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
OILERS         3 1 22 16 -0.087  1.809    4  0.059    3  0.040    4  0.069    3 0.5332    1  1.546    1  0.721   30 -0.583 P
CANADIENS      1 2 12 14  0.106  1.634   24 -0.034   23 -0.032   18 -0.020   26 0.4811    2  1.511    2  0.580   32 -0.619 P
CANUCKS        2 2 19 18 -0.028  1.971   20 -0.016   20 -0.021   22 -0.044   18 0.4924    3  1.491    4  0.526   31 -0.614 P
KINGS          0 3  9 15  0.055  1.586   30 -0.066   30 -0.084   23 -0.046   30 0.4544    4  1.410    6  0.406   29 -0.499 P
AVALANCHE      2 1 16  8  0.002  1.433    5  0.056    6  0.034    1  0.133    7 0.5277    5  1.386    3  0.552   26 -0.286 P
PENGUINS       2 2 18 13 -0.012  1.948   16 -0.007   17 -0.011   10  0.035   16 0.4976    6  1.373    5  0.436   27 -0.366 P
SHARKS         2 1  9 12 -0.083  1.439   17 -0.009   16 -0.009   30 -0.146   20 0.4891    7  1.297   11  0.150   28 -0.443 P
SABRES         2 1 10 11 -0.150  1.311   12  0.024   13  0.010   21 -0.024   12 0.5147    8  1.270    7  0.238   25 -0.285 P
SENATORS       2 1 10  8  0.102  1.611    9  0.040    9  0.024   12  0.031   10 0.5223    9  1.223    8  0.231   21 -0.168 P
BLUE JACKETS   1 1  7  7 -0.063  0.951   19 -0.014   18 -0.019   24 -0.047   17 0.4961   10  1.205   12  0.128   24 -0.222 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3 1 17 10 -0.154  1.684    3  0.061    4  0.036    3  0.073    4 0.5313   11  1.162    9  0.194   16 -0.048 P
CAPITALS       2 1 11  8  0.214  1.746    7  0.047    5  0.035    8  0.053    8 0.5273   12  1.151   10  0.160   17 -0.054 P
DEVILS         1 2  6 13 -0.132  1.380   28 -0.042   28 -0.046   28 -0.111   28 0.4699   13  1.133   17 -0.026   22 -0.195 P
DUCKS          2 1  9 10  0.122  1.673   13  0.018   12  0.011   27 -0.071   13 0.5120   14  1.127   15  0.006   20 -0.148 P
PREDATORS      1 2  7  9  0.020  1.533   26 -0.040   27 -0.041   25 -0.048   27 0.4752   15  1.114   14  0.013   19 -0.108 P
BLACKHAWKS     1 3  9 17  0.117  2.266   29 -0.063   29 -0.070   31 -0.152   29 0.4637   16  1.103   22 -0.106   23 -0.199 P
MAMMOTH        3 1 17  8 -0.043  1.867    8  0.042    7  0.033    7  0.064    6 0.5280   17  1.100   13  0.109   13  0.020 P
KRAKEN         2 2 15 11 -0.131  1.778   21 -0.020   22 -0.028   19 -0.020   21 0.4865   18  1.082   16  0.002   15 -0.042 P
BLUES          1 2  7 10  0.142  1.681   22 -0.021   21 -0.028   17 -0.019   23 0.4837   19  1.048   19 -0.038   14 -0.000 P
HURRICANES     2 2 11 12 -0.032  1.920   15  0.004   14  0.003   11  0.032   14 0.5052   20  1.012   18 -0.030   10  0.093 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLAMES         0 3  3 16 -0.052  1.483   31 -0.076   31 -0.096   32 -0.169   31 0.4404   21  1.006   27 -0.237   18 -0.100 P
ISLANDERS      1 2  9  7  0.024  1.519   25 -0.038   24 -0.038   16  0.001   25 0.4829   22  0.993   20 -0.083   11  0.086 P
RED WINGS      1 2  7  8  0.040  1.561   27 -0.042   26 -0.040   26 -0.059   22 0.4862   23  0.946   26 -0.197   12  0.080 P
LIGHTNING      2 1  8  7  0.013  1.468    6  0.053    8  0.031    6  0.065    5 0.5287   24  0.931   21 -0.090    7  0.220 P
BRUINS         2 2  9 11  0.207  2.335   11  0.025   11  0.014   14  0.014   11 0.5202   25  0.910   24 -0.164    8  0.192 P
JETS           3 1 12 10  0.131  2.190    2  0.066    2  0.056    9  0.046    2 0.5371   26  0.879   25 -0.166    5  0.259 P
RANGERS        4 1 16  8  0.072  2.593    1  0.079    1  0.075    2  0.089    1 0.5475   27  0.841   23 -0.164    4  0.343 P
MAPLE LEAFS    2 2 11 11 -0.144  1.751   18 -0.011   19 -0.020   20 -0.023   19 0.4900   28  0.841   28 -0.276    6  0.231 P
FLYERS         0 4  5 17 -0.009  2.045   32 -0.089   32 -0.117   29 -0.143   32 0.4338   29  0.777   30 -0.464    9  0.179 P
WILD           2 1  9  5  0.027  1.504   10  0.039   10  0.023    5  0.068    9 0.5243   30  0.695   29 -0.336    3  0.472 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STARS          1 2  6  6 -0.229  1.197   23 -0.033   25 -0.039   15  0.010   24 0.4833   31  0.557   31 -0.525    2  0.545 P
PANTHERS       2 2  8  8 -0.009  1.960   14  0.009   15 -0.005   13  0.024   15 0.5051   32  0.232   32 -0.778    1  0.827 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         3 1 22 16 -0.087  1.809    4  0.059    3  0.040    4  0.069    3 0.5332    1  1.546    1  0.721   30 -0.583 P
CANUCKS        2 2 19 18 -0.028  1.971   20 -0.016   20 -0.021   22 -0.044   18 0.4924    3  1.491    4  0.526   31 -0.614 P
KINGS          0 3  9 15  0.055  1.586   30 -0.066   30 -0.084   23 -0.046   30 0.4544    4  1.410    6  0.406   29 -0.499 P
SHARKS         2 1  9 12 -0.083  1.439   17 -0.009   16 -0.009   30 -0.146   20 0.4891    7  1.297   11  0.150   28 -0.443 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3 1 17 10 -0.154  1.684    3  0.061    4  0.036    3  0.073    4 0.5313   11  1.162    9  0.194   16 -0.048 P
DUCKS          2 1  9 10  0.122  1.673   13  0.018   12  0.011   27 -0.071   13 0.5120   14  1.127   15  0.006   20 -0.148 P
KRAKEN         2 2 15 11 -0.131  1.778   21 -0.020   22 -0.028   19 -0.020   21 0.4865   18  1.082   16  0.002   15 -0.042 P
FLAMES         0 3  3 16 -0.052  1.483   31 -0.076   31 -0.096   32 -0.169   31 0.4404   21  1.006   27 -0.237   18 -0.100 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
AVALANCHE      2 1 16  8  0.002  1.433    5  0.056    6  0.034    1  0.133    7 0.5277    5  1.386    3  0.552   26 -0.286 P
PREDATORS      1 2  7  9  0.020  1.533   26 -0.040   27 -0.041   25 -0.048   27 0.4752   15  1.114   14  0.013   19 -0.108 P
BLACKHAWKS     1 3  9 17  0.117  2.266   29 -0.063   29 -0.070   31 -0.152   29 0.4637   16  1.103   22 -0.106   23 -0.199 P
MAMMOTH        3 1 17  8 -0.043  1.867    8  0.042    7  0.033    7  0.064    6 0.5280   17  1.100   13  0.109   13  0.020 P
BLUES          1 2  7 10  0.142  1.681   22 -0.021   21 -0.028   17 -0.019   23 0.4837   19  1.048   19 -0.038   14 -0.000 P
JETS           3 1 12 10  0.131  2.190    2  0.066    2  0.056    9  0.046    2 0.5371   26  0.879   25 -0.166    5  0.259 P
WILD           2 1  9  5  0.027  1.504   10  0.039   10  0.023    5  0.068    9 0.5243   30  0.695   29 -0.336    3  0.472 P
STARS          1 2  6  6 -0.229  1.197   23 -0.033   25 -0.039   15  0.010   24 0.4833   31  0.557   31 -0.525    2  0.545 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
PENGUINS       2 2 18 13 -0.012  1.948   16 -0.007   17 -0.011   10  0.035   16 0.4976    6  1.373    5  0.436   27 -0.366 P
BLUE JACKETS   1 1  7  7 -0.063  0.951   19 -0.014   18 -0.019   24 -0.047   17 0.4961   10  1.205   12  0.128   24 -0.222 P
CAPITALS       2 1 11  8  0.214  1.746    7  0.047    5  0.035    8  0.053    8 0.5273   12  1.151   10  0.160   17 -0.054 P
DEVILS         1 2  6 13 -0.132  1.380   28 -0.042   28 -0.046   28 -0.111   28 0.4699   13  1.133   17 -0.026   22 -0.195 P
HURRICANES     2 2 11 12 -0.032  1.920   15  0.004   14  0.003   11  0.032   14 0.5052   20  1.012   18 -0.030   10  0.093 P
ISLANDERS      1 2  9  7  0.024  1.519   25 -0.038   24 -0.038   16  0.001   25 0.4829   22  0.993   20 -0.083   11  0.086 P
RANGERS        4 1 16  8  0.072  2.593    1  0.079    1  0.075    2  0.089    1 0.5475   27  0.841   23 -0.164    4  0.343 P
FLYERS         0 4  5 17 -0.009  2.045   32 -0.089   32 -0.117   29 -0.143   32 0.4338   29  0.777   30 -0.464    9  0.179 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      1 2 12 14  0.106  1.634   24 -0.034   23 -0.032   18 -0.020   26 0.4811    2  1.511    2  0.580   32 -0.619 P
SABRES         2 1 10 11 -0.150  1.311   12  0.024   13  0.010   21 -0.024   12 0.5147    8  1.270    7  0.238   25 -0.285 P
SENATORS       2 1 10  8  0.102  1.611    9  0.040    9  0.024   12  0.031   10 0.5223    9  1.223    8  0.231   21 -0.168 P
RED WINGS      1 2  7  8  0.040  1.561   27 -0.042   26 -0.040   26 -0.059   22 0.4862   23  0.946   26 -0.197   12  0.080 P
LIGHTNING      2 1  8  7  0.013  1.468    6  0.053    8  0.031    6  0.065    5 0.5287   24  0.931   21 -0.090    7  0.220 P
BRUINS         2 2  9 11  0.207  2.335   11  0.025   11  0.014   14  0.014   11 0.5202   25  0.910   24 -0.164    8  0.192 P
MAPLE LEAFS    2 2 11 11 -0.144  1.751   18 -0.011   19 -0.020   20 -0.023   19 0.4900   28  0.841   28 -0.276    6  0.231 P
PANTHERS       2 2  8  8 -0.009  1.960   14  0.009   15 -0.005   13  0.024   15 0.5051   32  0.232   32 -0.778    1  0.827 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      14 13 0.519    1  0.071
ATLANTIC DIVISION     14 13 0.519    2  0.027
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 13 15 0.464    3 -0.014
PACIFIC DIVISION      14 14 0.500    4 -0.123

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.151 points in main ratings (0.079 for semineutral)
     0.012 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  8 05:30:16 2026
games through: Wed Oct  7 2026

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