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
DEVILS          9  3 45 36  0.085  6.282    1  0.049    1  0.049    2  0.045    1 0.5518    8  1.236    7  0.233   23 -0.142 P
JETS            9  3 45 30 -0.085  5.465    2  0.039    2  0.040    4  0.044    4 0.5365   10  1.205    9  0.192   21 -0.104 P
CANADIENS       9  3 44 36 -0.075  5.606    3  0.036    3  0.038   11  0.008    2 0.5383    9  1.223   10  0.179   25 -0.162 P
MAMMOTH         8  3 40 30  0.022  5.521    4  0.035    4  0.038    7  0.023    5 0.5330   18  1.110   17  0.051   15 -0.005 P
HURRICANES      7  4 41 32  0.123  5.957    5  0.031    5  0.033    3  0.044    3 0.5374   15  1.144   13  0.114   16 -0.025 P
RED WINGS       8  4 41 39 -0.072  5.657    6  0.023    6  0.025   23 -0.006    6 0.5245   14  1.148   16  0.069   19 -0.080 P
AVALANCHE       7  6 47 35  0.144  7.100    7  0.019    8  0.021    1  0.073    7 0.5239   21  1.001   19 -0.029    8  0.176 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  4 38 33  0.016  5.574    8  0.018    7  0.024   14  0.004    8 0.5188   13  1.177   12  0.116   22 -0.108 P
PENGUINS        8  5 46 36 -0.041  6.168    9  0.015    9  0.020    5  0.038    9 0.5177   16  1.140   14  0.103   18 -0.026 P
DUCKS           6  4 37 33  0.040  5.183   10  0.012   10  0.016   21 -0.003   10 0.5170    5  1.322    3  0.300   28 -0.306 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  6  5 39 32  0.040  5.594   11  0.009   11  0.014    6  0.032   12 0.5053   12  1.178   11  0.145   20 -0.081 P
BRUINS          7  7 45 48  0.082  7.463   12  0.005   12  0.010    9  0.009   14 0.5010    7  1.250    8  0.215   26 -0.197 P
FLYERS          6  5 32 29 -0.017  5.429   13  0.003   13  0.007   17 -0.001   13 0.5018   29  0.811   29 -0.314    4  0.312 P
PANTHERS        6  6 31 34  0.029  6.147   14  0.003   14  0.007   16  0.003   11 0.5056   28  0.840   27 -0.280    6  0.286 P
STARS           6  6 33 36  0.004  6.014   15  0.000   15  0.005   13  0.004   16 0.4977   22  0.984   21 -0.118   12  0.127 P
MAPLE LEAFS     6  6 43 44 -0.071  5.655   16 -0.003   16 -0.000   20 -0.002   15 0.4992    2  1.433    2  0.455   31 -0.459 P
CAPITALS        6  6 31 29 -0.057  5.701   17 -0.004   17 -0.001   12  0.007   20 0.4908   31  0.736   31 -0.383    2  0.398 P
ISLANDERS       5  6 37 40  0.056  5.775   18 -0.005   18 -0.001   19 -0.002   19 0.4937    6  1.309    6  0.283   27 -0.287 P
LIGHTNING       5  6 31 31  0.013  5.538   19 -0.005   19 -0.001    8  0.013   17 0.4961   27  0.842   26 -0.267    5  0.294 P
KRAKEN          5  6 30 32  0.053  5.743   20 -0.006   20 -0.002   15  0.004   18 0.4958   30  0.789   30 -0.333    3  0.341 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
RANGERS         6  7 31 31 -0.023  6.387   21 -0.007   21 -0.005   18 -0.002   22 0.4858   32  0.615   32 -0.511    1  0.507 P
OILERS          6  7 41 41 -0.040  6.267   22 -0.007   22 -0.006   10  0.009   21 0.4908   17  1.115   18  0.043   17 -0.026 P
SENATORS        6  7 48 51 -0.050  6.268   23 -0.010   23 -0.008   26 -0.012   24 0.4815    1  1.540    1  0.603   32 -0.627 P
CANUCKS         6  7 35 41 -0.095  6.104   24 -0.012   24 -0.010   29 -0.037   27 0.4757   20  1.007   22 -0.132   14  0.058 P
SABRES          5  7 37 38  0.005  6.046   25 -0.014   25 -0.012   24 -0.007   23 0.4824   19  1.020   20 -0.087   13  0.074 P
KINGS           5  8 37 44  0.064  6.882   26 -0.014   26 -0.012   25 -0.008   25 0.4794   24  0.957   24 -0.162    9  0.146 P
BLACKHAWKS      5  7 38 35 -0.017  5.934   27 -0.018   27 -0.016   22 -0.005   26 0.4767   23  0.969   23 -0.146   11  0.135 P
SHARKS          4  8 40 50  0.101  6.627   28 -0.022   28 -0.021   30 -0.041   29 0.4679    4  1.343    5  0.291   29 -0.374 P
PREDATORS       5  8 33 43 -0.060  6.278   29 -0.023   29 -0.022   28 -0.033   28 0.4717   25  0.942   25 -0.204   10  0.138 P
WILD            4  9 37 49 -0.022  6.480   30 -0.032   30 -0.032   27 -0.030   30 0.4576   11  1.191   15  0.100   24 -0.160 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES           3  9 34 51 -0.118  5.548   31 -0.048   31 -0.045   31 -0.051   31 0.4399    3  1.356    4  0.298   30 -0.400 P
FLAMES          2 11 29 47  0.007  6.716   32 -0.065   32 -0.058   32 -0.053   32 0.4276   26  0.884   28 -0.288    7  0.181 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
DUCKS           6  4 37 33  0.040  5.183   10  0.012   10  0.016   21 -0.003   10 0.5170    5  1.322    3  0.300   28 -0.306 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS  6  5 39 32  0.040  5.594   11  0.009   11  0.014    6  0.032   12 0.5053   12  1.178   11  0.145   20 -0.081 P
KRAKEN          5  6 30 32  0.053  5.743   20 -0.006   20 -0.002   15  0.004   18 0.4958   30  0.789   30 -0.333    3  0.341 P
OILERS          6  7 41 41 -0.040  6.267   22 -0.007   22 -0.006   10  0.009   21 0.4908   17  1.115   18  0.043   17 -0.026 P
CANUCKS         6  7 35 41 -0.095  6.104   24 -0.012   24 -0.010   29 -0.037   27 0.4757   20  1.007   22 -0.132   14  0.058 P
KINGS           5  8 37 44  0.064  6.882   26 -0.014   26 -0.012   25 -0.008   25 0.4794   24  0.957   24 -0.162    9  0.146 P
SHARKS          4  8 40 50  0.101  6.627   28 -0.022   28 -0.021   30 -0.041   29 0.4679    4  1.343    5  0.291   29 -0.374 P
FLAMES          2 11 29 47  0.007  6.716   32 -0.065   32 -0.058   32 -0.053   32 0.4276   26  0.884   28 -0.288    7  0.181 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
JETS            9  3 45 30 -0.085  5.465    2  0.039    2  0.040    4  0.044    4 0.5365   10  1.205    9  0.192   21 -0.104 P
MAMMOTH         8  3 40 30  0.022  5.521    4  0.035    4  0.038    7  0.023    5 0.5330   18  1.110   17  0.051   15 -0.005 P
AVALANCHE       7  6 47 35  0.144  7.100    7  0.019    8  0.021    1  0.073    7 0.5239   21  1.001   19 -0.029    8  0.176 P
STARS           6  6 33 36  0.004  6.014   15  0.000   15  0.005   13  0.004   16 0.4977   22  0.984   21 -0.118   12  0.127 P
BLACKHAWKS      5  7 38 35 -0.017  5.934   27 -0.018   27 -0.016   22 -0.005   26 0.4767   23  0.969   23 -0.146   11  0.135 P
PREDATORS       5  8 33 43 -0.060  6.278   29 -0.023   29 -0.022   28 -0.033   28 0.4717   25  0.942   25 -0.204   10  0.138 P
WILD            4  9 37 49 -0.022  6.480   30 -0.032   30 -0.032   27 -0.030   30 0.4576   11  1.191   15  0.100   24 -0.160 P
BLUES           3  9 34 51 -0.118  5.548   31 -0.048   31 -0.045   31 -0.051   31 0.4399    3  1.356    4  0.298   30 -0.400 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
DEVILS          9  3 45 36  0.085  6.282    1  0.049    1  0.049    2  0.045    1 0.5518    8  1.236    7  0.233   23 -0.142 P
HURRICANES      7  4 41 32  0.123  5.957    5  0.031    5  0.033    3  0.044    3 0.5374   15  1.144   13  0.114   16 -0.025 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  4 38 33  0.016  5.574    8  0.018    7  0.024   14  0.004    8 0.5188   13  1.177   12  0.116   22 -0.108 P
PENGUINS        8  5 46 36 -0.041  6.168    9  0.015    9  0.020    5  0.038    9 0.5177   16  1.140   14  0.103   18 -0.026 P
FLYERS          6  5 32 29 -0.017  5.429   13  0.003   13  0.007   17 -0.001   13 0.5018   29  0.811   29 -0.314    4  0.312 P
CAPITALS        6  6 31 29 -0.057  5.701   17 -0.004   17 -0.001   12  0.007   20 0.4908   31  0.736   31 -0.383    2  0.398 P
ISLANDERS       5  6 37 40  0.056  5.775   18 -0.005   18 -0.001   19 -0.002   19 0.4937    6  1.309    6  0.283   27 -0.287 P
RANGERS         6  7 31 31 -0.023  6.387   21 -0.007   21 -0.005   18 -0.002   22 0.4858   32  0.615   32 -0.511    1  0.507 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       9  3 44 36 -0.075  5.606    3  0.036    3  0.038   11  0.008    2 0.5383    9  1.223   10  0.179   25 -0.162 P
RED WINGS       8  4 41 39 -0.072  5.657    6  0.023    6  0.025   23 -0.006    6 0.5245   14  1.148   16  0.069   19 -0.080 P
BRUINS          7  7 45 48  0.082  7.463   12  0.005   12  0.010    9  0.009   14 0.5010    7  1.250    8  0.215   26 -0.197 P
PANTHERS        6  6 31 34  0.029  6.147   14  0.003   14  0.007   16  0.003   11 0.5056   28  0.840   27 -0.280    6  0.286 P
MAPLE LEAFS     6  6 43 44 -0.071  5.655   16 -0.003   16 -0.000   20 -0.002   15 0.4992    2  1.433    2  0.455   31 -0.459 P
LIGHTNING       5  6 31 31  0.013  5.538   19 -0.005   19 -0.001    8  0.013   17 0.4961   27  0.842   26 -0.267    5  0.294 P
SENATORS        6  7 48 51 -0.050  6.268   23 -0.010   23 -0.008   26 -0.012   24 0.4815    1  1.540    1  0.603   32 -0.627 P
SABRES          5  7 37 38  0.005  6.046   25 -0.014   25 -0.012   24 -0.007   23 0.4824   19  1.020   20 -0.087   13  0.074 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 54 40 0.574    1  0.113
CENTRAL DIVISION      47 51 0.480    2  0.008
ATLANTIC DIVISION     52 46 0.531    3 -0.007
PACIFIC DIVISION      40 56 0.417    4 -0.103

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.093 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: Sun Nov  2 05:30:16 2025
games through: Sat Nov  1 2025

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.