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      4 3 31 22  0.008  3.381   13  0.050   13  0.039    2  0.149   14 0.5085    1  1.571    1  0.820   31 -0.521 P
CANUCKS        2 6 26 38  0.083  4.381   28 -0.111   28 -0.118   28 -0.149   27 0.4656    2  1.509    3  0.427   32 -0.725 P
BLUE JACKETS   2 3 16 21 -0.061  2.388   23 -0.044   24 -0.054   24 -0.105   25 0.4761    3  1.333    6  0.220   30 -0.431 P
OILERS         5 1 29 18 -0.150  2.515    4  0.107    3  0.098    3  0.130    2 0.5472    4  1.320    2  0.437   22 -0.178 P
KRAKEN         5 2 29 19 -0.099  3.130   10  0.073   10  0.060   13  0.037   12 0.5241    5  1.274    4  0.284   25 -0.210 P
CANADIENS      3 4 23 27 -0.023  3.429   22 -0.036   22 -0.043   22 -0.057   23 0.4796    6  1.254   10  0.163   28 -0.277 P
CAPITALS       4 3 24 22  0.174  3.934   11  0.064   11  0.058   11  0.067   10 0.5270    7  1.236    5  0.263   20 -0.129 P
PENGUINS       3 4 25 22 -0.113  3.124   25 -0.053   25 -0.058   19  0.001   24 0.4779    8  1.229    8  0.188   23 -0.187 P
SABRES         3 4 19 26 -0.078  3.298   24 -0.045   23 -0.047   25 -0.107   22 0.4818    9  1.191   17  0.031   26 -0.244 P
BLACKHAWKS     2 5 17 29  0.067  3.776   27 -0.101   27 -0.106   30 -0.207   28 0.4609   10  1.175   21 -0.090   29 -0.325 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
MAPLE LEAFS    3 4 24 23  0.100  3.734   17 -0.011   17 -0.020   14  0.028   17 0.4932   11  1.173   11  0.143   17 -0.088 P
BLUES          3 3 21 18 -0.045  2.829   15  0.001   15 -0.019   15  0.023   15 0.4962   12  1.173   12  0.138   18 -0.092 P
MAMMOTH        5 2 27 19 -0.007  3.370    7  0.088    7  0.078    9  0.076    6 0.5368   13  1.165    9  0.180   16 -0.029 P
DUCKS          4 2 20 17 -0.062  2.839   14  0.041   14  0.030   21 -0.042   13 0.5186   14  1.149   16  0.042   19 -0.126 P
BRUINS         5 2 26 16  0.044  3.482    5  0.104    4  0.095    5  0.127    3 0.5451   15  1.141    7  0.201   13  0.053 P
SHARKS         3 3 16 23  0.047  3.188   19 -0.019   16 -0.019   29 -0.184   20 0.4868   16  1.137   24 -0.115   27 -0.254 P
DEVILS         3 3 16 22 -0.190  2.575   20 -0.028   20 -0.037   27 -0.138   21 0.4842   17  1.108   23 -0.104   21 -0.172 P
LIGHTNING      4 2 17 16  0.159  3.299    6  0.099    6  0.092    8  0.089    4 0.5419   18  1.105   13  0.118   11  0.059 P
PREDATORS      2 4 16 19  0.120  3.283   26 -0.060   26 -0.059   20 -0.034   26 0.4759   19  1.074   19 -0.042   15 -0.026 P
HURRICANES     6 2 31 19 -0.172  3.285    3  0.107    5  0.094    4  0.128    7 0.5332   20  1.069   14  0.113    9  0.142 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLAMES         1 5 12 29 -0.031  3.005   29 -0.137   29 -0.141   31 -0.224   29 0.4509   21  1.065   28 -0.244   24 -0.205 P
SENATORS       5 2 21 19 -0.079  3.209    8  0.087    8  0.074   16  0.021   11 0.5247   22  1.045   18 -0.021   10  0.064 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 6 2 30 20 -0.055  3.682    2  0.117    2  0.108    7  0.104    5 0.5397   23  1.033   15  0.046    7  0.161 P
KINGS          0 5 11 21  0.097  2.731   31 -0.147   31 -0.155   23 -0.090   31 0.4399   24  1.005   26 -0.180   14 -0.000 P
JETS           4 2 18 17  0.086  3.162    9  0.083    9  0.071   12  0.040    8 0.5280   25  0.985   20 -0.072    8  0.153 P
RED WINGS      1 5 14 20 -0.043  2.918   30 -0.140   30 -0.146   26 -0.116   30 0.4490   26  0.934   30 -0.287   12  0.055 P
ISLANDERS      3 3 19 15 -0.086  2.729   18 -0.019   19 -0.024   17  0.018   16 0.4957   27  0.927   25 -0.161    6  0.198 P
WILD           4 3 21 16  0.147  3.832   12  0.059   12  0.052    6  0.118    9 0.5277   28  0.894   22 -0.098    3  0.334 P
PANTHERS       3 4 19 20 -0.022  3.391   21 -0.030   21 -0.037   18  0.002   18 0.4926   29  0.850   29 -0.262    5  0.266 P
RANGERS        6 2 27 14  0.090  4.136    1  0.131    1  0.129    1  0.163    1 0.5527   30  0.756   27 -0.200    2  0.525 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLYERS         0 8 10 31  0.080  4.380   32 -0.221   32 -0.238   32 -0.238   32 0.4227   31  0.597   32 -0.756    4  0.280 P
STARS          3 4 16 13  0.045  3.539   16 -0.008   18 -0.021   10  0.074   19 0.4880   32  0.227   31 -0.752    1  0.899 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
CANUCKS        2 6 26 38  0.083  4.381   28 -0.111   28 -0.118   28 -0.149   27 0.4656    2  1.509    3  0.427   32 -0.725 P
OILERS         5 1 29 18 -0.150  2.515    4  0.107    3  0.098    3  0.130    2 0.5472    4  1.320    2  0.437   22 -0.178 P
KRAKEN         5 2 29 19 -0.099  3.130   10  0.073   10  0.060   13  0.037   12 0.5241    5  1.274    4  0.284   25 -0.210 P
DUCKS          4 2 20 17 -0.062  2.839   14  0.041   14  0.030   21 -0.042   13 0.5186   14  1.149   16  0.042   19 -0.126 P
SHARKS         3 3 16 23  0.047  3.188   19 -0.019   16 -0.019   29 -0.184   20 0.4868   16  1.137   24 -0.115   27 -0.254 P
FLAMES         1 5 12 29 -0.031  3.005   29 -0.137   29 -0.141   31 -0.224   29 0.4509   21  1.065   28 -0.244   24 -0.205 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 6 2 30 20 -0.055  3.682    2  0.117    2  0.108    7  0.104    5 0.5397   23  1.033   15  0.046    7  0.161 P
KINGS          0 5 11 21  0.097  2.731   31 -0.147   31 -0.155   23 -0.090   31 0.4399   24  1.005   26 -0.180   14 -0.000 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      4 3 31 22  0.008  3.381   13  0.050   13  0.039    2  0.149   14 0.5085    1  1.571    1  0.820   31 -0.521 P
BLACKHAWKS     2 5 17 29  0.067  3.776   27 -0.101   27 -0.106   30 -0.207   28 0.4609   10  1.175   21 -0.090   29 -0.325 P
BLUES          3 3 21 18 -0.045  2.829   15  0.001   15 -0.019   15  0.023   15 0.4962   12  1.173   12  0.138   18 -0.092 P
MAMMOTH        5 2 27 19 -0.007  3.370    7  0.088    7  0.078    9  0.076    6 0.5368   13  1.165    9  0.180   16 -0.029 P
PREDATORS      2 4 16 19  0.120  3.283   26 -0.060   26 -0.059   20 -0.034   26 0.4759   19  1.074   19 -0.042   15 -0.026 P
JETS           4 2 18 17  0.086  3.162    9  0.083    9  0.071   12  0.040    8 0.5280   25  0.985   20 -0.072    8  0.153 P
WILD           4 3 21 16  0.147  3.832   12  0.059   12  0.052    6  0.118    9 0.5277   28  0.894   22 -0.098    3  0.334 P
STARS          3 4 16 13  0.045  3.539   16 -0.008   18 -0.021   10  0.074   19 0.4880   32  0.227   31 -0.752    1  0.899 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
BLUE JACKETS   2 3 16 21 -0.061  2.388   23 -0.044   24 -0.054   24 -0.105   25 0.4761    3  1.333    6  0.220   30 -0.431 P
CAPITALS       4 3 24 22  0.174  3.934   11  0.064   11  0.058   11  0.067   10 0.5270    7  1.236    5  0.263   20 -0.129 P
PENGUINS       3 4 25 22 -0.113  3.124   25 -0.053   25 -0.058   19  0.001   24 0.4779    8  1.229    8  0.188   23 -0.187 P
DEVILS         3 3 16 22 -0.190  2.575   20 -0.028   20 -0.037   27 -0.138   21 0.4842   17  1.108   23 -0.104   21 -0.172 P
HURRICANES     6 2 31 19 -0.172  3.285    3  0.107    5  0.094    4  0.128    7 0.5332   20  1.069   14  0.113    9  0.142 P
ISLANDERS      3 3 19 15 -0.086  2.729   18 -0.019   19 -0.024   17  0.018   16 0.4957   27  0.927   25 -0.161    6  0.198 P
RANGERS        6 2 27 14  0.090  4.136    1  0.131    1  0.129    1  0.163    1 0.5527   30  0.756   27 -0.200    2  0.525 P
FLYERS         0 8 10 31  0.080  4.380   32 -0.221   32 -0.238   32 -0.238   32 0.4227   31  0.597   32 -0.756    4  0.280 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      3 4 23 27 -0.023  3.429   22 -0.036   22 -0.043   22 -0.057   23 0.4796    6  1.254   10  0.163   28 -0.277 P
SABRES         3 4 19 26 -0.078  3.298   24 -0.045   23 -0.047   25 -0.107   22 0.4818    9  1.191   17  0.031   26 -0.244 P
MAPLE LEAFS    3 4 24 23  0.100  3.734   17 -0.011   17 -0.020   14  0.028   17 0.4932   11  1.173   11  0.143   17 -0.088 P
BRUINS         5 2 26 16  0.044  3.482    5  0.104    4  0.095    5  0.127    3 0.5451   15  1.141    7  0.201   13  0.053 P
LIGHTNING      4 2 17 16  0.159  3.299    6  0.099    6  0.092    8  0.089    4 0.5419   18  1.105   13  0.118   11  0.059 P
SENATORS       5 2 21 19 -0.079  3.209    8  0.087    8  0.074   16  0.021   11 0.5247   22  1.045   18 -0.021   10  0.064 P
RED WINGS      1 5 14 20 -0.043  2.918   30 -0.140   30 -0.146   26 -0.116   30 0.4490   26  0.934   30 -0.287   12  0.055 P
PANTHERS       3 4 19 20 -0.022  3.391   21 -0.030   21 -0.037   18  0.002   18 0.4926   29  0.850   29 -0.262    5  0.266 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      27 26 0.509    1  0.095
ATLANTIC DIVISION     27 27 0.500    2  0.010
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 27 28 0.491    3 -0.019
PACIFIC DIVISION      26 26 0.500    4 -0.119

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.095 points in main ratings (0.079 for semineutral)
     0.011 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 15 05:30:17 2026
games through: Wed Oct 14 2026

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