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
RANGERS        3 5 16 15  0.072  4.230   24 -0.023   24 -0.022    9  0.011   23 0.4841   32  0.389   32 -0.649    1  0.671 P
CAPITALS       5 2 21 13 -0.030  3.354    6  0.045    6  0.043    5  0.059    6 0.5264   31  0.751   29 -0.267    2  0.385 P
AVALANCHE      5 2 24 14  0.027  3.479    5  0.052    5  0.052    1  0.111    4 0.5410   29  0.836   22 -0.127    3  0.349 P
OILERS         3 4 18 20 -0.042  3.359   20 -0.013   21 -0.017   10  0.010   17 0.4935   27  0.845   26 -0.219    4  0.239 P
PANTHERS       4 4 19 23 -0.031  3.913   13  0.008   13  0.002   22 -0.017   13 0.5047   28  0.838   28 -0.253    5  0.218 P
KRAKEN         3 4 19 23  0.004  3.551   21 -0.017   22 -0.020   26 -0.039   21 0.4871   30  0.825   30 -0.289    6  0.211 P
MAMMOTH        5 2 21 16 -0.044  3.364    8  0.040    7  0.038   17 -0.003   10 0.5184   26  0.873   25 -0.201    7  0.195 P
PREDATORS      2 5 17 24 -0.037  3.441   29 -0.050   29 -0.053   28 -0.049   28 0.4635   25  0.876   27 -0.244    8  0.146 P
RED WINGS      5 1 20 14 -0.015  2.946    4  0.054    4  0.055    8  0.014    5 0.5401   22  0.937   21 -0.112    9  0.141 P
BLACKHAWKS     3 4 22 18 -0.076  3.295   26 -0.035   26 -0.034   25 -0.032   26 0.4773   23  0.901   24 -0.200   10  0.136 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
HURRICANES     5 1 24 15  0.005  2.917    1  0.070    2  0.067    3  0.077    1 0.5573   18  1.023   14  0.049   11  0.104 P
FLAMES         1 6 12 27  0.098  3.886   31 -0.069   31 -0.069   31 -0.097   30 0.4515   24  0.876   31 -0.291   12  0.098 P
JETS           5 1 23 13 -0.084  2.708    3  0.060    3  0.060    2  0.086    3 0.5486   13  1.066   13  0.109   13  0.062 P
PENGUINS       5 2 23 16 -0.099  3.153    9  0.037    9  0.034    7  0.042    9 0.5213   16  1.039   15  0.033   14  0.050 P
LIGHTNING      1 5 16 21  0.071  3.171   28 -0.048   28 -0.052   13  0.007   29 0.4624   19  1.010   19 -0.036   15  0.050 P
SABRES         2 4 15 18 -0.013  3.013   27 -0.036   27 -0.036   27 -0.048   27 0.4665   21  0.964   23 -0.144   16  0.049 P
FLYERS         3 3 18 16  0.048  3.125   15  0.001   15 -0.004   20 -0.010   14 0.5013   20  1.007   20 -0.056   17  0.037 P
KINGS          2 5 19 25  0.228  4.171   25 -0.027   25 -0.025   19 -0.004   22 0.4847   17  1.027   18 -0.026   18  0.019 P
BLUE JACKETS   3 3 19 16  0.098  3.245   14  0.004   14  0.000   15 -0.002   15 0.4971   15  1.043   16 -0.006   19  0.003 P
BLUES          3 3 16 20 -0.115  2.726   18 -0.007   17 -0.009   24 -0.027   18 0.4920   14  1.063   17 -0.007   20 -0.047 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
WILD           3 4 20 23  0.053  3.657   17 -0.005   18 -0.012   18 -0.004   19 0.4912   12  1.150   12  0.123   21 -0.130 P
CANUCKS        4 3 21 22  0.010  3.541   11  0.021   11  0.015   21 -0.014   12 0.5122   11  1.168   10  0.135   22 -0.164 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5 2 30 20 -0.136  3.009    7  0.040    8  0.037    4  0.068    7 0.5231    7  1.290    5  0.376   23 -0.240 P
BRUINS         3 5 24 26  0.089  4.283   23 -0.023   23 -0.021   11  0.009   25 0.4816    9  1.246    8  0.259   24 -0.241 P
DUCKS          3 3 19 20 -0.086  2.846   22 -0.019   20 -0.017   29 -0.066   24 0.4832   10  1.203   11  0.128   25 -0.260 P
CANADIENS      5 2 25 20 -0.073  3.280   10  0.035   10  0.033   16 -0.002    8 0.5218    8  1.274    7  0.285   26 -0.290 P
DEVILS         5 1 24 17  0.106  3.216    2  0.065    1  0.067    6  0.056    2 0.5545    4  1.325    4  0.413   27 -0.300 P
ISLANDERS      3 3 20 22 -0.037  2.938   16  0.000   16 -0.005   23 -0.026   20 0.4911    5  1.304    6  0.301   28 -0.354 P
MAPLE LEAFS    3 4 24 25 -0.018  3.436   19 -0.011   19 -0.014   12  0.008   16 0.4966    2  1.367    2  0.422   29 -0.406 P
STARS          3 3 20 23  0.113  3.279   12  0.016   12  0.014   14  0.005   11 0.5141    3  1.365    3  0.416   30 -0.406 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SHARKS         0 6 16 29  0.006  3.146   32 -0.103   32 -0.106   32 -0.140   32 0.4153    6  1.290    9  0.168   31 -0.449 P
SENATORS       2 5 22 33 -0.121  3.217   30 -0.060   30 -0.059   30 -0.090   31 0.4484    1  1.551    1  0.589   32 -0.769 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         3 4 18 20 -0.042  3.359   20 -0.013   21 -0.017   10  0.010   17 0.4935   27  0.845   26 -0.219    4  0.239 P
KRAKEN         3 4 19 23  0.004  3.551   21 -0.017   22 -0.020   26 -0.039   21 0.4871   30  0.825   30 -0.289    6  0.211 P
FLAMES         1 6 12 27  0.098  3.886   31 -0.069   31 -0.069   31 -0.097   30 0.4515   24  0.876   31 -0.291   12  0.098 P
KINGS          2 5 19 25  0.228  4.171   25 -0.027   25 -0.025   19 -0.004   22 0.4847   17  1.027   18 -0.026   18  0.019 P
CANUCKS        4 3 21 22  0.010  3.541   11  0.021   11  0.015   21 -0.014   12 0.5122   11  1.168   10  0.135   22 -0.164 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5 2 30 20 -0.136  3.009    7  0.040    8  0.037    4  0.068    7 0.5231    7  1.290    5  0.376   23 -0.240 P
DUCKS          3 3 19 20 -0.086  2.846   22 -0.019   20 -0.017   29 -0.066   24 0.4832   10  1.203   11  0.128   25 -0.260 P
SHARKS         0 6 16 29  0.006  3.146   32 -0.103   32 -0.106   32 -0.140   32 0.4153    6  1.290    9  0.168   31 -0.449 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 2 24 14  0.027  3.479    5  0.052    5  0.052    1  0.111    4 0.5410   29  0.836   22 -0.127    3  0.349 P
MAMMOTH        5 2 21 16 -0.044  3.364    8  0.040    7  0.038   17 -0.003   10 0.5184   26  0.873   25 -0.201    7  0.195 P
PREDATORS      2 5 17 24 -0.037  3.441   29 -0.050   29 -0.053   28 -0.049   28 0.4635   25  0.876   27 -0.244    8  0.146 P
BLACKHAWKS     3 4 22 18 -0.076  3.295   26 -0.035   26 -0.034   25 -0.032   26 0.4773   23  0.901   24 -0.200   10  0.136 P
JETS           5 1 23 13 -0.084  2.708    3  0.060    3  0.060    2  0.086    3 0.5486   13  1.066   13  0.109   13  0.062 P
BLUES          3 3 16 20 -0.115  2.726   18 -0.007   17 -0.009   24 -0.027   18 0.4920   14  1.063   17 -0.007   20 -0.047 P
WILD           3 4 20 23  0.053  3.657   17 -0.005   18 -0.012   18 -0.004   19 0.4912   12  1.150   12  0.123   21 -0.130 P
STARS          3 3 20 23  0.113  3.279   12  0.016   12  0.014   14  0.005   11 0.5141    3  1.365    3  0.416   30 -0.406 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
RANGERS        3 5 16 15  0.072  4.230   24 -0.023   24 -0.022    9  0.011   23 0.4841   32  0.389   32 -0.649    1  0.671 P
CAPITALS       5 2 21 13 -0.030  3.354    6  0.045    6  0.043    5  0.059    6 0.5264   31  0.751   29 -0.267    2  0.385 P
HURRICANES     5 1 24 15  0.005  2.917    1  0.070    2  0.067    3  0.077    1 0.5573   18  1.023   14  0.049   11  0.104 P
PENGUINS       5 2 23 16 -0.099  3.153    9  0.037    9  0.034    7  0.042    9 0.5213   16  1.039   15  0.033   14  0.050 P
FLYERS         3 3 18 16  0.048  3.125   15  0.001   15 -0.004   20 -0.010   14 0.5013   20  1.007   20 -0.056   17  0.037 P
BLUE JACKETS   3 3 19 16  0.098  3.245   14  0.004   14  0.000   15 -0.002   15 0.4971   15  1.043   16 -0.006   19  0.003 P
DEVILS         5 1 24 17  0.106  3.216    2  0.065    1  0.067    6  0.056    2 0.5545    4  1.325    4  0.413   27 -0.300 P
ISLANDERS      3 3 20 22 -0.037  2.938   16  0.000   16 -0.005   23 -0.026   20 0.4911    5  1.304    6  0.301   28 -0.354 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
PANTHERS       4 4 19 23 -0.031  3.913   13  0.008   13  0.002   22 -0.017   13 0.5047   28  0.838   28 -0.253    5  0.218 P
RED WINGS      5 1 20 14 -0.015  2.946    4  0.054    4  0.055    8  0.014    5 0.5401   22  0.937   21 -0.112    9  0.141 P
LIGHTNING      1 5 16 21  0.071  3.171   28 -0.048   28 -0.052   13  0.007   29 0.4624   19  1.010   19 -0.036   15  0.050 P
SABRES         2 4 15 18 -0.013  3.013   27 -0.036   27 -0.036   27 -0.048   27 0.4665   21  0.964   23 -0.144   16  0.049 P
BRUINS         3 5 24 26  0.089  4.283   23 -0.023   23 -0.021   11  0.009   25 0.4816    9  1.246    8  0.259   24 -0.241 P
CANADIENS      5 2 25 20 -0.073  3.280   10  0.035   10  0.033   16 -0.002    8 0.5218    8  1.274    7  0.285   26 -0.290 P
MAPLE LEAFS    3 4 24 25 -0.018  3.436   19 -0.011   19 -0.014   12  0.008   16 0.4966    2  1.367    2  0.422   29 -0.406 P
SENATORS       2 5 22 33 -0.121  3.217   30 -0.060   30 -0.059   30 -0.090   31 0.4484    1  1.551    1  0.589   32 -0.769 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 32 20 0.615    1  0.131
CENTRAL DIVISION      29 24 0.547    2  0.061
ATLANTIC DIVISION     25 30 0.455    3 -0.054
PACIFIC DIVISION      21 33 0.389    4 -0.145

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Wed Oct 22 05:30:08 2025
games through: Tue Oct 21 2025

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.