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      36 17 208 134  0.002 26.257    1  0.225    1  0.211    1  0.358    1 0.5451   15  1.115    1  0.395    2  0.321
LIGHTNING      34 18 183 131 -0.001 25.814    2  0.187    2  0.175    2  0.224    2 0.5381   22  1.039    9  0.170    3  0.279
HURRICANES     33 21 188 158 -0.003 26.913    3  0.132    3  0.129    4  0.120    3 0.5279   13  1.134    8  0.181   11  0.058
BRUINS         32 23 186 171 -0.005 27.444    4  0.088    4  0.095    8  0.066    4 0.5193    7  1.186    7  0.193   21 -0.061
STARS          32 23 184 153 -0.010 27.269    5  0.087    5  0.092    3  0.129    5 0.5192   19  1.054   13  0.092    5  0.165
SABRES         31 23 185 164 -0.003 26.969    6  0.079    6  0.085    7  0.078    6 0.5185    8  1.177    6  0.193   18 -0.037
RED WINGS      32 24 171 171 -0.006 28.017    8  0.072    8  0.083   17 -0.013    7 0.5166   24  1.028   22 -0.081   12  0.055
CANADIENS      31 24 191 182  0.018 27.984    7  0.075    7  0.084   11  0.043    8 0.5154    4  1.240    3  0.240   25 -0.154
WILD           32 24 186 161 -0.018 27.589    9  0.068    9  0.077    5  0.116    9 0.5147   20  1.051   16  0.075    7  0.157
ISLANDERS      30 25 160 153  0.007 27.742   10  0.047   10  0.058   12  0.039   10 0.5123   29  0.918   24 -0.156    4  0.233
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
DEVILS         28 27 145 169  0.035 28.545   13  0.018   13  0.028   26 -0.096   11 0.5059   30  0.907   30 -0.302   10  0.110
PANTHERS       28 26 165 176  0.013 27.483   12  0.020   12  0.028   21 -0.040   12 0.5057    9  1.156   18  0.048   23 -0.128
DUCKS          28 26 177 190  0.015 27.557   11  0.021   11  0.029   24 -0.070   13 0.5057    1  1.291    5  0.195   32 -0.335
PENGUINS       28 25 181 159 -0.042 25.634   15  0.012   16  0.014    6  0.085   14 0.5042   12  1.143   10  0.157   15  0.012
MAMMOTH        28 27 173 154  0.008 27.741   16  0.012   15  0.015    9  0.055   15 0.5040   25  1.011   19 -0.032    8  0.142
SHARKS         27 26 166 183  0.020 27.171   14  0.014   14  0.022   25 -0.080   16 0.5032    6  1.217   14  0.087   30 -0.247
BLUE JACKETS   27 27 172 177  0.015 27.504   17  0.006   17  0.008   20 -0.031   17 0.5008   10  1.152   17  0.053   22 -0.115
CAPITALS       27 29 179 170 -0.001 28.049   20 -0.015   20 -0.023   10  0.050   18 0.4975   16  1.111   15  0.083   13  0.017
OILERS         28 28 193 185 -0.027 27.497   18 -0.007   18 -0.013   14  0.030   19 0.4971    2  1.264    2  0.259   28 -0.198
SENATORS       26 28 183 177  0.000 27.109   19 -0.014   19 -0.021   15  0.027   20 0.4961    3  1.247    4  0.234   27 -0.179
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
KRAKEN         26 28 156 159 -0.025 26.607   21 -0.026   21 -0.034   16 -0.006   21 0.4932   28  0.945   25 -0.170    6  0.157
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 25 29 179 172 -0.017 26.729   23 -0.039   24 -0.052   13  0.032   22 0.4908   11  1.146   12  0.108   19 -0.044
MAPLE LEAFS    25 30 179 190  0.002 27.719   24 -0.041   23 -0.051   19 -0.029   23 0.4897    5  1.226   11  0.149   29 -0.208
PREDATORS      25 29 156 183  0.008 27.499   22 -0.031   22 -0.037   27 -0.118   24 0.4897   14  1.119   21 -0.075   26 -0.160
FLYERS         24 30 162 176  0.014 27.526   25 -0.049   25 -0.058   22 -0.053   25 0.4882   18  1.078   20 -0.061   20 -0.044
KINGS          23 30 141 150  0.009 26.859   26 -0.062   26 -0.072   18 -0.024   26 0.4846   32  0.760   31 -0.388    1  0.339
RANGERS        22 34 151 178  0.034 29.076   28 -0.107   28 -0.111   28 -0.128   27 0.4777   27  0.962   29 -0.272   14  0.016
JETS           22 32 156 166  0.001 27.225   27 -0.103   27 -0.109   23 -0.059   28 0.4771   21  1.049   23 -0.102   17 -0.016
FLAMES         22 32 136 162 -0.033 26.575   29 -0.122   29 -0.124   30 -0.136   29 0.4737   31  0.858   32 -0.396    9  0.124
BLACKHAWKS     21 34 148 178 -0.023 27.300   30 -0.152   30 -0.150   29 -0.128   30 0.4682   26  0.989   27 -0.241   16 -0.015
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          20 35 138 192 -0.018 27.495   31 -0.178   31 -0.170   31 -0.191   31 0.4643   23  1.033   28 -0.253   24 -0.129
CANUCKS        18 37 145 199 -0.013 27.688   32 -0.218   32 -0.210   32 -0.239   32 0.4583   17  1.095   26 -0.226   31 -0.252

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          28 26 177 190  0.015 27.557   11  0.021   11  0.029   24 -0.070   13 0.5057    1  1.291    5  0.195   32 -0.335
SHARKS         27 26 166 183  0.020 27.171   14  0.014   14  0.022   25 -0.080   16 0.5032    6  1.217   14  0.087   30 -0.247
OILERS         28 28 193 185 -0.027 27.497   18 -0.007   18 -0.013   14  0.030   19 0.4971    2  1.264    2  0.259   28 -0.198
KRAKEN         26 28 156 159 -0.025 26.607   21 -0.026   21 -0.034   16 -0.006   21 0.4932   28  0.945   25 -0.170    6  0.157
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 25 29 179 172 -0.017 26.729   23 -0.039   24 -0.052   13  0.032   22 0.4908   11  1.146   12  0.108   19 -0.044
KINGS          23 30 141 150  0.009 26.859   26 -0.062   26 -0.072   18 -0.024   26 0.4846   32  0.760   31 -0.388    1  0.339
FLAMES         22 32 136 162 -0.033 26.575   29 -0.122   29 -0.124   30 -0.136   29 0.4737   31  0.858   32 -0.396    9  0.124
CANUCKS        18 37 145 199 -0.013 27.688   32 -0.218   32 -0.210   32 -0.239   32 0.4583   17  1.095   26 -0.226   31 -0.252

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      36 17 208 134  0.002 26.257    1  0.225    1  0.211    1  0.358    1 0.5451   15  1.115    1  0.395    2  0.321
STARS          32 23 184 153 -0.010 27.269    5  0.087    5  0.092    3  0.129    5 0.5192   19  1.054   13  0.092    5  0.165
WILD           32 24 186 161 -0.018 27.589    9  0.068    9  0.077    5  0.116    9 0.5147   20  1.051   16  0.075    7  0.157
MAMMOTH        28 27 173 154  0.008 27.741   16  0.012   15  0.015    9  0.055   15 0.5040   25  1.011   19 -0.032    8  0.142
PREDATORS      25 29 156 183  0.008 27.499   22 -0.031   22 -0.037   27 -0.118   24 0.4897   14  1.119   21 -0.075   26 -0.160
JETS           22 32 156 166  0.001 27.225   27 -0.103   27 -0.109   23 -0.059   28 0.4771   21  1.049   23 -0.102   17 -0.016
BLACKHAWKS     21 34 148 178 -0.023 27.300   30 -0.152   30 -0.150   29 -0.128   30 0.4682   26  0.989   27 -0.241   16 -0.015
BLUES          20 35 138 192 -0.018 27.495   31 -0.178   31 -0.170   31 -0.191   31 0.4643   23  1.033   28 -0.253   24 -0.129

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     33 21 188 158 -0.003 26.913    3  0.132    3  0.129    4  0.120    3 0.5279   13  1.134    8  0.181   11  0.058
ISLANDERS      30 25 160 153  0.007 27.742   10  0.047   10  0.058   12  0.039   10 0.5123   29  0.918   24 -0.156    4  0.233
DEVILS         28 27 145 169  0.035 28.545   13  0.018   13  0.028   26 -0.096   11 0.5059   30  0.907   30 -0.302   10  0.110
PENGUINS       28 25 181 159 -0.042 25.634   15  0.012   16  0.014    6  0.085   14 0.5042   12  1.143   10  0.157   15  0.012
BLUE JACKETS   27 27 172 177  0.015 27.504   17  0.006   17  0.008   20 -0.031   17 0.5008   10  1.152   17  0.053   22 -0.115
CAPITALS       27 29 179 170 -0.001 28.049   20 -0.015   20 -0.023   10  0.050   18 0.4975   16  1.111   15  0.083   13  0.017
FLYERS         24 30 162 176  0.014 27.526   25 -0.049   25 -0.058   22 -0.053   25 0.4882   18  1.078   20 -0.061   20 -0.044
RANGERS        22 34 151 178  0.034 29.076   28 -0.107   28 -0.111   28 -0.128   27 0.4777   27  0.962   29 -0.272   14  0.016

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      34 18 183 131 -0.001 25.814    2  0.187    2  0.175    2  0.224    2 0.5381   22  1.039    9  0.170    3  0.279
BRUINS         32 23 186 171 -0.005 27.444    4  0.088    4  0.095    8  0.066    4 0.5193    7  1.186    7  0.193   21 -0.061
SABRES         31 23 185 164 -0.003 26.969    6  0.079    6  0.085    7  0.078    6 0.5185    8  1.177    6  0.193   18 -0.037
RED WINGS      32 24 171 171 -0.006 28.017    8  0.072    8  0.083   17 -0.013    7 0.5166   24  1.028   22 -0.081   12  0.055
CANADIENS      31 24 191 182  0.018 27.984    7  0.075    7  0.084   11  0.043    8 0.5154    4  1.240    3  0.240   25 -0.154
PANTHERS       28 26 165 176  0.013 27.483   12  0.020   12  0.028   21 -0.040   12 0.5057    9  1.156   18  0.048   23 -0.128
SENATORS       26 28 183 177  0.000 27.109   19 -0.014   19 -0.021   15  0.027   20 0.4961    3  1.247    4  0.234   27 -0.179
MAPLE LEAFS    25 30 179 190  0.002 27.719   24 -0.041   23 -0.051   19 -0.029   23 0.4897    5  1.226   11  0.149   29 -0.208

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     239 196 0.549    1  0.077
CENTRAL DIVISION      216 221 0.494    2  0.032
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 219 218 0.501    3 -0.003
PACIFIC DIVISION      197 236 0.455    4 -0.106

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.056 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: Sun Feb  1 05:30:13 2026
games through: Sat Jan 31 2026

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.