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      61 27 329 216 -0.019 43.215    1  0.308    1  0.310    1  0.407    1 0.5440   19  1.062    1  0.377    1  0.437
HURRICANES     59 29 313 247  0.010 44.442    2  0.286    2  0.289    2  0.224    2 0.5423   10  1.130    4  0.277    6  0.171
SABRES         55 34 312 255  0.014 45.140    3  0.228    3  0.205    3  0.211    3 0.5308    8  1.143    3  0.281    7  0.142
LIGHTNING      53 36 305 247  0.019 45.317    4  0.193    4  0.169    4  0.205    4 0.5264   17  1.082    6  0.199    3  0.211
CANADIENS      52 38 301 275  0.037 46.574    5  0.164    5  0.153    8  0.112    5 0.5227    9  1.131    8  0.167   12  0.058
STARS          52 36 294 249  0.002 44.244    6  0.161    6  0.150    5  0.153    6 0.5213   21  1.054   11  0.113    4  0.193
WILD           50 40 303 269  0.013 45.604    7  0.095    7  0.098    6  0.142    7 0.5141   12  1.120    7  0.183    9  0.102
BRUINS         47 41 284 270  0.033 45.452    8  0.069    8  0.076   11  0.077    8 0.5122   16  1.106   13  0.100   13  0.054
FLYERS         47 43 268 260  0.024 46.237    9  0.044    9  0.051   14  0.035    9 0.5077   31  0.925   24 -0.155    2  0.224
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.002 41.326   10  0.036   11  0.037    9  0.088   10 0.5069   15  1.107   12  0.112   11  0.063
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.005 41.575   11  0.035   10  0.040   17 -0.029   11 0.5069   29  0.948   25 -0.193    8  0.135
DUCKS          48 42 303 313 -0.026 44.614   12  0.028   12  0.035   23 -0.090   14 0.5045    1  1.280    9  0.156   30 -0.336
SENATORS       44 42 283 257  0.017 43.826   13  0.027   13  0.029    7  0.115   12 0.5058   13  1.118   10  0.153   10  0.077
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.013 41.942   14  0.020   14  0.025   25 -0.116   13 0.5046   27  0.996   27 -0.225   20 -0.008
MAMMOTH        45 43 286 263 -0.010 43.985   15  0.011   15  0.010   13  0.042   16 0.5006   14  1.117   14  0.078   18  0.006
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.009 41.736   16  0.006   16  0.005   18 -0.052   15 0.5012   22  1.037   21 -0.113   17  0.009
PENGUINS       43 45 304 284  0.009 44.615   17 -0.002   17 -0.014   10  0.079   17 0.4991    3  1.248    2  0.282   25 -0.125
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.010 41.715   18 -0.006   19 -0.015   16 -0.011   18 0.4988   20  1.060   19 -0.044   15  0.023
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.012 41.875   19 -0.007   18 -0.014   22 -0.084   19 0.4985    6  1.193   16  0.048   28 -0.216
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 44 46 292 272 -0.024 44.477   20 -0.019   20 -0.035   12  0.044   20 0.4946   18  1.079   17  0.034   14  0.054
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
OILERS         43 45 303 295 -0.036 43.078   21 -0.027   21 -0.044   15  0.017   21 0.4945    2  1.261    5  0.239   27 -0.204
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.026 40.765   22 -0.047   22 -0.058   29 -0.176   22 0.4912    5  1.214   18 -0.017   29 -0.335
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.012 41.118   23 -0.055   23 -0.069   24 -0.099   23 0.4893   11  1.121   20 -0.058   26 -0.141
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.021 40.774   24 -0.079   24 -0.093   19 -0.067   24 0.4857   23  1.027   22 -0.139   19  0.004
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.011 41.205   25 -0.123   25 -0.126   26 -0.122   26 0.4807   24  1.022   26 -0.200   23 -0.044
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.013 41.889   26 -0.127   26 -0.131   20 -0.068   25 0.4812   25  1.016   23 -0.154   16  0.017
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.020 40.960   27 -0.159   27 -0.154   30 -0.194   27 0.4770   30  0.931   32 -0.376   21 -0.011
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.024 40.778   28 -0.161   28 -0.158   27 -0.142   29 0.4765   26  0.997   28 -0.250   22 -0.035
KINGS          35 51 230 260 -0.005 43.380   29 -0.162   29 -0.160   21 -0.083   28 0.4765   32  0.847   31 -0.358    5  0.192
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.012 41.965   30 -0.177   30 -0.171   28 -0.146   30 0.4752    4  1.242   15  0.049   31 -0.342
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.017 41.119   31 -0.244   31 -0.251   31 -0.228   31 0.4624   28  0.985   30 -0.349   24 -0.106
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.022 41.163   32 -0.316   32 -0.334   32 -0.394   32 0.4503    7  1.160   29 -0.303   32 -0.484

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          48 42 303 313 -0.026 44.614   12  0.028   12  0.035   23 -0.090   14 0.5045    1  1.280    9  0.156   30 -0.336
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 44 46 292 272 -0.024 44.477   20 -0.019   20 -0.035   12  0.044   20 0.4946   18  1.079   17  0.034   14  0.054
OILERS         43 45 303 295 -0.036 43.078   21 -0.027   21 -0.044   15  0.017   21 0.4945    2  1.261    5  0.239   27 -0.204
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.026 40.765   22 -0.047   22 -0.058   29 -0.176   22 0.4912    5  1.214   18 -0.017   29 -0.335
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.020 40.960   27 -0.159   27 -0.154   30 -0.194   27 0.4770   30  0.931   32 -0.376   21 -0.011
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.024 40.778   28 -0.161   28 -0.158   27 -0.142   29 0.4765   26  0.997   28 -0.250   22 -0.035
KINGS          35 51 230 260 -0.005 43.380   29 -0.162   29 -0.160   21 -0.083   28 0.4765   32  0.847   31 -0.358    5  0.192
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.022 41.163   32 -0.316   32 -0.334   32 -0.394   32 0.4503    7  1.160   29 -0.303   32 -0.484

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      61 27 329 216 -0.019 43.215    1  0.308    1  0.310    1  0.407    1 0.5440   19  1.062    1  0.377    1  0.437
STARS          52 36 294 249  0.002 44.244    6  0.161    6  0.150    5  0.153    6 0.5213   21  1.054   11  0.113    4  0.193
WILD           50 40 303 269  0.013 45.604    7  0.095    7  0.098    6  0.142    7 0.5141   12  1.120    7  0.183    9  0.102
MAMMOTH        45 43 286 263 -0.010 43.985   15  0.011   15  0.010   13  0.042   16 0.5006   14  1.117   14  0.078   18  0.006
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.012 41.118   23 -0.055   23 -0.069   24 -0.099   23 0.4893   11  1.121   20 -0.058   26 -0.141
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.021 40.774   24 -0.079   24 -0.093   19 -0.067   24 0.4857   23  1.027   22 -0.139   19  0.004
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.011 41.205   25 -0.123   25 -0.126   26 -0.122   26 0.4807   24  1.022   26 -0.200   23 -0.044
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.017 41.119   31 -0.244   31 -0.251   31 -0.228   31 0.4624   28  0.985   30 -0.349   24 -0.106

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     59 29 313 247  0.010 44.442    2  0.286    2  0.289    2  0.224    2 0.5423   10  1.130    4  0.277    6  0.171
FLYERS         47 43 268 260  0.024 46.237    9  0.044    9  0.051   14  0.035    9 0.5077   31  0.925   24 -0.155    2  0.224
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.002 41.326   10  0.036   11  0.037    9  0.088   10 0.5069   15  1.107   12  0.112   11  0.063
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.005 41.575   11  0.035   10  0.040   17 -0.029   11 0.5069   29  0.948   25 -0.193    8  0.135
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.013 41.942   14  0.020   14  0.025   25 -0.116   13 0.5046   27  0.996   27 -0.225   20 -0.008
PENGUINS       43 45 304 284  0.009 44.615   17 -0.002   17 -0.014   10  0.079   17 0.4991    3  1.248    2  0.282   25 -0.125
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.010 41.715   18 -0.006   19 -0.015   16 -0.011   18 0.4988   20  1.060   19 -0.044   15  0.023
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.013 41.889   26 -0.127   26 -0.131   20 -0.068   25 0.4812   25  1.016   23 -0.154   16  0.017

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
SABRES         55 34 312 255  0.014 45.140    3  0.228    3  0.205    3  0.211    3 0.5308    8  1.143    3  0.281    7  0.142
LIGHTNING      53 36 305 247  0.019 45.317    4  0.193    4  0.169    4  0.205    4 0.5264   17  1.082    6  0.199    3  0.211
CANADIENS      52 38 301 275  0.037 46.574    5  0.164    5  0.153    8  0.112    5 0.5227    9  1.131    8  0.167   12  0.058
BRUINS         47 41 284 270  0.033 45.452    8  0.069    8  0.076   11  0.077    8 0.5122   16  1.106   13  0.100   13  0.054
SENATORS       44 42 283 257  0.017 43.826   13  0.027   13  0.029    7  0.115   12 0.5058   13  1.118   10  0.153   10  0.077
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.009 41.736   16  0.006   16  0.005   18 -0.052   15 0.5012   22  1.037   21 -0.113   17  0.009
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.012 41.875   19 -0.007   18 -0.014   22 -0.084   19 0.4985    6  1.193   16  0.048   28 -0.216
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.012 41.965   30 -0.177   30 -0.171   28 -0.146   30 0.4752    4  1.242   15  0.049   31 -0.342

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     364 324 0.529    1  0.074
CENTRAL DIVISION      347 335 0.509    2  0.036
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 351 325 0.519    3  0.035
PACIFIC DIVISION      302 380 0.443    4 -0.169

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Thu May  7 05:30:11 2026
games through: Wed May  6 2026

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