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      44 22 249 170  0.006 32.926    1  0.238    1  0.228    1  0.341    1 0.5417   17  1.103    1  0.360    1  0.322
LIGHTNING      41 25 237 184  0.009 33.163    3  0.178    3  0.166    2  0.206    2 0.5320   11  1.154    3  0.290    8  0.123
HURRICANES     42 25 235 197 -0.004 33.388    2  0.178    2  0.169    5  0.131    3 0.5310    8  1.165    6  0.227   14  0.035
SABRES         42 26 237 200  0.009 34.234    4  0.173    4  0.164    4  0.140    4 0.5299    9  1.163    5  0.235   13  0.045
STARS          42 25 235 184 -0.024 32.792    5  0.166    5  0.158    3  0.179    5 0.5277   18  1.079   10  0.169    4  0.189
ISLANDERS      39 29 200 192 -0.005 34.002    6  0.084    6  0.096   16  0.024    6 0.5182   29  0.937   21 -0.153    3  0.200
WILD           39 30 230 199 -0.008 34.282    7  0.072    7  0.084    6  0.129    7 0.5137   20  1.058   12  0.094    5  0.165
CANADIENS      37 30 236 222  0.013 33.937    8  0.063    8  0.077   10  0.064    8 0.5127    3  1.253    4  0.275   25 -0.146
DUCKS          37 30 223 233  0.004 33.886    9  0.054    9  0.072   21 -0.069    9 0.5121    2  1.284    9  0.183   31 -0.321
RED WINGS      37 31 200 203  0.007 34.393   10  0.048   10  0.064   17 -0.008   10 0.5118   27  0.964   22 -0.153    7  0.137
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BRUINS         37 31 224 214  0.004 34.210   11  0.047   11  0.061   11  0.055   11 0.5112   12  1.151   11  0.135   22 -0.024
BLUE JACKETS   35 32 217 209  0.007 33.831   12  0.023   12  0.034   13  0.031   12 0.5064   14  1.117   15  0.068   21 -0.005
MAMMOTH        35 33 214 191  0.011 34.367   13  0.017   13  0.025    9  0.065   13 0.5045   22  1.017   19 -0.019    6  0.149
SENATORS       34 32 225 205 -0.002 33.000   14  0.013   14  0.019    8  0.085   14 0.5038    6  1.190    7  0.214   23 -0.044
DEVILS         34 33 180 204  0.012 34.142   15  0.007   15  0.016   27 -0.116   15 0.5037   30  0.925   30 -0.306   10  0.073
PENGUINS       34 33 230 204 -0.009 33.282   16  0.006   16  0.006    7  0.111   16 0.5017   10  1.158    8  0.199   16  0.024
PANTHERS       33 34 201 225  0.013 34.139   17 -0.002   17 -0.003   24 -0.085   17 0.5008    7  1.170   18  0.018   26 -0.187
CAPITALS       33 35 212 203 -0.005 33.992   20 -0.013   20 -0.023   12  0.044   18 0.4977   19  1.071   17  0.025   12  0.063
SHARKS         32 34 207 234  0.011 33.620   18 -0.010   18 -0.014   26 -0.110   19 0.4965    4  1.232   14  0.073   30 -0.293
OILERS         34 35 243 235 -0.021 34.040   19 -0.011   19 -0.022   14  0.031   20 0.4961    1  1.316    2  0.325   29 -0.264
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLYERS         31 35 191 205  0.016 33.674   21 -0.022   21 -0.032   19 -0.052   21 0.4936   26  0.970   25 -0.191    9  0.087
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 31 37 220 211 -0.010 33.867   22 -0.050   22 -0.066   15  0.028   22 0.4888   16  1.105   16  0.050   19  0.006
KRAKEN         31 36 193 205 -0.029 32.942   23 -0.053   24 -0.067   18 -0.046   23 0.4881   25  0.992   23 -0.159   11  0.067
PREDATORS      30 37 199 228  0.005 33.997   24 -0.054   23 -0.067   28 -0.116   24 0.4861   13  1.148   20 -0.041   27 -0.192
MAPLE LEAFS    29 40 216 241  0.012 35.104   26 -0.091   26 -0.101   22 -0.071   25 0.4825    5  1.204   13  0.076   28 -0.218
RANGERS        28 39 190 209  0.021 34.361   25 -0.089   25 -0.099   25 -0.095   26 0.4823   23  1.002   26 -0.196   18  0.007
KINGS          28 39 180 201  0.013 34.092   27 -0.094   27 -0.104   20 -0.054   27 0.4813   32  0.854   31 -0.322    2  0.213
JETS           28 39 191 206 -0.019 33.266   28 -0.116   28 -0.120   23 -0.080   28 0.4783   24  0.997   24 -0.187   15  0.028
BLUES          27 40 177 222 -0.009 33.588   29 -0.138   29 -0.135   29 -0.131   29 0.4754   21  1.021   27 -0.210   24 -0.051
FLAMES         26 41 167 212 -0.022 33.263   30 -0.176   30 -0.164   31 -0.199   30 0.4703   31  0.910   32 -0.406   17  0.007
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS     25 42 178 217 -0.011 33.581   31 -0.188   31 -0.177   30 -0.150   31 0.4668   28  0.964   29 -0.295   20 -0.004
CANUCKS        21 46 176 248 -0.014 33.666   32 -0.260   32 -0.260   32 -0.292   32 0.4535   15  1.111   28 -0.263   32 -0.322

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          37 30 223 233  0.004 33.886    9  0.054    9  0.072   21 -0.069    9 0.5121    2  1.284    9  0.183   31 -0.321
SHARKS         32 34 207 234  0.011 33.620   18 -0.010   18 -0.014   26 -0.110   19 0.4965    4  1.232   14  0.073   30 -0.293
OILERS         34 35 243 235 -0.021 34.040   19 -0.011   19 -0.022   14  0.031   20 0.4961    1  1.316    2  0.325   29 -0.264
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 31 37 220 211 -0.010 33.867   22 -0.050   22 -0.066   15  0.028   22 0.4888   16  1.105   16  0.050   19  0.006
KRAKEN         31 36 193 205 -0.029 32.942   23 -0.053   24 -0.067   18 -0.046   23 0.4881   25  0.992   23 -0.159   11  0.067
KINGS          28 39 180 201  0.013 34.092   27 -0.094   27 -0.104   20 -0.054   27 0.4813   32  0.854   31 -0.322    2  0.213
FLAMES         26 41 167 212 -0.022 33.263   30 -0.176   30 -0.164   31 -0.199   30 0.4703   31  0.910   32 -0.406   17  0.007
CANUCKS        21 46 176 248 -0.014 33.666   32 -0.260   32 -0.260   32 -0.292   32 0.4535   15  1.111   28 -0.263   32 -0.322

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      44 22 249 170  0.006 32.926    1  0.238    1  0.228    1  0.341    1 0.5417   17  1.103    1  0.360    1  0.322
STARS          42 25 235 184 -0.024 32.792    5  0.166    5  0.158    3  0.179    5 0.5277   18  1.079   10  0.169    4  0.189
WILD           39 30 230 199 -0.008 34.282    7  0.072    7  0.084    6  0.129    7 0.5137   20  1.058   12  0.094    5  0.165
MAMMOTH        35 33 214 191  0.011 34.367   13  0.017   13  0.025    9  0.065   13 0.5045   22  1.017   19 -0.019    6  0.149
PREDATORS      30 37 199 228  0.005 33.997   24 -0.054   23 -0.067   28 -0.116   24 0.4861   13  1.148   20 -0.041   27 -0.192
JETS           28 39 191 206 -0.019 33.266   28 -0.116   28 -0.120   23 -0.080   28 0.4783   24  0.997   24 -0.187   15  0.028
BLUES          27 40 177 222 -0.009 33.588   29 -0.138   29 -0.135   29 -0.131   29 0.4754   21  1.021   27 -0.210   24 -0.051
BLACKHAWKS     25 42 178 217 -0.011 33.581   31 -0.188   31 -0.177   30 -0.150   31 0.4668   28  0.964   29 -0.295   20 -0.004

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     42 25 235 197 -0.004 33.388    2  0.178    2  0.169    5  0.131    3 0.5310    8  1.165    6  0.227   14  0.035
ISLANDERS      39 29 200 192 -0.005 34.002    6  0.084    6  0.096   16  0.024    6 0.5182   29  0.937   21 -0.153    3  0.200
BLUE JACKETS   35 32 217 209  0.007 33.831   12  0.023   12  0.034   13  0.031   12 0.5064   14  1.117   15  0.068   21 -0.005
DEVILS         34 33 180 204  0.012 34.142   15  0.007   15  0.016   27 -0.116   15 0.5037   30  0.925   30 -0.306   10  0.073
PENGUINS       34 33 230 204 -0.009 33.282   16  0.006   16  0.006    7  0.111   16 0.5017   10  1.158    8  0.199   16  0.024
CAPITALS       33 35 212 203 -0.005 33.992   20 -0.013   20 -0.023   12  0.044   18 0.4977   19  1.071   17  0.025   12  0.063
FLYERS         31 35 191 205  0.016 33.674   21 -0.022   21 -0.032   19 -0.052   21 0.4936   26  0.970   25 -0.191    9  0.087
RANGERS        28 39 190 209  0.021 34.361   25 -0.089   25 -0.099   25 -0.095   26 0.4823   23  1.002   26 -0.196   18  0.007

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      41 25 237 184  0.009 33.163    3  0.178    3  0.166    2  0.206    2 0.5320   11  1.154    3  0.290    8  0.123
SABRES         42 26 237 200  0.009 34.234    4  0.173    4  0.164    4  0.140    4 0.5299    9  1.163    5  0.235   13  0.045
CANADIENS      37 30 236 222  0.013 33.937    8  0.063    8  0.077   10  0.064    8 0.5127    3  1.253    4  0.275   25 -0.146
RED WINGS      37 31 200 203  0.007 34.393   10  0.048   10  0.064   17 -0.008   10 0.5118   27  0.964   22 -0.153    7  0.137
BRUINS         37 31 224 214  0.004 34.210   11  0.047   11  0.061   11  0.055   11 0.5112   12  1.151   11  0.135   22 -0.024
SENATORS       34 32 225 205 -0.002 33.000   14  0.013   14  0.019    8  0.085   14 0.5038    6  1.190    7  0.214   23 -0.044
PANTHERS       33 34 201 225  0.013 34.139   17 -0.002   17 -0.003   24 -0.085   17 0.5008    7  1.170   18  0.018   26 -0.187
MAPLE LEAFS    29 40 216 241  0.012 35.104   26 -0.091   26 -0.101   22 -0.071   25 0.4825    5  1.204   13  0.076   28 -0.218

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     290 249 0.538    1  0.076
CENTRAL DIVISION      270 268 0.502    2  0.045
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 276 261 0.514    3  0.015
PACIFIC DIVISION      240 298 0.446    4 -0.138

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.054 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: Wed Mar 18 05:30:07 2026
games through: Tue Mar 17 2026

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