    6  0.307   28 -0.359 P
RANGERS        3 5 16 15  0.072  4.238   24 -0.022   24 -0.021    8  0.012   22 0.4856   32  0.410   32 -0.623    1  0.647 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      6 2 27 21 -0.105  3.646    5  0.049    5  0.047   16 -0.001    5 0.5281   11  1.142   12  0.124   22 -0.126 P
RED WINGS      5 2 22 18 -0.028  3.415    9  0.042    8  0.040   14  0.001    7 0.5249   22  0.979   22 -0.070   12  0.072 P
PANTHERS       4 4 19 23 -0.017  3.964   13  0.006   13  0.005   21 -0.015   13 0.5058   27  0.836   28 -0.246    5  0.216 P
MAPLE LEAFS    3 4 24 25 -0.030  3.405   18 -0.008   18 -0.015   12  0.008   16 0.4949    2  1.379    2  0.446   30 -0.430 P
SABRES         3 4 19 20 -0.012  3.502   25 -0.027   23 -0.020   26 -0.033   24 0.4839   20  1.014   21 -0.063   18 -0.002 P
BRUINS         3 5 24 26  0.099  4.322   22 -0.018   22 -0.020   10  0.012   26 0.4833    8  1.236    7  0.256   25 -0.233 P
LIGHTNING      1 5 16 21  0.079  3.195   28 -0.051   28 -0.052   11  0.009   29 0.4618   19  1.015   19 -0.021   15  0.039 P
SENATORS       2 5 22 33 -0.110  3.255   30 -0.063   30 -0.059   30 -0.090   30 0.4500    1  1.540    1  0.581   32 -0.760 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 33 20 0.623    1  0.142
CENTRAL DIVISION      29 25 0.537    2  0.052
ATLANTIC DIVISION     27 31 0.466    3 -0.050
PACIFIC DIVISION      21 34 0.382    4 -0.145

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.072 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: Thu Oct 23 05:30:10 2025
games through: Wed Oct 22 2025

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.