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 -0.007 19.273    1  0.243    1  0.202    1  0.311    1 0.5654   20  1.074    1  0.311    2  0.311
LIGHTNING      24 16 135 107  0.005 20.239    4  0.066    4  0.077    4  0.106    2 0.5263   21  1.065   14  0.095   10  0.117
HURRICANES     24 16 135 122  0.006 20.325    3  0.067    3  0.079    6  0.047    3 0.5260   11  1.154    8  0.145   16 -0.052
STARS          25 16 143 113 -0.018 20.321    2  0.069    2  0.080    2  0.118    4 0.5245   17  1.095    9  0.143   11  0.093
WILD           24 17 129 108 -0.004 20.561    5  0.052    5  0.065    3  0.107    5 0.5186   29  0.905   23 -0.090    3  0.303
RED WINGS      24 18 130 134 -0.040 20.679    6  0.032    6  0.044   20 -0.036    6 0.5141   14  1.117   17  0.016   20 -0.087
ISLANDERS      22 19 116 117  0.030 21.269    7  0.029    7  0.038    8  0.015    7 0.5130   26  0.921   26 -0.162    6  0.193
DEVILS         21 19 109 120  0.039 20.998   10  0.022    9  0.032   21 -0.038    8 0.5113   28  0.909   28 -0.230    7  0.154
PANTHERS       21 18 126 124  0.012 19.963    9  0.024   10  0.032   11  0.011    9 0.5109    7  1.191    7  0.156   25 -0.134
SABRES         21 18 124 121  0.003 19.827   11  0.021   11  0.029   14  0.005   10 0.5104   13  1.118   15  0.059   15 -0.048
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CANADIENS      22 18 137 136 -0.006 20.176    8  0.027    8  0.035   10  0.012   11 0.5093    3  1.256    4  0.242   27 -0.217
BRUINS         21 20 130 134  0.011 20.998   13  0.009   13  0.013   18 -0.009   12 0.5056    9  1.162   13  0.100   24 -0.118
DUCKS          21 19 137 141 -0.009 20.206   12  0.011   12  0.016   22 -0.039   13 0.5050    1  1.332    2  0.293   32 -0.371
CAPITALS       21 20 133 118 -0.007 20.596   15  0.006   15  0.007    5  0.073   14 0.5043   15  1.106   11  0.112   13  0.034
FLYERS         20 19 119 114 -0.019 19.488   16  0.004   16  0.004   15  0.004   15 0.5032   25  0.978   25 -0.109    9  0.117
SHARKS         20 20 124 139  0.030 20.899   14  0.007   14  0.010   28 -0.069   16 0.5017    5  1.223   10  0.117   31 -0.256
OILERS         20 21 137 138 -0.001 20.772   17 -0.006   17 -0.011   12  0.007   17 0.4974    2  1.262    3  0.245   30 -0.230
SENATORS       19 20 129 127 -0.019 19.495   18 -0.010   18 -0.017   17 -0.004   18 0.4940    6  1.222    6  0.181   26 -0.189
MAMMOTH        19 22 126 118  0.009 20.919   19 -0.017   19 -0.026    9  0.015   19 0.4934   24  1.021   22 -0.049   12  0.078
RANGERS        19 23 109 116  0.025 21.841   20 -0.022   20 -0.030   25 -0.058   20 0.4921   31  0.766   32 -0.403    4  0.287
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
MAPLE LEAFS    19 21 134 134 -0.041 19.651   21 -0.023   21 -0.032   19 -0.009   21 0.4910    4  1.241    5  0.201   28 -0.220
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 17 21 119 119  0.008 19.361   24 -0.028   24 -0.038    7  0.022   22 0.4909   18  1.088   16  0.038   14  0.005
PENGUINS       18 21 126 126 -0.030 19.314   23 -0.027   23 -0.038   13  0.006   23 0.4886   10  1.156   12  0.106   21 -0.095
PREDATORS      18 22 114 133  0.011 20.628   22 -0.026   22 -0.034   30 -0.076   24 0.4874   16  1.097   21 -0.048   22 -0.104
BLUE JACKETS   17 22 118 131  0.014 20.101   25 -0.035   25 -0.044   27 -0.061   25 0.4866   12  1.120   19 -0.006   23 -0.117
KRAKEN         17 21  99 112 -0.025 18.975   26 -0.038   26 -0.047   23 -0.049   26 0.4840   30  0.825   30 -0.331    5  0.234
FLAMES         18 22 108 117 -0.042 19.693   27 -0.041   27 -0.052   26 -0.059   27 0.4822   27  0.915   29 -0.244    8  0.126
CANUCKS        16 23 112 136  0.000 19.975   29 -0.060   29 -0.068   31 -0.107   28 0.4796    8  1.172   18  0.015   29 -0.228
KINGS          16 23 102 107  0.017 20.063   28 -0.053   28 -0.064   16 -0.001   29 0.4784   32  0.730   31 -0.382    1  0.380
JETS           15 24 113 122  0.010 20.030   30 -0.078   30 -0.085   24 -0.049   30 0.4717   19  1.083   20 -0.039   18 -0.059
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS     15 25 112 130 -0.025 20.001   31 -0.103   31 -0.104   29 -0.072   31 0.4668   22  1.058   24 -0.092   17 -0.052
BLUES          15 26 101 143 -0.036 20.422   32 -0.124   32 -0.117   32 -0.146   32 0.4641   23  1.023   27 -0.207   19 -0.084

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 -0.009 20.206   12  0.011   12  0.016   22 -0.039   13 0.5050    1  1.332    2  0.293   32 -0.371
SHARKS         20 20 124 139  0.030 20.899   14  0.007   14  0.010   28 -0.069   16 0.5017    5  1.223   10  0.117   31 -0.256
OILERS         20 21 137 138 -0.001 20.772   17 -0.006   17 -0.011   12  0.007   17 0.4974    2  1.262    3  0.245   30 -0.230
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 17 21 119 119  0.008 19.361   24 -0.028   24 -0.038    7  0.022   22 0.4909   18  1.088   16  0.038   14  0.005
KRAKEN         17 21  99 112 -0.025 18.975   26 -0.038   26 -0.047   23 -0.049   26 0.4840   30  0.825   30 -0.331    5  0.234
FLAMES         18 22 108 117 -0.042 19.693   27 -0.041   27 -0.052   26 -0.059   27 0.4822   27  0.915   29 -0.244    8  0.126
CANUCKS        16 23 112 136  0.000 19.975   29 -0.060   29 -0.068   31 -0.107   28 0.4796    8  1.172   18  0.015   29 -0.228
KINGS          16 23 102 107  0.017 20.063   28 -0.053   28 -0.064   16 -0.001   29 0.4784   32  0.730   31 -0.382    1  0.380

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 -0.007 19.273    1  0.243    1  0.202    1  0.311    1 0.5654   20  1.074    1  0.311    2  0.311
STARS          25 16 143 113 -0.018 20.321    2  0.069    2  0.080    2  0.118    4 0.5245   17  1.095    9  0.143   11  0.093
WILD           24 17 129 108 -0.004 20.561    5  0.052    5  0.065    3  0.107    5 0.5186   29  0.905   23 -0.090    3  0.303
MAMMOTH        19 22 126 118  0.009 20.919   19 -0.017   19 -0.026    9  0.015   19 0.4934   24  1.021   22 -0.049   12  0.078
PREDATORS      18 22 114 133  0.011 20.628   22 -0.026   22 -0.034   30 -0.076   24 0.4874   16  1.097   21 -0.048   22 -0.104
JETS           15 24 113 122  0.010 20.030   30 -0.078   30 -0.085   24 -0.049   30 0.4717   19  1.083   20 -0.039   18 -0.059
BLACKHAWKS     15 25 112 130 -0.025 20.001   31 -0.103   31 -0.104   29 -0.072   31 0.4668   22  1.058   24 -0.092   17 -0.052
BLUES          15 26 101 143 -0.036 20.422   32 -0.124   32 -0.117   32 -0.146   32 0.4641   23  1.023   27 -0.207   19 -0.084

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 16 135 122  0.006 20.325    3  0.067    3  0.079    6  0.047    3 0.5260   11  1.154    8  0.145   16 -0.052
ISLANDERS      22 19 116 117  0.030 21.269    7  0.029    7  0.038    8  0.015    7 0.5130   26  0.921   26 -0.162    6  0.193
DEVILS         21 19 109 120  0.039 20.998   10  0.022    9  0.032   21 -0.038    8 0.5113   28  0.909   28 -0.230    7  0.154
CAPITALS       21 20 133 118 -0.007 20.596   15  0.006   15  0.007    5  0.073   14 0.5043   15  1.106   11  0.112   13  0.034
FLYERS         20 19 119 114 -0.019 19.488   16  0.004   16  0.004   15  0.004   15 0.5032   25  0.978   25 -0.109    9  0.117
RANGERS        19 23 109 116  0.025 21.841   20 -0.022   20 -0.030   25 -0.058   20 0.4921   31  0.766   32 -0.403    4  0.287
PENGUINS       18 21 126 126 -0.030 19.314   23 -0.027   23 -0.038   13  0.006   23 0.4886   10  1.156   12  0.106   21 -0.095
BLUE JACKETS   17 22 118 131  0.014 20.101   25 -0.035   25 -0.044   27 -0.061   25 0.4866   12  1.120   19 -0.006   23 -0.117

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      24 16 135 107  0.005 20.239    4  0.066    4  0.077    4  0.106    2 0.5263   21  1.065   14  0.095   10  0.117
RED WINGS      24 18 130 134 -0.040 20.679    6  0.032    6  0.044   20 -0.036    6 0.5141   14  1.117   17  0.016   20 -0.087
PANTHERS       21 18 126 124  0.012 19.963    9  0.024   10  0.032   11  0.011    9 0.5109    7  1.191    7  0.156   25 -0.134
SABRES         21 18 124 121  0.003 19.827   11  0.021   11  0.029   14  0.005   10 0.5104   13  1.118   15  0.059   15 -0.048
CANADIENS      22 18 137 136 -0.006 20.176    8  0.027    8  0.035   10  0.012   11 0.5093    3  1.256    4  0.242   27 -0.217
BRUINS         21 20 130 134  0.011 20.998   13  0.009   13  0.013   18 -0.009   12 0.5056    9  1.162   13  0.100   24 -0.118
SENATORS       19 20 129 127 -0.019 19.495   18 -0.010   18 -0.017   17 -0.004   18 0.4940    6  1.222    6  0.181   26 -0.189
MAPLE LEAFS    19 21 134 134 -0.041 19.651   21 -0.023   21 -0.032   19 -0.009   21 0.4910    4  1.241    5  0.201   28 -0.220

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION      161 161 0.500    1  0.060
ATLANTIC DIVISION     171 149 0.534    2  0.025
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 162 159 0.505    3 -0.003
PACIFIC DIVISION      145 170 0.460    4 -0.090

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.041 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: Fri Jan  2 05:30:11 2026
games through: Thu Jan  1 2026

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