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      30  9 159  88 -0.005 19.320    1  0.248    1  0.209    1  0.319    1 0.5656   19  1.079    1  0.330    2  0.307
HURRICANES     24 15 130 115  0.012 19.925    3  0.086    2  0.094    6  0.057    2 0.5304   14  1.112   13  0.109   14  0.005
STARS          25 15 140 109 -0.015 19.893    2  0.087    3  0.093    2  0.127    3 0.5288   18  1.088    8  0.150   11  0.105
LIGHTNING      23 16 130 104  0.008 19.809    4  0.059    4  0.071    4  0.103    4 0.5246   22  1.044   14  0.073    8  0.133
WILD           24 17 129 108 -0.000 20.647    5  0.055    5  0.068    3  0.111    5 0.5191   28  0.908   22 -0.076    3  0.297
RED WINGS      24 17 127 130 -0.041 20.197    6  0.042    6  0.055   20 -0.035    6 0.5175   11  1.125   17  0.033   20 -0.103
ISLANDERS      22 18 114 110  0.032 20.784    7  0.040    7  0.050    7  0.035    7 0.5170   29  0.888   26 -0.174    5  0.244
DEVILS         21 19 109 120  0.040 21.047    9  0.024    9  0.033   21 -0.038    8 0.5113   27  0.913   28 -0.219    7  0.143
PANTHERS       21 18 126 124  0.015 20.040    8  0.026    8  0.034    9  0.012    9 0.5112    7  1.197    6  0.171   25 -0.146
SABRES         21 18 124 121  0.001 19.832   10  0.022   10  0.029   13  0.005   10 0.5102   13  1.123   15  0.071   17 -0.061
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CAPITALS       21 19 130 114 -0.004 20.168   12  0.015   12  0.018    5  0.081   11 0.5079   15  1.109    9  0.130   13  0.033
BRUINS         21 20 130 134  0.010 21.020   14  0.010   14  0.014   17 -0.010   12 0.5054    9  1.171   12  0.117   24 -0.136
DUCKS          21 19 137 141 -0.011 20.213   13  0.011   13  0.016   22 -0.040   13 0.5048    1  1.335    2  0.302   32 -0.383
CANADIENS      21 18 130 131 -0.016 19.563   11  0.018   11  0.024   15  0.003   14 0.5046    5  1.217    4  0.187   26 -0.182
FLYERS         20 19 119 114 -0.017 19.546   16  0.004   16  0.004   12  0.005   15 0.5030   25  0.984   24 -0.096   10  0.106
SHARKS         20 20 124 139  0.028 20.901   15  0.007   15  0.010   29 -0.072   16 0.5017    3  1.227   10  0.126   31 -0.269
OILERS         20 21 137 138 -0.004 20.765   17 -0.008   17 -0.012   10  0.007   17 0.4972    2  1.265    3  0.255   30 -0.241
RANGERS        19 23 109 116  0.027 21.916   20 -0.023   20 -0.030   24 -0.058   18 0.4923   31  0.770   31 -0.393    4  0.276
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 17 21 119 119  0.007 19.385   22 -0.029   22 -0.039    8  0.022   19 0.4908   17  1.093   16  0.051   15 -0.006
PREDATORS      18 21 113 129  0.014 20.165   18 -0.018   18 -0.025   28 -0.063   20 0.4903   16  1.106   20 -0.018   21 -0.108
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SENATORS       18 20 125 124 -0.024 18.953   19 -0.021   19 -0.028   18 -0.010   21 0.4903    4  1.220    5  0.179   28 -0.199
MAMMOTH        18 22 119 116  0.005 20.414   21 -0.028   21 -0.038   16 -0.004   22 0.4894   24  0.993   23 -0.095   12  0.087
MAPLE LEAFS    18 21 128 129 -0.039 19.225   23 -0.031   23 -0.042   19 -0.012   23 0.4883    6  1.209    7  0.162   27 -0.186
BLUE JACKETS   17 22 118 131  0.017 20.181   24 -0.036   24 -0.045   26 -0.061   24 0.4868   12  1.124   19  0.006   23 -0.129
PENGUINS       17 21 122 123 -0.027 18.884   25 -0.037   25 -0.048   11  0.005   25 0.4846   10  1.167   11  0.126   22 -0.115
FLAMES         18 22 108 117 -0.044 19.692   26 -0.042   26 -0.054   25 -0.061   26 0.4820   26  0.920   29 -0.235    9  0.113
KRAKEN         16 21  95 111 -0.021 18.576   28 -0.048   27 -0.058   27 -0.063   27 0.4807   30  0.832   30 -0.332    6  0.206
KINGS          16 22  99 102  0.010 19.453   27 -0.047   28 -0.059   14  0.004   28 0.4801   32  0.702   32 -0.400    1  0.407
CANUCKS        16 23 112 136  0.001 20.026   29 -0.060   29 -0.069   31 -0.109   29 0.4797    8  1.175   18  0.023   29 -0.240
JETS           15 23 108 116  0.011 19.556   30 -0.068   30 -0.078   23 -0.047   30 0.4746   21  1.047   21 -0.074   16 -0.021
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          15 26 101 143 -0.037 20.441   32 -0.129   31 -0.120   32 -0.150   31 0.4639   23  1.025   27 -0.203   19 -0.096
BLACKHAWKS     14 25 108 127 -0.034 19.397   31 -0.126   32 -0.120   30 -0.082   32 0.4619   20  1.052   25 -0.103   18 -0.062

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          21 19 137 141 -0.011 20.213   13  0.011   13  0.016   22 -0.040   13 0.5048    1  1.335    2  0.302   32 -0.383
SHARKS         20 20 124 139  0.028 20.901   15  0.007   15  0.010   29 -0.072   16 0.5017    3  1.227   10  0.126   31 -0.269
OILERS         20 21 137 138 -0.004 20.765   17 -0.008   17 -0.012   10  0.007   17 0.4972    2  1.265    3  0.255   30 -0.241
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 17 21 119 119  0.007 19.385   22 -0.029   22 -0.039    8  0.022   19 0.4908   17  1.093   16  0.051   15 -0.006
FLAMES         18 22 108 117 -0.044 19.692   26 -0.042   26 -0.054   25 -0.061   26 0.4820   26  0.920   29 -0.235    9  0.113
KRAKEN         16 21  95 111 -0.021 18.576   28 -0.048   27 -0.058   27 -0.063   27 0.4807   30  0.832   30 -0.332    6  0.206
KINGS          16 22  99 102  0.010 19.453   27 -0.047   28 -0.059   14  0.004   28 0.4801   32  0.702   32 -0.400    1  0.407
CANUCKS        16 23 112 136  0.001 20.026   29 -0.060   29 -0.069   31 -0.109   29 0.4797    8  1.175   18  0.023   29 -0.240

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      30  9 159  88 -0.005 19.320    1  0.248    1  0.209    1  0.319    1 0.5656   19  1.079    1  0.330    2  0.307
STARS          25 15 140 109 -0.015 19.893    2  0.087    3  0.093    2  0.127    3 0.5288   18  1.088    8  0.150   11  0.105
WILD           24 17 129 108 -0.000 20.647    5  0.055    5  0.068    3  0.111    5 0.5191   28  0.908   22 -0.076    3  0.297
PREDATORS      18 21 113 129  0.014 20.165   18 -0.018   18 -0.025   28 -0.063   20 0.4903   16  1.106   20 -0.018   21 -0.108
MAMMOTH        18 22 119 116  0.005 20.414   21 -0.028   21 -0.038   16 -0.004   22 0.4894   24  0.993   23 -0.095   12  0.087
JETS           15 23 108 116  0.011 19.556   30 -0.068   30 -0.078   23 -0.047   30 0.4746   21  1.047   21 -0.074   16 -0.021
BLUES          15 26 101 143 -0.037 20.441   32 -0.129   31 -0.120   32 -0.150   31 0.4639   23  1.025   27 -0.203   19 -0.096
BLACKHAWKS     14 25 108 127 -0.034 19.397   31 -0.126   32 -0.120   30 -0.082   32 0.4619   20  1.052   25 -0.103   18 -0.062

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     24 15 130 115  0.012 19.925    3  0.086    2  0.094    6  0.057    2 0.5304   14  1.112   13  0.109   14  0.005
ISLANDERS      22 18 114 110  0.032 20.784    7  0.040    7  0.050    7  0.035    7 0.5170   29  0.888   26 -0.174    5  0.244
DEVILS         21 19 109 120  0.040 21.047    9  0.024    9  0.033   21 -0.038    8 0.5113   27  0.913   28 -0.219    7  0.143
CAPITALS       21 19 130 114 -0.004 20.168   12  0.015   12  0.018    5  0.081   11 0.5079   15  1.109    9  0.130   13  0.033
FLYERS         20 19 119 114 -0.017 19.546   16  0.004   16  0.004   12  0.005   15 0.5030   25  0.984   24 -0.096   10  0.106
RANGERS        19 23 109 116  0.027 21.916   20 -0.023   20 -0.030   24 -0.058   18 0.4923   31  0.770   31 -0.393    4  0.276
BLUE JACKETS   17 22 118 131  0.017 20.181   24 -0.036   24 -0.045   26 -0.061   24 0.4868   12  1.124   19  0.006   23 -0.129
PENGUINS       17 21 122 123 -0.027 18.884   25 -0.037   25 -0.048   11  0.005   25 0.4846   10  1.167   11  0.126   22 -0.115

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      23 16 130 104  0.008 19.809    4  0.059    4  0.071    4  0.103    4 0.5246   22  1.044   14  0.073    8  0.133
RED WINGS      24 17 127 130 -0.041 20.197    6  0.042    6  0.055   20 -0.035    6 0.5175   11  1.125   17  0.033   20 -0.103
PANTHERS       21 18 126 124  0.015 20.040    8  0.026    8  0.034    9  0.012    9 0.5112    7  1.197    6  0.171   25 -0.146
SABRES         21 18 124 121  0.001 19.832   10  0.022   10  0.029   13  0.005   10 0.5102   13  1.123   15  0.071   17 -0.061
BRUINS         21 20 130 134  0.010 21.020   14  0.010   14  0.014   17 -0.010   12 0.5054    9  1.171   12  0.117   24 -0.136
CANADIENS      21 18 130 131 -0.016 19.563   11  0.018   11  0.024   15  0.003   14 0.5046    5  1.217    4  0.187   26 -0.182
SENATORS       18 20 125 124 -0.024 18.953   19 -0.021   19 -0.028   18 -0.010   21 0.4903    4  1.220    5  0.179   28 -0.199
MAPLE LEAFS    18 21 128 129 -0.039 19.225   23 -0.031   23 -0.042   19 -0.012   23 0.4883    6  1.209    7  0.162   27 -0.186

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      159 158 0.502    1  0.059
ATLANTIC DIVISION     167 148 0.530    2  0.018
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 161 156 0.508    3  0.008
PACIFIC DIVISION      144 169 0.460    4 -0.094

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Thu Jan  1 05:30:39 2026
games through: Wed Dec 31 2025

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