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
HURRICANES     13  5 69 43 -0.051  8.232    1  0.158    1  0.152    2  0.204    3 0.5415   18  1.052   10  0.139    3  0.268 P
BRUINS         12  5 64 40  0.004  8.144    2  0.150    2  0.147    3  0.188    1 0.5428   17  1.052   12  0.123    4  0.252 P
WILD           12  6 60 39  0.042  8.913    3  0.139    3  0.133    1  0.224    2 0.5425   30  0.835   20 -0.086    1  0.533 P
DEVILS         11  5 57 47  0.007  7.892    4  0.137    4  0.131    8  0.067    4 0.5356   16  1.098   16  0.059   13  0.076 P
LIGHTNING      10  5 56 46 -0.011  7.206    5  0.117    5  0.111    5  0.105    6 0.5315    9  1.240    8  0.277   18 -0.067 P
OILERS         11  6 71 53 -0.008  8.104    6  0.104    6  0.098    4  0.181    5 0.5319    8  1.283    3  0.410   16 -0.048 P
MAMMOTH        10  7 61 59  0.104  9.075    7  0.087    7  0.093   10  0.056    7 0.5262    6  1.292    6  0.297   25 -0.185 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 11  7 60 50 -0.021  8.634    8  0.073    8  0.077    7  0.082    9 0.5203   22  0.997   19 -0.047    7  0.212 P
CAPITALS        8  6 49 48  0.065  7.274    9  0.058    9  0.063   15  0.031   10 0.5182    5  1.366    4  0.372   28 -0.311 P
CANADIENS      10  6 57 51 -0.080  7.341   10  0.055   10  0.061   12  0.040   12 0.5155   11  1.184   11  0.139   17 -0.059 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
KRAKEN          9  6 54 53 -0.023  7.309   11  0.052   11  0.058   20 -0.017    8 0.5217    4  1.367    5  0.326   29 -0.360 P
SENATORS       10  7 54 52 -0.041  8.109   12  0.045   12  0.052   16  0.018   11 0.5156   13  1.173   14  0.102   19 -0.067 P
STARS           9  7 45 38 -0.040  7.591   13  0.029   13  0.035    9  0.057   13 0.5084   32  0.673   31 -0.418    2  0.532 P
RANGERS         9  8 51 49  0.018  8.499   14  0.020   14  0.026   13  0.038   14 0.5063   27  0.956   23 -0.139    6  0.214 P
PANTHERS        9  7 52 47 -0.132  7.074   15  0.005   15  0.011   19 -0.016   15 0.5031   19  1.047   21 -0.086   14  0.054 P
AVALANCHE       9  8 68 56 -0.060  7.899   16  0.001   16  0.007    6  0.092   17 0.4982    2  1.476    1  0.590   30 -0.407 P
DUCKS           9  8 64 64 -0.044  8.167   17 -0.000   17  0.006   21 -0.035   16 0.5026    1  1.490    2  0.484   31 -0.554 P
ISLANDERS       7  8 43 44  0.064  7.819   18 -0.006   18 -0.004   17  0.011   20 0.4933   28  0.903   25 -0.224    5  0.246 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  8 40 47  0.043  7.782   19 -0.014   19 -0.012   25 -0.077   21 0.4913   26  0.959   26 -0.250   11  0.096 P
SABRES          8  8 49 53 -0.062  7.594   20 -0.014   20 -0.014   24 -0.059   18 0.4977   14  1.118   18 -0.043   22 -0.075 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PREDATORS       7  9 49 50  0.114  8.650   21 -0.017   21 -0.015   14  0.033   23 0.4898   24  0.979   22 -0.117    9  0.183 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8  9 62 56 -0.010  8.294   22 -0.021   22 -0.024   11  0.043   19 0.4933    7  1.288    7  0.278   26 -0.191 P
BLUES           7  9 49 50  0.056  8.300   23 -0.029   23 -0.031   18  0.002   22 0.4907   12  1.177   15  0.091   23 -0.088 P
FLAMES          7 10 42 60 -0.003  8.599   24 -0.059   24 -0.061   28 -0.144   24 0.4835   29  0.887   30 -0.398   10  0.109 P
SHARKS          7 11 45 65  0.013  9.343   25 -0.081   25 -0.077   30 -0.208   25 0.4749   23  0.986   28 -0.350   20 -0.067 P
JETS            6 11 45 60  0.046  8.912   27 -0.082   26 -0.090   27 -0.103   28 0.4687   20  1.026   24 -0.198   15 -0.007 P
KINGS           5  9 43 47 -0.004  6.994   26 -0.081   27 -0.090   23 -0.056   26 0.4736   15  1.117   17 -0.041   21 -0.071 P
RED WINGS       7 10 49 52 -0.112  7.760   28 -0.086   28 -0.093   26 -0.082   27 0.4727   25  0.960   27 -0.254   12  0.090 P
PENGUINS        5 11 51 58  0.013  8.069   29 -0.122   29 -0.128   22 -0.043   29 0.4585   10  1.233   13  0.120   27 -0.206 P
FLYERS          4 14 39 61  0.080  9.700   30 -0.189   30 -0.188   29 -0.147   30 0.4457   31  0.789   32 -0.505    8  0.211 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS      4 13 37 67  0.007  8.810   31 -0.193   31 -0.191   32 -0.284   31 0.4378   21  1.015   29 -0.392   24 -0.176 P
CANUCKS         3 15 53 83  0.057  9.674   32 -0.236   32 -0.234   31 -0.223   32 0.4307    3  1.410    9  0.181   32 -0.627 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         11  6 71 53 -0.008  8.104    6  0.104    6  0.098    4  0.181    5 0.5319    8  1.283    3  0.410   16 -0.048 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 11  7 60 50 -0.021  8.634    8  0.073    8  0.077    7  0.082    9 0.5203   22  0.997   19 -0.047    7  0.212 P
KRAKEN          9  6 54 53 -0.023  7.309   11  0.052   11  0.058   20 -0.017    8 0.5217    4  1.367    5  0.326   29 -0.360 P
DUCKS           9  8 64 64 -0.044  8.167   17 -0.000   17  0.006   21 -0.035   16 0.5026    1  1.490    2  0.484   31 -0.554 P
FLAMES          7 10 42 60 -0.003  8.599   24 -0.059   24 -0.061   28 -0.144   24 0.4835   29  0.887   30 -0.398   10  0.109 P
SHARKS          7 11 45 65  0.013  9.343   25 -0.081   25 -0.077   30 -0.208   25 0.4749   23  0.986   28 -0.350   20 -0.067 P
KINGS           5  9 43 47 -0.004  6.994   26 -0.081   27 -0.090   23 -0.056   26 0.4736   15  1.117   17 -0.041   21 -0.071 P
CANUCKS         3 15 53 83  0.057  9.674   32 -0.236   32 -0.234   31 -0.223   32 0.4307    3  1.410    9  0.181   32 -0.627 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
WILD           12  6 60 39  0.042  8.913    3  0.139    3  0.133    1  0.224    2 0.5425   30  0.835   20 -0.086    1  0.533 P
MAMMOTH        10  7 61 59  0.104  9.075    7  0.087    7  0.093   10  0.056    7 0.5262    6  1.292    6  0.297   25 -0.185 P
STARS           9  7 45 38 -0.040  7.591   13  0.029   13  0.035    9  0.057   13 0.5084   32  0.673   31 -0.418    2  0.532 P
AVALANCHE       9  8 68 56 -0.060  7.899   16  0.001   16  0.007    6  0.092   17 0.4982    2  1.476    1  0.590   30 -0.407 P
PREDATORS       7  9 49 50  0.114  8.650   21 -0.017   21 -0.015   14  0.033   23 0.4898   24  0.979   22 -0.117    9  0.183 P
BLUES           7  9 49 50  0.056  8.300   23 -0.029   23 -0.031   18  0.002   22 0.4907   12  1.177   15  0.091   23 -0.088 P
JETS            6 11 45 60  0.046  8.912   27 -0.082   26 -0.090   27 -0.103   28 0.4687   20  1.026   24 -0.198   15 -0.007 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 13 37 67  0.007  8.810   31 -0.193   31 -0.191   32 -0.284   31 0.4378   21  1.015   29 -0.392   24 -0.176 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
HURRICANES     13  5 69 43 -0.051  8.232    1  0.158    1  0.152    2  0.204    3 0.5415   18  1.052   10  0.139    3  0.268 P
DEVILS         11  5 57 47  0.007  7.892    4  0.137    4  0.131    8  0.067    4 0.5356   16  1.098   16  0.059   13  0.076 P
CAPITALS        8  6 49 48  0.065  7.274    9  0.058    9  0.063   15  0.031   10 0.5182    5  1.366    4  0.372   28 -0.311 P
RANGERS         9  8 51 49  0.018  8.499   14  0.020   14  0.026   13  0.038   14 0.5063   27  0.956   23 -0.139    6  0.214 P
ISLANDERS       7  8 43 44  0.064  7.819   18 -0.006   18 -0.004   17  0.011   20 0.4933   28  0.903   25 -0.224    5  0.246 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  8 40 47  0.043  7.782   19 -0.014   19 -0.012   25 -0.077   21 0.4913   26  0.959   26 -0.250   11  0.096 P
PENGUINS        5 11 51 58  0.013  8.069   29 -0.122   29 -0.128   22 -0.043   29 0.4585   10  1.233   13  0.120   27 -0.206 P
FLYERS          4 14 39 61  0.080  9.700   30 -0.189   30 -0.188   29 -0.147   30 0.4457   31  0.789   32 -0.505    8  0.211 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
BRUINS         12  5 64 40  0.004  8.144    2  0.150    2  0.147    3  0.188    1 0.5428   17  1.052   12  0.123    4  0.252 P
LIGHTNING      10  5 56 46 -0.011  7.206    5  0.117    5  0.111    5  0.105    6 0.5315    9  1.240    8  0.277   18 -0.067 P
CANADIENS      10  6 57 51 -0.080  7.341   10  0.055   10  0.061   12  0.040   12 0.5155   11  1.184   11  0.139   17 -0.059 P
SENATORS       10  7 54 52 -0.041  8.109   12  0.045   12  0.052   16  0.018   11 0.5156   13  1.173   14  0.102   19 -0.067 P
PANTHERS        9  7 52 47 -0.132  7.074   15  0.005   15  0.011   19 -0.016   15 0.5031   19  1.047   21 -0.086   14  0.054 P
SABRES          8  8 49 53 -0.062  7.594   20 -0.014   20 -0.014   24 -0.059   18 0.4977   14  1.118   18 -0.043   22 -0.075 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8  9 62 56 -0.010  8.294   22 -0.021   22 -0.024   11  0.043   19 0.4933    7  1.288    7  0.278   26 -0.191 P
RED WINGS       7 10 49 52 -0.112  7.760   28 -0.086   28 -0.093   26 -0.082   27 0.4727   25  0.960   27 -0.254   12  0.090 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     74 57 0.565    1  0.073
CENTRAL DIVISION      64 70 0.478    2  0.028
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 64 65 0.496    3  0.025
PACIFIC DIVISION      62 72 0.463    4 -0.126

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.110 points in main ratings (0.079 for semineutral)
     0.014 points in improved RPI (0.008 for semineutral)
Average of 1.00 points per score

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Sat Nov  7 05:30:16 2026
games through: Fri Nov  6 2026

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.