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      59 27 315 208 -0.020 42.078    1  0.288    1  0.293    1  0.394    1 0.5422   23  1.024    1  0.317    1  0.471
HURRICANES     57 29 307 245  0.011 43.414    2  0.270    2  0.274    2  0.213    2 0.5406   10  1.146    2  0.284    7  0.141
SABRES         53 34 304 252  0.014 44.042    3  0.208    3  0.188    4  0.195    3 0.5286    9  1.148    4  0.269    9  0.121
LIGHTNING      52 35 303 245  0.017 44.141    4  0.189    4  0.169    3  0.208    4 0.5267   14  1.114    6  0.240    5  0.176
CANADIENS      51 36 297 269  0.030 44.672    6  0.175    5  0.160    8  0.115    5 0.5240    7  1.163    7  0.208   17  0.022
STARS          52 35 292 244  0.001 43.590    5  0.176    6  0.160    5  0.163    6 0.5229   20  1.053   11  0.120    3  0.206
WILD           49 38 290 253 -0.000 43.560    7  0.097    7  0.101    6  0.143    7 0.5149   18  1.079   10  0.132    6  0.155
BRUINS         47 40 283 266  0.031 44.750    8  0.075    8  0.084   10  0.088    8 0.5134   15  1.108   12  0.112   12  0.063
FLYERS         47 41 266 254  0.018 44.885    9  0.056    9  0.067   13  0.047    9 0.5097   30  0.941   22 -0.125    2  0.219
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.004 41.288   10  0.035   11  0.039    9  0.089   10 0.5071   16  1.105   13  0.110   11  0.068
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.007 41.538   11  0.033   10  0.041   17 -0.027   11 0.5071   29  0.946   25 -0.194    8  0.140
SENATORS       44 42 283 257  0.018 43.765   12  0.027   12  0.030    7  0.116   12 0.5059   12  1.115    9  0.149   10  0.082
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.014 41.894   13  0.020   13  0.027   25 -0.115   13 0.5047   27  0.994   27 -0.227   20 -0.003
DUCKS          46 41 294 307 -0.027 43.023   14  0.019   14  0.027   24 -0.101   14 0.5036    1  1.297    8  0.167   31 -0.370
MAMMOTH        45 42 285 258 -0.009 43.382   15  0.018   15  0.020   12  0.058   15 0.5022   13  1.115   14  0.091   14  0.024
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.011 41.699   16  0.007   16  0.006   18 -0.050   16 0.5014   21  1.034   21 -0.115   18  0.014
PENGUINS       43 45 304 284  0.012 44.603   17 -0.001   17 -0.012   11  0.081   17 0.4994    3  1.245    3  0.279   25 -0.118
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.011 41.667   18 -0.006   19 -0.014   16 -0.009   18 0.4989   19  1.058   19 -0.045   13  0.027
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.013 41.826   19 -0.006   18 -0.013   21 -0.082   19 0.4987    6  1.191   17  0.047   28 -0.210
OILERS         43 44 301 290 -0.036 42.495   20 -0.019   20 -0.034   15  0.029   20 0.4958    2  1.260    5  0.247   27 -0.190
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 42 45 283 267 -0.019 43.067   21 -0.025   21 -0.041   14  0.035   21 0.4932   17  1.098   15  0.048   16  0.022
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.025 40.715   22 -0.046   22 -0.056   29 -0.174   22 0.4913    5  1.213   18 -0.016   29 -0.331
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.011 41.079   23 -0.054   23 -0.067   23 -0.098   23 0.4894   11  1.122   20 -0.056   26 -0.139
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.019 40.744   24 -0.078   24 -0.091   19 -0.065   24 0.4859   22  1.027   23 -0.139   19  0.008
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.014 41.847   26 -0.125   26 -0.128   20 -0.067   25 0.4813   25  1.014   24 -0.156   15  0.022
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.009 41.163   25 -0.121   25 -0.124   26 -0.120   26 0.4808   24  1.023   26 -0.199   23 -0.042
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.019 40.909   27 -0.158   27 -0.152   30 -0.191   27 0.4771   31  0.930   32 -0.376   21 -0.007
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.023 40.728   28 -0.160   28 -0.155   27 -0.141   28 0.4766   26  0.996   28 -0.250   22 -0.031
KINGS          35 51 230 260 -0.004 43.304   29 -0.161   29 -0.158   22 -0.082   29 0.4766   32  0.848   31 -0.357    4  0.192
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.014 41.915   30 -0.176   30 -0.169   28 -0.145   30 0.4754    4  1.239   16  0.047   30 -0.336
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.015 41.084   31 -0.243   31 -0.248   31 -0.225   31 0.4625   28  0.985   30 -0.347   24 -0.103
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.020 41.118   32 -0.314   32 -0.331   32 -0.391   32 0.4504    8  1.160   29 -0.302   32 -0.480

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          46 41 294 307 -0.027 43.023   14  0.019   14  0.027   24 -0.101   14 0.5036    1  1.297    8  0.167   31 -0.370
OILERS         43 44 301 290 -0.036 42.495   20 -0.019   20 -0.034   15  0.029   20 0.4958    2  1.260    5  0.247   27 -0.190
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 42 45 283 267 -0.019 43.067   21 -0.025   21 -0.041   14  0.035   21 0.4932   17  1.098   15  0.048   16  0.022
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.025 40.715   22 -0.046   22 -0.056   29 -0.174   22 0.4913    5  1.213   18 -0.016   29 -0.331
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.019 40.909   27 -0.158   27 -0.152   30 -0.191   27 0.4771   31  0.930   32 -0.376   21 -0.007
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.023 40.728   28 -0.160   28 -0.155   27 -0.141   28 0.4766   26  0.996   28 -0.250   22 -0.031
KINGS          35 51 230 260 -0.004 43.304   29 -0.161   29 -0.158   22 -0.082   29 0.4766   32  0.848   31 -0.357    4  0.192
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.020 41.118   32 -0.314   32 -0.331   32 -0.391   32 0.4504    8  1.160   29 -0.302   32 -0.480

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      59 27 315 208 -0.020 42.078    1  0.288    1  0.293    1  0.394    1 0.5422   23  1.024    1  0.317    1  0.471
STARS          52 35 292 244  0.001 43.590    5  0.176    6  0.160    5  0.163    6 0.5229   20  1.053   11  0.120    3  0.206
WILD           49 38 290 253 -0.000 43.560    7  0.097    7  0.101    6  0.143    7 0.5149   18  1.079   10  0.132    6  0.155
MAMMOTH        45 42 285 258 -0.009 43.382   15  0.018   15  0.020   12  0.058   15 0.5022   13  1.115   14  0.091   14  0.024
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.011 41.079   23 -0.054   23 -0.067   23 -0.098   23 0.4894   11  1.122   20 -0.056   26 -0.139
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.019 40.744   24 -0.078   24 -0.091   19 -0.065   24 0.4859   22  1.027   23 -0.139   19  0.008
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.009 41.163   25 -0.121   25 -0.124   26 -0.120   26 0.4808   24  1.023   26 -0.199   23 -0.042
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.015 41.084   31 -0.243   31 -0.248   31 -0.225   31 0.4625   28  0.985   30 -0.347   24 -0.103

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     57 29 307 245  0.011 43.414    2  0.270    2  0.274    2  0.213    2 0.5406   10  1.146    2  0.284    7  0.141
FLYERS         47 41 266 254  0.018 44.885    9  0.056    9  0.067   13  0.047    9 0.5097   30  0.941   22 -0.125    2  0.219
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.004 41.288   10  0.035   11  0.039    9  0.089   10 0.5071   16  1.105   13  0.110   11  0.068
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.007 41.538   11  0.033   10  0.041   17 -0.027   11 0.5071   29  0.946   25 -0.194    8  0.140
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.014 41.894   13  0.020   13  0.027   25 -0.115   13 0.5047   27  0.994   27 -0.227   20 -0.003
PENGUINS       43 45 304 284  0.012 44.603   17 -0.001   17 -0.012   11  0.081   17 0.4994    3  1.245    3  0.279   25 -0.118
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.011 41.667   18 -0.006   19 -0.014   16 -0.009   18 0.4989   19  1.058   19 -0.045   13  0.027
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.014 41.847   26 -0.125   26 -0.128   20 -0.067   25 0.4813   25  1.014   24 -0.156   15  0.022

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
SABRES         53 34 304 252  0.014 44.042    3  0.208    3  0.188    4  0.195    3 0.5286    9  1.148    4  0.269    9  0.121
LIGHTNING      52 35 303 245  0.017 44.141    4  0.189    4  0.169    3  0.208    4 0.5267   14  1.114    6  0.240    5  0.176
CANADIENS      51 36 297 269  0.030 44.672    6  0.175    5  0.160    8  0.115    5 0.5240    7  1.163    7  0.208   17  0.022
BRUINS         47 40 283 266  0.031 44.750    8  0.075    8  0.084   10  0.088    8 0.5134   15  1.108   12  0.112   12  0.063
SENATORS       44 42 283 257  0.018 43.765   12  0.027   12  0.030    7  0.116   12 0.5059   12  1.115    9  0.149   10  0.082
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.011 41.699   16  0.007   16  0.006   18 -0.050   16 0.5014   21  1.034   21 -0.115   18  0.014
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.013 41.826   19 -0.006   18 -0.013   21 -0.082   19 0.4987    6  1.191   17  0.047   28 -0.210
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.014 41.915   30 -0.176   30 -0.169   28 -0.145   30 0.4754    4  1.239   16  0.047   30 -0.336

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     360 320 0.529    1  0.076
CENTRAL DIVISION      344 331 0.510    2  0.041
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 349 323 0.519    3  0.036
PACIFIC DIVISION      298 377 0.441    4 -0.170

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.052 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 Apr 30 05:30:09 2026
games through: Wed Apr 29 2026

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