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      34 14 191 114 -0.003 23.669    1  0.237    1  0.226    1  0.372    1 0.5517   19  1.066    1  0.357    1  0.388
CANADIENS      28 22 172 167 -0.002 25.119    7  0.056    6  0.065   14  0.020    8 0.5126    2  1.247    2  0.232   28 -0.193
DUCKS          26 24 165 176  0.022 25.717   13  0.025   13  0.033   23 -0.055   13 0.5066    1  1.301    3  0.229   32 -0.339
SENATORS       23 26 163 164 -0.011 24.460   23 -0.029   23 -0.039   17 -0.008   22 0.4916    3  1.245    4  0.202   29 -0.217
OILERS         25 26 171 160 -0.029 25.036   17 -0.014   17 -0.024   11  0.048   19 0.4943    6  1.197    5  0.196   23 -0.099
LIGHTNING      31 17 170 121  0.011 24.094    2  0.169    2  0.161    2  0.215    2 0.5382   20  1.054    6  0.185    3  0.245
BRUINS         28 22 166 156  0.003 25.175    5  0.061    5  0.068    8  0.053    5 0.5153    7  1.183    7  0.183   21 -0.077
MAPLE LEAFS    24 26 166 166 -0.010 24.977   18 -0.016   18 -0.025   15  0.010   18 0.4957    5  1.208    8  0.172   25 -0.152
HURRICANES     31 19 173 145 -0.001 25.015    3  0.136    3  0.133    4  0.110    3 0.5314   10  1.129    9  0.172   11  0.048
SABRES         27 22 163 153 -0.008 24.482   10  0.043    9  0.051   13  0.028    7 0.5127    9  1.174   10  0.146   22 -0.091
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STARS          28 22 169 141 -0.006 24.905    6  0.058    7  0.063    3  0.129    6 0.5143   18  1.077   11  0.127    8  0.131
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 24 24 161 147 -0.025 23.606   16 -0.005   16 -0.012    6  0.057   16 0.4999   12  1.129   12  0.118   18 -0.004
SHARKS         25 24 153 173  0.037 25.550   14  0.021   14  0.029   26 -0.091   15 0.5050    4  1.237   13  0.109   30 -0.291
PENGUINS       24 25 160 148 -0.036 23.915   19 -0.017   20 -0.026   10  0.051   17 0.4959   15  1.102   14  0.079   15  0.022
PANTHERS       25 23 146 160  0.023 24.707   12  0.025   12  0.033   22 -0.047   12 0.5086    8  1.180   15  0.078   27 -0.172
CAPITALS       24 27 162 152 -0.009 25.443   22 -0.027   22 -0.038    9  0.053   20 0.4938   17  1.095   16  0.072   14  0.033
WILD           28 23 164 147 -0.008 25.399    9  0.044   10  0.051    5  0.095   11 0.5092   23  1.028   17  0.035    5  0.156
JETS           20 29 147 151 -0.002 24.687   28 -0.096   28 -0.102   20 -0.037   29 0.4748   16  1.098   18 -0.013   20 -0.061
MAMMOTH        26 24 158 139 -0.004 25.021   15  0.019   15  0.020    7  0.056   14 0.5053   24  1.009   19 -0.028    7  0.140
BLUE JACKETS   22 27 149 164  0.015 25.103   24 -0.041   24 -0.049   25 -0.077   24 0.4887   14  1.118   20 -0.030   24 -0.124
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
RED WINGS      31 20 159 154 -0.023 25.213    4  0.105    4  0.111   16 -0.002    4 0.5247   21  1.041   21 -0.047   13  0.044
PREDATORS      23 26 141 166  0.011 25.108   20 -0.021   19 -0.026   29 -0.115   23 0.4912   13  1.126   22 -0.057   26 -0.172
FLYERS         23 26 147 155 -0.002 24.696   21 -0.025   21 -0.035   19 -0.035   21 0.4935   22  1.038   23 -0.085   16  0.014
ISLANDERS      27 23 146 141  0.024 25.617    8  0.046    8  0.055   12  0.037    9 0.5125   29  0.934   24 -0.132    4  0.207
CANUCKS        17 33 133 183 -0.004 25.444   32 -0.194   32 -0.178   32 -0.233   32 0.4616   11  1.129   25 -0.171   31 -0.294
BLACKHAWKS     20 29 135 154 -0.037 24.080   30 -0.116   30 -0.116   27 -0.093   30 0.4726   25  1.000   26 -0.187   17  0.000
KRAKEN         22 27 137 148 -0.019 24.363   25 -0.056   25 -0.065   21 -0.039   25 0.4854   28  0.938   27 -0.204    9  0.126
RANGERS        21 30 138 159  0.028 26.425   26 -0.079   26 -0.086   28 -0.107   26 0.4818   27  0.951   28 -0.258   12  0.044
DEVILS         26 24 131 151  0.048 26.271   11  0.033   11  0.044   24 -0.072   10 0.5102   30  0.889   29 -0.291    6  0.147
BLUES          19 31 121 171 -0.019 25.064   31 -0.150   31 -0.140   31 -0.183   31 0.4686   26  0.975   30 -0.306   19 -0.060
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLAMES         21 29 128 149 -0.036 24.600   29 -0.104   29 -0.105   30 -0.117   28 0.4761   31  0.881   31 -0.346   10  0.111
KINGS          20 29 129 139  0.013 24.982   27 -0.087   27 -0.094   18 -0.023   27 0.4778   32  0.753   32 -0.387    2  0.340

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          26 24 165 176  0.022 25.717   13  0.025   13  0.033   23 -0.055   13 0.5066    1  1.301    3  0.229   32 -0.339
OILERS         25 26 171 160 -0.029 25.036   17 -0.014   17 -0.024   11  0.048   19 0.4943    6  1.197    5  0.196   23 -0.099
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 24 24 161 147 -0.025 23.606   16 -0.005   16 -0.012    6  0.057   16 0.4999   12  1.129   12  0.118   18 -0.004
SHARKS         25 24 153 173  0.037 25.550   14  0.021   14  0.029   26 -0.091   15 0.5050    4  1.237   13  0.109   30 -0.291
CANUCKS        17 33 133 183 -0.004 25.444   32 -0.194   32 -0.178   32 -0.233   32 0.4616   11  1.129   25 -0.171   31 -0.294
KRAKEN         22 27 137 148 -0.019 24.363   25 -0.056   25 -0.065   21 -0.039   25 0.4854   28  0.938   27 -0.204    9  0.126
FLAMES         21 29 128 149 -0.036 24.600   29 -0.104   29 -0.105   30 -0.117   28 0.4761   31  0.881   31 -0.346   10  0.111
KINGS          20 29 129 139  0.013 24.982   27 -0.087   27 -0.094   18 -0.023   27 0.4778   32  0.753   32 -0.387    2  0.340

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      34 14 191 114 -0.003 23.669    1  0.237    1  0.226    1  0.372    1 0.5517   19  1.066    1  0.357    1  0.388
STARS          28 22 169 141 -0.006 24.905    6  0.058    7  0.063    3  0.129    6 0.5143   18  1.077   11  0.127    8  0.131
WILD           28 23 164 147 -0.008 25.399    9  0.044   10  0.051    5  0.095   11 0.5092   23  1.028   17  0.035    5  0.156
JETS           20 29 147 151 -0.002 24.687   28 -0.096   28 -0.102   20 -0.037   29 0.4748   16  1.098   18 -0.013   20 -0.061
MAMMOTH        26 24 158 139 -0.004 25.021   15  0.019   15  0.020    7  0.056   14 0.5053   24  1.009   19 -0.028    7  0.140
PREDATORS      23 26 141 166  0.011 25.108   20 -0.021   19 -0.026   29 -0.115   23 0.4912   13  1.126   22 -0.057   26 -0.172
BLACKHAWKS     20 29 135 154 -0.037 24.080   30 -0.116   30 -0.116   27 -0.093   30 0.4726   25  1.000   26 -0.187   17  0.000
BLUES          19 31 121 171 -0.019 25.064   31 -0.150   31 -0.140   31 -0.183   31 0.4686   26  0.975   30 -0.306   19 -0.060

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     31 19 173 145 -0.001 25.015    3  0.136    3  0.133    4  0.110    3 0.5314   10  1.129    9  0.172   11  0.048
PENGUINS       24 25 160 148 -0.036 23.915   19 -0.017   20 -0.026   10  0.051   17 0.4959   15  1.102   14  0.079   15  0.022
CAPITALS       24 27 162 152 -0.009 25.443   22 -0.027   22 -0.038    9  0.053   20 0.4938   17  1.095   16  0.072   14  0.033
BLUE JACKETS   22 27 149 164  0.015 25.103   24 -0.041   24 -0.049   25 -0.077   24 0.4887   14  1.118   20 -0.030   24 -0.124
FLYERS         23 26 147 155 -0.002 24.696   21 -0.025   21 -0.035   19 -0.035   21 0.4935   22  1.038   23 -0.085   16  0.014
ISLANDERS      27 23 146 141  0.024 25.617    8  0.046    8  0.055   12  0.037    9 0.5125   29  0.934   24 -0.132    4  0.207
RANGERS        21 30 138 159  0.028 26.425   26 -0.079   26 -0.086   28 -0.107   26 0.4818   27  0.951   28 -0.258   12  0.044
DEVILS         26 24 131 151  0.048 26.271   11  0.033   11  0.044   24 -0.072   10 0.5102   30  0.889   29 -0.291    6  0.147

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      28 22 172 167 -0.002 25.119    7  0.056    6  0.065   14  0.020    8 0.5126    2  1.247    2  0.232   28 -0.193
SENATORS       23 26 163 164 -0.011 24.460   23 -0.029   23 -0.039   17 -0.008   22 0.4916    3  1.245    4  0.202   29 -0.217
LIGHTNING      31 17 170 121  0.011 24.094    2  0.169    2  0.161    2  0.215    2 0.5382   20  1.054    6  0.185    3  0.245
BRUINS         28 22 166 156  0.003 25.175    5  0.061    5  0.068    8  0.053    5 0.5153    7  1.183    7  0.183   21 -0.077
MAPLE LEAFS    24 26 166 166 -0.010 24.977   18 -0.016   18 -0.025   15  0.010   18 0.4957    5  1.208    8  0.172   25 -0.152
SABRES         27 22 163 153 -0.008 24.482   10  0.043    9  0.051   13  0.028    7 0.5127    9  1.174   10  0.146   22 -0.091
PANTHERS       25 23 146 160  0.023 24.707   12  0.025   12  0.033   22 -0.047   12 0.5086    8  1.180   15  0.078   27 -0.172
RED WINGS      31 20 159 154 -0.023 25.213    4  0.105    4  0.111   16 -0.002    4 0.5247   21  1.041   21 -0.047   13  0.044

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     217 178 0.549    1  0.061
CENTRAL DIVISION      198 198 0.500    2  0.048
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 198 201 0.496    3 -0.010
PACIFIC DIVISION      180 216 0.455    4 -0.102

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.061 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: Thu Jan 22 05:30:11 2026
games through: Wed Jan 21 2026

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