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      35 15 198 122 -0.003 24.647    1  0.231    1  0.217    1  0.359    1 0.5499   17  1.088    1  0.367    1  0.351
LIGHTNING      32 18 177 130  0.007 25.001    2  0.162    2  0.153    2  0.198    2 0.5364   18  1.078    6  0.193    3  0.203
HURRICANES     32 20 180 150 -0.000 25.978    3  0.131    3  0.128    3  0.119    3 0.5299   14  1.119    8  0.164   11  0.073
RED WINGS      32 21 167 159 -0.020 26.197    4  0.102    4  0.108   13  0.015    4 0.5236   21  1.044   21 -0.030   12  0.061
BRUINS         30 22 174 162  0.002 26.102    5  0.080    5  0.086    9  0.059    5 0.5189    7  1.187    7  0.190   21 -0.073
SABRES         29 22 172 155 -0.001 25.527    6  0.067    6  0.074    8  0.063    6 0.5175    8  1.163    9  0.163   18 -0.037
PANTHERS       28 23 157 165  0.026 26.216    7  0.056    7  0.066   19 -0.020    7 0.5149   10  1.149   16  0.063   23 -0.103
STARS          29 23 172 144 -0.014 25.701    8  0.052    8  0.058    4  0.116    8 0.5132   22  1.039   15  0.065    5  0.168
DUCKS          28 24 173 181  0.020 26.616    9  0.040    9  0.052   22 -0.043    9 0.5111    1  1.300    2  0.236   32 -0.322
ISLANDERS      27 24 146 146  0.023 26.100   12  0.036   12  0.043   14  0.012   10 0.5100   29  0.923   25 -0.173    4  0.197
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
DEVILS         27 25 138 159  0.041 27.106   13  0.029   13  0.040   25 -0.078   11 0.5094   30  0.917   28 -0.270   10  0.114
WILD           29 24 171 154 -0.013 26.246   10  0.040   10  0.047    5  0.089   12 0.5093   23  1.029   17  0.026    6  0.152
CANADIENS      28 24 177 175  0.004 26.216   11  0.037   11  0.044   15  0.009   13 0.5080    3  1.242    4  0.212   28 -0.193
MAMMOTH        27 24 163 141 -0.010 25.326   15  0.025   15  0.028    7  0.063   14 0.5072   24  1.014   19 -0.017    7  0.144
SHARKS         26 24 156 174  0.031 25.869   14  0.027   14  0.036   26 -0.081   15 0.5070    5  1.223   12  0.097   30 -0.259
PENGUINS       26 25 169 152 -0.036 24.818   16  0.001   16 -0.004    6  0.069   16 0.5004   16  1.102   14  0.093   14  0.045
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 25 26 171 161 -0.020 25.166   18 -0.013   18 -0.020   11  0.040   17 0.4979    9  1.157   11  0.133   20 -0.053
FLYERS         24 26 154 158  0.011 25.385   17 -0.011   17 -0.016   18 -0.012   18 0.4969   19  1.070   20 -0.027   17  0.002
BLUE JACKETS   24 27 158 169  0.024 26.204   20 -0.016   19 -0.022   23 -0.052   19 0.4944   13  1.130   18  0.007   24 -0.111
CAPITALS       25 28 170 159 -0.010 26.353   22 -0.026   23 -0.037   10  0.058   20 0.4937   15  1.110   13  0.093   16  0.024
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
OILERS         26 27 179 171 -0.029 25.981   19 -0.015   20 -0.024   12  0.032   21 0.4936    4  1.228    3  0.216   25 -0.152
MAPLE LEAFS    24 28 170 176  0.009 26.337   23 -0.028   22 -0.037   17 -0.005   22 0.4922    6  1.213   10  0.158   26 -0.169
PREDATORS      24 27 148 174  0.009 26.018   21 -0.020   21 -0.026   29 -0.117   23 0.4908   11  1.140   22 -0.045   27 -0.188
SENATORS       24 28 174 174 -0.007 25.995   24 -0.036   24 -0.046   16 -0.004   24 0.4903    2  1.252    5  0.211   29 -0.219
KRAKEN         23 28 143 154 -0.026 25.148   25 -0.056   25 -0.066   21 -0.042   25 0.4861   27  0.942   26 -0.206    8  0.122
KINGS          21 29 134 143  0.005 25.275   26 -0.075   26 -0.084   20 -0.025   26 0.4802   32  0.780   31 -0.365    2  0.315
RANGERS        21 31 139 162  0.027 26.868   27 -0.088   27 -0.094   28 -0.115   27 0.4799   28  0.933   29 -0.290   13  0.060
BLACKHAWKS     21 31 141 164 -0.028 25.680   28 -0.116   28 -0.119   27 -0.104   28 0.4728   26  0.973   27 -0.233   15  0.024
FLAMES         21 31 132 156 -0.037 25.495   30 -0.125   30 -0.123   30 -0.127   29 0.4722   31  0.870   32 -0.372    9  0.117
JETS           20 31 149 158 -0.007 25.559   29 -0.118   29 -0.122   24 -0.060   30 0.4712   20  1.069   23 -0.075   19 -0.044
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          19 33 127 179 -0.016 26.052   31 -0.165   31 -0.156   31 -0.182   31 0.4647   25  0.990   30 -0.291   22 -0.073
CANUCKS        17 35 139 191 -0.006 26.334   32 -0.207   32 -0.194   32 -0.235   32 0.4582   12  1.140   24 -0.163   31 -0.306

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 24 173 181  0.020 26.616    9  0.040    9  0.052   22 -0.043    9 0.5111    1  1.300    2  0.236   32 -0.322
SHARKS         26 24 156 174  0.031 25.869   14  0.027   14  0.036   26 -0.081   15 0.5070    5  1.223   12  0.097   30 -0.259
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 25 26 171 161 -0.020 25.166   18 -0.013   18 -0.020   11  0.040   17 0.4979    9  1.157   11  0.133   20 -0.053
OILERS         26 27 179 171 -0.029 25.981   19 -0.015   20 -0.024   12  0.032   21 0.4936    4  1.228    3  0.216   25 -0.152
KRAKEN         23 28 143 154 -0.026 25.148   25 -0.056   25 -0.066   21 -0.042   25 0.4861   27  0.942   26 -0.206    8  0.122
KINGS          21 29 134 143  0.005 25.275   26 -0.075   26 -0.084   20 -0.025   26 0.4802   32  0.780   31 -0.365    2  0.315
FLAMES         21 31 132 156 -0.037 25.495   30 -0.125   30 -0.123   30 -0.127   29 0.4722   31  0.870   32 -0.372    9  0.117
CANUCKS        17 35 139 191 -0.006 26.334   32 -0.207   32 -0.194   32 -0.235   32 0.4582   12  1.140   24 -0.163   31 -0.306

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      35 15 198 122 -0.003 24.647    1  0.231    1  0.217    1  0.359    1 0.5499   17  1.088    1  0.367    1  0.351
STARS          29 23 172 144 -0.014 25.701    8  0.052    8  0.058    4  0.116    8 0.5132   22  1.039   15  0.065    5  0.168
WILD           29 24 171 154 -0.013 26.246   10  0.040   10  0.047    5  0.089   12 0.5093   23  1.029   17  0.026    6  0.152
MAMMOTH        27 24 163 141 -0.010 25.326   15  0.025   15  0.028    7  0.063   14 0.5072   24  1.014   19 -0.017    7  0.144
PREDATORS      24 27 148 174  0.009 26.018   21 -0.020   21 -0.026   29 -0.117   23 0.4908   11  1.140   22 -0.045   27 -0.188
BLACKHAWKS     21 31 141 164 -0.028 25.680   28 -0.116   28 -0.119   27 -0.104   28 0.4728   26  0.973   27 -0.233   15  0.024
JETS           20 31 149 158 -0.007 25.559   29 -0.118   29 -0.122   24 -0.060   30 0.4712   20  1.069   23 -0.075   19 -0.044
BLUES          19 33 127 179 -0.016 26.052   31 -0.165   31 -0.156   31 -0.182   31 0.4647   25  0.990   30 -0.291   22 -0.073

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     32 20 180 150 -0.000 25.978    3  0.131    3  0.128    3  0.119    3 0.5299   14  1.119    8  0.164   11  0.073
ISLANDERS      27 24 146 146  0.023 26.100   12  0.036   12  0.043   14  0.012   10 0.5100   29  0.923   25 -0.173    4  0.197
DEVILS         27 25 138 159  0.041 27.106   13  0.029   13  0.040   25 -0.078   11 0.5094   30  0.917   28 -0.270   10  0.114
PENGUINS       26 25 169 152 -0.036 24.818   16  0.001   16 -0.004    6  0.069   16 0.5004   16  1.102   14  0.093   14  0.045
FLYERS         24 26 154 158  0.011 25.385   17 -0.011   17 -0.016   18 -0.012   18 0.4969   19  1.070   20 -0.027   17  0.002
BLUE JACKETS   24 27 158 169  0.024 26.204   20 -0.016   19 -0.022   23 -0.052   19 0.4944   13  1.130   18  0.007   24 -0.111
CAPITALS       25 28 170 159 -0.010 26.353   22 -0.026   23 -0.037   10  0.058   20 0.4937   15  1.110   13  0.093   16  0.024
RANGERS        21 31 139 162  0.027 26.868   27 -0.088   27 -0.094   28 -0.115   27 0.4799   28  0.933   29 -0.290   13  0.060

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      32 18 177 130  0.007 25.001    2  0.162    2  0.153    2  0.198    2 0.5364   18  1.078    6  0.193    3  0.203
RED WINGS      32 21 167 159 -0.020 26.197    4  0.102    4  0.108   13  0.015    4 0.5236   21  1.044   21 -0.030   12  0.061
BRUINS         30 22 174 162  0.002 26.102    5  0.080    5  0.086    9  0.059    5 0.5189    7  1.187    7  0.190   21 -0.073
SABRES         29 22 172 155 -0.001 25.527    6  0.067    6  0.074    8  0.063    6 0.5175    8  1.163    9  0.163   18 -0.037
PANTHERS       28 23 157 165  0.026 26.216    7  0.056    7  0.066   19 -0.020    7 0.5149   10  1.149   16  0.063   23 -0.103
CANADIENS      28 24 177 175  0.004 26.216   11  0.037   11  0.044   15  0.009   13 0.5080    3  1.242    4  0.212   28 -0.193
MAPLE LEAFS    24 28 170 176  0.009 26.337   23 -0.028   22 -0.037   17 -0.005   22 0.4922    6  1.213   10  0.158   26 -0.169
SENATORS       24 28 174 174 -0.007 25.995   24 -0.036   24 -0.046   16 -0.004   24 0.4903    2  1.252    5  0.211   29 -0.219

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     227 186 0.550    1  0.072
CENTRAL DIVISION      204 208 0.495    2  0.035
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 206 206 0.500    3 -0.000
PACIFIC DIVISION      187 224 0.455    4 -0.109

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.050 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: Mon Jan 26 05:30:11 2026
games through: Sun Jan 25 2026

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