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      5 5 41 31 -0.035  4.720   15  0.005   15 -0.004    5  0.116   18 0.4907    1  1.491    1  0.675   31 -0.444 P
CANUCKS        2 9 33 51  0.145  6.312   32 -0.147   32 -0.154   28 -0.149   30 0.4565    2  1.422    4  0.311   32 -0.609 P
KRAKEN         6 4 39 34 -0.041  4.790   10  0.045   10  0.032   16  0.007   10 0.5186    3  1.376    3  0.402   29 -0.389 P
PENGUINS       3 7 33 38  0.002  5.036   27 -0.104   27 -0.108   21 -0.051   28 0.4610    4  1.348    5  0.305   30 -0.406 P
OILERS         7 2 41 27 -0.025  4.260    2  0.126    2  0.120    2  0.146    2 0.5550    5  1.328    2  0.474   22 -0.183 P
BLUES          4 5 29 29  0.016  4.527   18 -0.018   19 -0.031   15  0.008   19 0.4886    6  1.296    6  0.293   26 -0.277 P
MAMMOTH        7 3 38 31  0.057  5.117    4  0.106    4  0.105   10  0.076    4 0.5446    7  1.230    7  0.274   18 -0.122 P
DEVILS         5 4 29 30 -0.018  4.454   14  0.020   13  0.016   20 -0.047   13 0.5055    8  1.216   14  0.133   23 -0.227 P
CANADIENS      4 5 30 34 -0.151  3.979   23 -0.056   23 -0.061   24 -0.079   23 0.4742    9  1.213   15  0.097   25 -0.255 P
MAPLE LEAFS    5 6 38 35 -0.014  5.382   21 -0.023   21 -0.035   14  0.024   20 0.4883   10  1.212   10  0.198   20 -0.151 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CAPITALS       5 4 30 29  0.039  4.601   11  0.041   11  0.031   13  0.027   11 0.5156   11  1.208   11  0.197   19 -0.143 P
SABRES         4 6 28 37 -0.115  4.621   25 -0.073   25 -0.076   27 -0.132   25 0.4716   12  1.207   16  0.036   28 -0.301 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 8 3 44 30 -0.097  4.902    5  0.106    5  0.102    8  0.103    6 0.5351   13  1.153    9  0.202   15  0.003 P
DUCKS          4 5 26 29  0.040  4.705   20 -0.022   20 -0.034   22 -0.068   16 0.4925   14  1.152   17  0.031   21 -0.166 P
BLACKHAWKS     3 6 21 36  0.031  4.770   26 -0.094   26 -0.089   32 -0.221   26 0.4630   15  1.124   23 -0.158   27 -0.284 P
BRUINS         7 3 36 22  0.073  5.126    3  0.118    3  0.111    1  0.166    3 0.5458   16  1.119    8  0.224    8  0.109 P
LIGHTNING      7 2 31 23  0.098  4.724    1  0.152    1  0.151    3  0.128    1 0.5643   17  1.118   12  0.184   11  0.072 P
HURRICANES     8 3 42 27 -0.175  4.570    6  0.097    7  0.088    6  0.114    7 0.5346   18  1.112   13  0.162   12  0.066 P
FLAMES         2 6 17 37 -0.016  4.082   29 -0.112   29 -0.115   31 -0.217   31 0.4562   19  1.081   25 -0.206   24 -0.228 P
PREDATORS      3 5 23 24  0.040  4.125   22 -0.049   22 -0.058   19 -0.013   22 0.4763   20  1.029   18 -0.065   13  0.038 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUE JACKETS   3 5 20 29 -0.022  4.000   24 -0.062   24 -0.065   26 -0.123   24 0.4719   21  1.016   24 -0.190   17 -0.056 P
KINGS          1 6 17 27  0.147  3.966   30 -0.114   30 -0.118   23 -0.070   32 0.4550   22  1.010   22 -0.144   14  0.005 P
PANTHERS       5 5 31 30 -0.049  4.774   16 -0.001   17 -0.012   18 -0.006   15 0.5028   23  0.989   21 -0.105    9  0.092 P
SHARKS         5 5 27 35  0.043  5.287   17 -0.003   16 -0.007   30 -0.153   17 0.4919   24  0.977   28 -0.266   16 -0.040 P
SENATORS       7 3 29 24 -0.024  4.825    7  0.096    6  0.092   12  0.050    9 0.5311   25  0.953   20 -0.090    7  0.191 P
RED WINGS      3 6 23 28 -0.133  4.055   28 -0.107   28 -0.112   25 -0.106   27 0.4615   26  0.916   30 -0.288   10  0.076 P
WILD           6 4 31 25  0.124  5.383    9  0.077    9  0.071    4  0.120    8 0.5312   27  0.905   19 -0.074    5  0.315 P
JETS           4 5 24 26  0.021  4.563   19 -0.019   18 -0.027   17 -0.005   21 0.4868   28  0.864   27 -0.244    6  0.234 P
RANGERS        7 4 33 24  0.048  5.592    8  0.085    8  0.079    9  0.101    5 0.5371   29  0.776   26 -0.231    3  0.434 P
ISLANDERS      5 4 27 20 -0.018  4.340   13  0.025   14  0.013   11  0.064   12 0.5103   30  0.765   29 -0.279    4  0.407 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLYERS         3 9 20 37  0.064  6.441   31 -0.133   31 -0.140   29 -0.149   29 0.4566   31  0.503   32 -0.743    2  0.444 P
STARS          5 4 23 15  0.008  4.407   12  0.039   12  0.028    7  0.108   14 0.5055   32  0.208   31 -0.721    1  0.938 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 9 33 51  0.145  6.312   32 -0.147   32 -0.154   28 -0.149   30 0.4565    2  1.422    4  0.311   32 -0.609 P
KRAKEN         6 4 39 34 -0.041  4.790   10  0.045   10  0.032   16  0.007   10 0.5186    3  1.376    3  0.402   29 -0.389 P
OILERS         7 2 41 27 -0.025  4.260    2  0.126    2  0.120    2  0.146    2 0.5550    5  1.328    2  0.474   22 -0.183 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 8 3 44 30 -0.097  4.902    5  0.106    5  0.102    8  0.103    6 0.5351   13  1.153    9  0.202   15  0.003 P
DUCKS          4 5 26 29  0.040  4.705   20 -0.022   20 -0.034   22 -0.068   16 0.4925   14  1.152   17  0.031   21 -0.166 P
FLAMES         2 6 17 37 -0.016  4.082   29 -0.112   29 -0.115   31 -0.217   31 0.4562   19  1.081   25 -0.206   24 -0.228 P
KINGS          1 6 17 27  0.147  3.966   30 -0.114   30 -0.118   23 -0.070   32 0.4550   22  1.010   22 -0.144   14  0.005 P
SHARKS         5 5 27 35  0.043  5.287   17 -0.003   16 -0.007   30 -0.153   17 0.4919   24  0.977   28 -0.266   16 -0.040 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      5 5 41 31 -0.035  4.720   15  0.005   15 -0.004    5  0.116   18 0.4907    1  1.491    1  0.675   31 -0.444 P
BLUES          4 5 29 29  0.016  4.527   18 -0.018   19 -0.031   15  0.008   19 0.4886    6  1.296    6  0.293   26 -0.277 P
MAMMOTH        7 3 38 31  0.057  5.117    4  0.106    4  0.105   10  0.076    4 0.5446    7  1.230    7  0.274   18 -0.122 P
BLACKHAWKS     3 6 21 36  0.031  4.770   26 -0.094   26 -0.089   32 -0.221   26 0.4630   15  1.124   23 -0.158   27 -0.284 P
PREDATORS      3 5 23 24  0.040  4.125   22 -0.049   22 -0.058   19 -0.013   22 0.4763   20  1.029   18 -0.065   13  0.038 P
WILD           6 4 31 25  0.124  5.383    9  0.077    9  0.071    4  0.120    8 0.5312   27  0.905   19 -0.074    5  0.315 P
JETS           4 5 24 26  0.021  4.563   19 -0.019   18 -0.027   17 -0.005   21 0.4868   28  0.864   27 -0.244    6  0.234 P
STARS          5 4 23 15  0.008  4.407   12  0.039   12  0.028    7  0.108   14 0.5055   32  0.208   31 -0.721    1  0.938 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       3 7 33 38  0.002  5.036   27 -0.104   27 -0.108   21 -0.051   28 0.4610    4  1.348    5  0.305   30 -0.406 P
DEVILS         5 4 29 30 -0.018  4.454   14  0.020   13  0.016   20 -0.047   13 0.5055    8  1.216   14  0.133   23 -0.227 P
CAPITALS       5 4 30 29  0.039  4.601   11  0.041   11  0.031   13  0.027   11 0.5156   11  1.208   11  0.197   19 -0.143 P
HURRICANES     8 3 42 27 -0.175  4.570    6  0.097    7  0.088    6  0.114    7 0.5346   18  1.112   13  0.162   12  0.066 P
BLUE JACKETS   3 5 20 29 -0.022  4.000   24 -0.062   24 -0.065   26 -0.123   24 0.4719   21  1.016   24 -0.190   17 -0.056 P
RANGERS        7 4 33 24  0.048  5.592    8  0.085    8  0.079    9  0.101    5 0.5371   29  0.776   26 -0.231    3  0.434 P
ISLANDERS      5 4 27 20 -0.018  4.340   13  0.025   14  0.013   11  0.064   12 0.5103   30  0.765   29 -0.279    4  0.407 P
FLYERS         3 9 20 37  0.064  6.441   31 -0.133   31 -0.140   29 -0.149   29 0.4566   31  0.503   32 -0.743    2  0.444 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      4 5 30 34 -0.151  3.979   23 -0.056   23 -0.061   24 -0.079   23 0.4742    9  1.213   15  0.097   25 -0.255 P
MAPLE LEAFS    5 6 38 35 -0.014  5.382   21 -0.023   21 -0.035   14  0.024   20 0.4883   10  1.212   10  0.198   20 -0.151 P
SABRES         4 6 28 37 -0.115  4.621   25 -0.073   25 -0.076   27 -0.132   25 0.4716   12  1.207   16  0.036   28 -0.301 P
BRUINS         7 3 36 22  0.073  5.126    3  0.118    3  0.111    1  0.166    3 0.5458   16  1.119    8  0.224    8  0.109 P
LIGHTNING      7 2 31 23  0.098  4.724    1  0.152    1  0.151    3  0.128    1 0.5643   17  1.118   12  0.184   11  0.072 P
PANTHERS       5 5 31 30 -0.049  4.774   16 -0.001   17 -0.012   18 -0.006   15 0.5028   23  0.989   21 -0.105    9  0.092 P
SENATORS       7 3 29 24 -0.024  4.825    7  0.096    6  0.092   12  0.050    9 0.5311   25  0.953   20 -0.090    7  0.191 P
RED WINGS      3 6 23 28 -0.133  4.055   28 -0.107   28 -0.112   25 -0.106   27 0.4615   26  0.916   30 -0.288   10  0.076 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      37 37 0.500    1  0.078
ATLANTIC DIVISION     42 36 0.538    2  0.027
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 39 40 0.494    3 -0.009
PACIFIC DIVISION      35 40 0.467    4 -0.123

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.106 points in main ratings (0.079 for semineutral)
     0.015 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 22 05:30:14 2026
games through: Wed Oct 21 2026

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