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      41 19 230 149 -0.004 29.607    1  0.247    1  0.245    1  0.378    1 0.5458   18  1.083    1  0.378    1  0.378
LIGHTNING      38 21 210 158  0.009 29.575    2  0.201    2  0.194    2  0.224    2 0.5372   15  1.099    4  0.243    3  0.204
HURRICANES     38 22 208 171 -0.005 29.854    3  0.182    3  0.177    4  0.148    3 0.5330   13  1.121    9  0.195   12  0.102
STARS          38 23 212 165 -0.032 29.632    4  0.151    4  0.148    3  0.176    4 0.5266   21  1.062   11  0.151    4  0.202
SABRES         36 25 209 183  0.013 30.818    5  0.126    5  0.127    7  0.110    5 0.5238    9  1.171    5  0.219   19  0.001
ISLANDERS      35 26 182 172  0.009 30.805    7  0.095    8  0.103   13  0.045    6 0.5198   27  0.951   21 -0.111    5  0.201
RED WINGS      35 26 182 183  0.009 30.901    8  0.095    6  0.105   17 -0.005    7 0.5187   25  0.984   22 -0.123   11  0.112
WILD           36 26 209 180 -0.009 30.753    6  0.098    7  0.104    5  0.130    8 0.5177   19  1.079   12  0.126    9  0.135
BRUINS         34 26 202 188  0.004 30.151    9  0.082    9  0.090    8  0.072    9 0.5165    7  1.185    8  0.198   20 -0.055
CANADIENS      33 27 213 200  0.021 30.571   10  0.068   10  0.078   10  0.068   10 0.5121    3  1.276    3  0.313   25 -0.177
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
DUCKS          33 27 200 211  0.007 30.428   11  0.060   11  0.071   22 -0.071   11 0.5119    2  1.306    6  0.215   32 -0.357
MAMMOTH        32 29 193 169  0.007 30.718   12  0.032   12  0.036    9  0.071   12 0.5072   22  1.014   19 -0.012    6  0.154
BLUE JACKETS   31 29 192 191  0.005 30.276   13  0.022   13  0.025   16 -0.003   13 0.5043   12  1.136   17  0.062   22 -0.068
DEVILS         30 31 156 183  0.029 31.533   16  0.004   15  0.005   26 -0.118   14 0.5019   30  0.856   30 -0.379    8  0.143
PENGUINS       31 29 204 175 -0.035 29.185   15  0.011   16  0.005    6  0.121   15 0.5019   14  1.111   10  0.156   13  0.087
SHARKS         30 29 186 207  0.009 30.018   14  0.016   14  0.017   25 -0.107   16 0.5019    4  1.244   15  0.095   30 -0.310
PANTHERS       30 31 186 205  0.019 31.239   17  0.001   17 -0.000   21 -0.070   17 0.5008    8  1.183   18  0.054   26 -0.194
CAPITALS       31 32 199 189 -0.006 31.431   18 -0.008   19 -0.016   11  0.054   18 0.4992   17  1.093   16  0.066   15  0.042
SENATORS       29 31 201 193  0.012 30.390   19 -0.008   18 -0.016   12  0.045   19 0.4971    6  1.206    7  0.199   23 -0.108
KRAKEN         29 31 171 176 -0.029 29.474   22 -0.027   21 -0.039   18 -0.020   20 0.4934   28  0.937   25 -0.192    7  0.152
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLYERS         28 32 177 188  0.012 30.522   21 -0.027   20 -0.038   19 -0.043   21 0.4927   24  1.006   23 -0.134   14  0.049
OILERS         30 32 220 210 -0.033 30.308   20 -0.027   22 -0.040   14  0.029   22 0.4927    1  1.323    2  0.338   29 -0.281
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 28 33 201 194 -0.020 30.141   23 -0.052   23 -0.067   15  0.024   23 0.4891   11  1.149   14  0.106   21 -0.058
MAPLE LEAFS    27 34 195 211  0.006 30.868   24 -0.061   24 -0.073   20 -0.047   24 0.4865    5  1.216   13  0.120   27 -0.214
PREDATORS      27 34 179 210  0.006 31.014   25 -0.063   25 -0.073   27 -0.132   25 0.4847   10  1.155   20 -0.043   28 -0.221
KINGS          24 36 155 179  0.014 30.596   26 -0.125   26 -0.126   23 -0.075   26 0.4763   32  0.799   31 -0.396    2  0.247
RANGERS        23 37 160 190  0.037 31.218   27 -0.138   27 -0.136   29 -0.144   27 0.4758   29  0.934   29 -0.318   16  0.031
JETS           24 36 171 186 -0.009 30.041   28 -0.142   28 -0.140   24 -0.086   28 0.4750   23  1.009   24 -0.174   17  0.003
FLAMES         24 36 149 181 -0.032 29.552   29 -0.161   29 -0.152   30 -0.165   29 0.4717   31  0.840   32 -0.443   10  0.113
BLACKHAWKS     23 38 163 195 -0.018 30.404   30 -0.185   30 -0.175   28 -0.137   30 0.4675   26  0.966   27 -0.275   18  0.001
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          22 38 156 208 -0.014 30.038   31 -0.198   31 -0.186   31 -0.182   31 0.4654   20  1.070   26 -0.197   24 -0.166
CANUCKS        18 42 153 224 -0.006 30.413   32 -0.271   32 -0.272   32 -0.308   32 0.4516   16  1.097   28 -0.291   31 -0.325

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          33 27 200 211  0.007 30.428   11  0.060   11  0.071   22 -0.071   11 0.5119    2  1.306    6  0.215   32 -0.357
SHARKS         30 29 186 207  0.009 30.018   14  0.016   14  0.017   25 -0.107   16 0.5019    4  1.244   15  0.095   30 -0.310
KRAKEN         29 31 171 176 -0.029 29.474   22 -0.027   21 -0.039   18 -0.020   20 0.4934   28  0.937   25 -0.192    7  0.152
OILERS         30 32 220 210 -0.033 30.308   20 -0.027   22 -0.040   14  0.029   22 0.4927    1  1.323    2  0.338   29 -0.281
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 28 33 201 194 -0.020 30.141   23 -0.052   23 -0.067   15  0.024   23 0.4891   11  1.149   14  0.106   21 -0.058
KINGS          24 36 155 179  0.014 30.596   26 -0.125   26 -0.126   23 -0.075   26 0.4763   32  0.799   31 -0.396    2  0.247
FLAMES         24 36 149 181 -0.032 29.552   29 -0.161   29 -0.152   30 -0.165   29 0.4717   31  0.840   32 -0.443   10  0.113
CANUCKS        18 42 153 224 -0.006 30.413   32 -0.271   32 -0.272   32 -0.308   32 0.4516   16  1.097   28 -0.291   31 -0.325

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      41 19 230 149 -0.004 29.607    1  0.247    1  0.245    1  0.378    1 0.5458   18  1.083    1  0.378    1  0.378
STARS          38 23 212 165 -0.032 29.632    4  0.151    4  0.148    3  0.176    4 0.5266   21  1.062   11  0.151    4  0.202
WILD           36 26 209 180 -0.009 30.753    6  0.098    7  0.104    5  0.130    8 0.5177   19  1.079   12  0.126    9  0.135
MAMMOTH        32 29 193 169  0.007 30.718   12  0.032   12  0.036    9  0.071   12 0.5072   22  1.014   19 -0.012    6  0.154
PREDATORS      27 34 179 210  0.006 31.014   25 -0.063   25 -0.073   27 -0.132   25 0.4847   10  1.155   20 -0.043   28 -0.221
JETS           24 36 171 186 -0.009 30.041   28 -0.142   28 -0.140   24 -0.086   28 0.4750   23  1.009   24 -0.174   17  0.003
BLACKHAWKS     23 38 163 195 -0.018 30.404   30 -0.185   30 -0.175   28 -0.137   30 0.4675   26  0.966   27 -0.275   18  0.001
BLUES          22 38 156 208 -0.014 30.038   31 -0.198   31 -0.186   31 -0.182   31 0.4654   20  1.070   26 -0.197   24 -0.166

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     38 22 208 171 -0.005 29.854    3  0.182    3  0.177    4  0.148    3 0.5330   13  1.121    9  0.195   12  0.102
ISLANDERS      35 26 182 172  0.009 30.805    7  0.095    8  0.103   13  0.045    6 0.5198   27  0.951   21 -0.111    5  0.201
BLUE JACKETS   31 29 192 191  0.005 30.276   13  0.022   13  0.025   16 -0.003   13 0.5043   12  1.136   17  0.062   22 -0.068
DEVILS         30 31 156 183  0.029 31.533   16  0.004   15  0.005   26 -0.118   14 0.5019   30  0.856   30 -0.379    8  0.143
PENGUINS       31 29 204 175 -0.035 29.185   15  0.011   16  0.005    6  0.121   15 0.5019   14  1.111   10  0.156   13  0.087
CAPITALS       31 32 199 189 -0.006 31.431   18 -0.008   19 -0.016   11  0.054   18 0.4992   17  1.093   16  0.066   15  0.042
FLYERS         28 32 177 188  0.012 30.522   21 -0.027   20 -0.038   19 -0.043   21 0.4927   24  1.006   23 -0.134   14  0.049
RANGERS        23 37 160 190  0.037 31.218   27 -0.138   27 -0.136   29 -0.144   27 0.4758   29  0.934   29 -0.318   16  0.031

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
LIGHTNING      38 21 210 158  0.009 29.575    2  0.201    2  0.194    2  0.224    2 0.5372   15  1.099    4  0.243    3  0.204
SABRES         36 25 209 183  0.013 30.818    5  0.126    5  0.127    7  0.110    5 0.5238    9  1.171    5  0.219   19  0.001
RED WINGS      35 26 182 183  0.009 30.901    8  0.095    6  0.105   17 -0.005    7 0.5187   25  0.984   22 -0.123   11  0.112
BRUINS         34 26 202 188  0.004 30.151    9  0.082    9  0.090    8  0.072    9 0.5165    7  1.185    8  0.198   20 -0.055
CANADIENS      33 27 213 200  0.021 30.571   10  0.068   10  0.078   10  0.068   10 0.5121    3  1.276    3  0.313   25 -0.177
PANTHERS       30 31 186 205  0.019 31.239   17  0.001   17 -0.000   21 -0.070   17 0.5008    8  1.183   18  0.054   26 -0.194
SENATORS       29 31 201 193  0.012 30.390   19 -0.008   18 -0.016   12  0.045   19 0.4971    6  1.206    7  0.199   23 -0.108
MAPLE LEAFS    27 34 195 211  0.006 30.868   24 -0.061   24 -0.073   20 -0.047   24 0.4865    5  1.216   13  0.120   27 -0.214

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     262 221 0.542    1  0.078
CENTRAL DIVISION      243 243 0.500    2  0.041
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 247 238 0.509    3  0.012
PACIFIC DIVISION      216 266 0.448    4 -0.135

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Wed Mar  4 05:30:08 2026
games through: Tue Mar  3 2026

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