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
PENGUINS       41 41 293 268  0.011 41.341   15  0.007   17  0.007    9  0.105   15 0.5018    1  1.275    1  0.340   26 -0.130
AVALANCHE      54 27 300 203 -0.009 39.838    1  0.259    1  0.260    1  0.376    1 0.5392   19  1.058    2  0.336    1  0.416
HURRICANES     53 29 296 240  0.008 41.158    2  0.242    2  0.239    3  0.191    2 0.5367    8  1.181    3  0.303   10  0.078
LIGHTNING      50 32 290 231  0.012 41.294    4  0.197    4  0.181    2  0.214    3 0.5287   12  1.137    4  0.271    5  0.157
SABRES         50 32 288 241  0.012 41.310    3  0.197    3  0.183    5  0.181    4 0.5284    9  1.163    5  0.270    8  0.092
CANADIENS      48 34 283 256  0.018 41.584    6  0.154    6  0.147    8  0.108    6 0.5227    6  1.186    6  0.227   22 -0.010
OILERS         40 41 276 268 -0.019 39.952   20 -0.015   20 -0.022   14  0.028   20 0.4963    3  1.247    7  0.226   27 -0.170
SENATORS       44 38 278 246  0.009 41.241    9  0.055    9  0.064    6  0.138    9 0.5104   11  1.150    8  0.210   12  0.066
BRUINS         45 37 272 250  0.020 41.651    8  0.078    8  0.089   10  0.102    7 0.5143   13  1.122    9  0.140   13  0.065
STARS          50 32 279 226 -0.007 40.647    5  0.183    5  0.170    4  0.182    5 0.5252   21  1.050   10  0.132    2  0.232
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
DUCKS          42 39 268 284 -0.027 39.924   17  0.005   15  0.011   25 -0.107   17 0.5014    2  1.274   11  0.126   31 -0.341
WILD           46 36 272 240 -0.010 40.610    7  0.080    7  0.089    7  0.125    8 0.5132   18  1.077   12  0.107    7  0.142
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.007 41.249   12  0.033   13  0.042   11  0.092   11 0.5074   15  1.099   13  0.102    9  0.082
MAMMOTH        43 38 265 235 -0.008 40.267   11  0.034   12  0.043   12  0.068   13 0.5062   16  1.092   14  0.069   11  0.067
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.017 41.807   19 -0.007   18 -0.009   22 -0.077   19 0.4991    7  1.185   15  0.041   28 -0.195
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.017 41.889   30 -0.173   30 -0.163   28 -0.140   30 0.4757    4  1.234   16  0.040   29 -0.320
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 39 43 265 250 -0.021 40.381   21 -0.038   21 -0.051   13  0.038   21 0.4916   17  1.084   17  0.030   14  0.046
SHARKS         38 43 245 291 -0.020 40.239   23 -0.053   23 -0.062   29 -0.187   23 0.4901    5  1.207   18 -0.042   30 -0.332
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.015 41.642   18 -0.007   19 -0.010   16 -0.005   18 0.4992   20  1.053   19 -0.052   15  0.041
PREDATORS      38 43 243 264 -0.005 40.611   22 -0.042   22 -0.052   23 -0.089   22 0.4911   14  1.109   20 -0.067   25 -0.112
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLYERS         43 39 250 243  0.016 41.616   10  0.037   10  0.049   15  0.026   10 0.5078   29  0.978   21 -0.108    4  0.159
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.015 41.695   16  0.006   16  0.010   18 -0.046   16 0.5018   22  1.029   22 -0.121   17  0.029
BLUES          36 45 226 255 -0.017 40.194   24 -0.087   24 -0.097   21 -0.069   24 0.4845   24  1.015   23 -0.160   18  0.022
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.018 41.808   27 -0.120   27 -0.123   20 -0.063   26 0.4816   26  1.007   24 -0.163   16  0.037
JETS           35 46 230 254 -0.002 40.718   25 -0.101   25 -0.108   24 -0.097   25 0.4826   23  1.016   25 -0.186   20 -0.007
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.010 41.499   13  0.031   11  0.045   17 -0.023   12 0.5074   30  0.941   26 -0.200    6  0.153
KRAKEN         34 47 226 261 -0.026 39.980   28 -0.149   28 -0.145   27 -0.130   28 0.4776   25  1.011   27 -0.226   23 -0.034
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.018 41.867   14  0.016   14  0.030   26 -0.110   14 0.5050   27  0.988   28 -0.232   19  0.012
CANUCKS        25 56 215 310 -0.018 40.527   32 -0.302   32 -0.317   32 -0.370   32 0.4516   10  1.159   29 -0.286   32 -0.455
KINGS          35 46 224 244 -0.022 40.006   26 -0.116   26 -0.121   19 -0.059   27 0.4811   32  0.871   30 -0.314    3  0.195
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 -0.011 41.060   31 -0.242   31 -0.241   31 -0.219   31 0.4629   28  0.984   31 -0.347   24 -0.092
FLAMES         33 48 209 258 -0.014 40.443   29 -0.166   29 -0.156   30 -0.196   29 0.4759   31  0.931   32 -0.383   21 -0.008

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
OILERS         40 41 276 268 -0.019 39.952   20 -0.015   20 -0.022   14  0.028   20 0.4963    3  1.247    7  0.226   27 -0.170
DUCKS          42 39 268 284 -0.027 39.924   17  0.005   15  0.011   25 -0.107   17 0.5014    2  1.274   11  0.126   31 -0.341
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 39 43 265 250 -0.021 40.381   21 -0.038   21 -0.051   13  0.038   21 0.4916   17  1.084   17  0.030   14  0.046
SHARKS         38 43 245 291 -0.020 40.239   23 -0.053   23 -0.062   29 -0.187   23 0.4901    5  1.207   18 -0.042   30 -0.332
KRAKEN         34 47 226 261 -0.026 39.980   28 -0.149   28 -0.145   27 -0.130   28 0.4776   25  1.011   27 -0.226   23 -0.034
CANUCKS        25 56 215 310 -0.018 40.527   32 -0.302   32 -0.317   32 -0.370   32 0.4516   10  1.159   29 -0.286   32 -0.455
KINGS          35 46 224 244 -0.022 40.006   26 -0.116   26 -0.121   19 -0.059   27 0.4811   32  0.871   30 -0.314    3  0.195
FLAMES         33 48 209 258 -0.014 40.443   29 -0.166   29 -0.156   30 -0.196   29 0.4759   31  0.931   32 -0.383   21 -0.008

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      54 27 300 203 -0.009 39.838    1  0.259    1  0.260    1  0.376    1 0.5392   19  1.058    2  0.336    1  0.416
STARS          50 32 279 226 -0.007 40.647    5  0.183    5  0.170    4  0.182    5 0.5252   21  1.050   10  0.132    2  0.232
WILD           46 36 272 240 -0.010 40.610    7  0.080    7  0.089    7  0.125    8 0.5132   18  1.077   12  0.107    7  0.142
MAMMOTH        43 38 265 235 -0.008 40.267   11  0.034   12  0.043   12  0.068   13 0.5062   16  1.092   14  0.069   11  0.067
PREDATORS      38 43 243 264 -0.005 40.611   22 -0.042   22 -0.052   23 -0.089   22 0.4911   14  1.109   20 -0.067   25 -0.112
BLUES          36 45 226 255 -0.017 40.194   24 -0.087   24 -0.097   21 -0.069   24 0.4845   24  1.015   23 -0.160   18  0.022
JETS           35 46 230 254 -0.002 40.718   25 -0.101   25 -0.108   24 -0.097   25 0.4826   23  1.016   25 -0.186   20 -0.007
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.011 41.060   31 -0.242   31 -0.241   31 -0.219   31 0.4629   28  0.984   31 -0.347   24 -0.092

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
PENGUINS       41 41 293 268  0.011 41.341   15  0.007   17  0.007    9  0.105   15 0.5018    1  1.275    1  0.340   26 -0.130
HURRICANES     53 29 296 240  0.008 41.158    2  0.242    2  0.239    3  0.191    2 0.5367    8  1.181    3  0.303   10  0.078
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244  0.007 41.249   12  0.033   13  0.042   11  0.092   11 0.5074   15  1.099   13  0.102    9  0.082
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.015 41.642   18 -0.007   19 -0.010   16 -0.005   18 0.4992   20  1.053   19 -0.052   15  0.041
FLYERS         43 39 250 243  0.016 41.616   10  0.037   10  0.049   15  0.026   10 0.5078   29  0.978   21 -0.108    4  0.159
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.018 41.808   27 -0.120   27 -0.123   20 -0.063   26 0.4816   26  1.007   24 -0.163   16  0.037
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.010 41.499   13  0.031   11  0.045   17 -0.023   12 0.5074   30  0.941   26 -0.200    6  0.153
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.018 41.867   14  0.016   14  0.030   26 -0.110   14 0.5050   27  0.988   28 -0.232   19  0.012

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      50 32 290 231  0.012 41.294    4  0.197    4  0.181    2  0.214    3 0.5287   12  1.137    4  0.271    5  0.157
SABRES         50 32 288 241  0.012 41.310    3  0.197    3  0.183    5  0.181    4 0.5284    9  1.163    5  0.270    8  0.092
CANADIENS      48 34 283 256  0.018 41.584    6  0.154    6  0.147    8  0.108    6 0.5227    6  1.186    6  0.227   22 -0.010
SENATORS       44 38 278 246  0.009 41.241    9  0.055    9  0.064    6  0.138    9 0.5104   11  1.150    8  0.210   12  0.066
BRUINS         45 37 272 250  0.020 41.651    8  0.078    8  0.089   10  0.102    7 0.5143   13  1.122    9  0.140   13  0.065
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.017 41.807   19 -0.007   18 -0.009   22 -0.077   19 0.4991    7  1.185   15  0.041   28 -0.195
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.017 41.889   30 -0.173   30 -0.163   28 -0.140   30 0.4757    4  1.234   16  0.040   29 -0.320
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.015 41.695   16  0.006   16  0.010   18 -0.046   16 0.5018   22  1.029   22 -0.121   17  0.029

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     350 306 0.534    1  0.083
CENTRAL DIVISION      331 320 0.508    2  0.047
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 339 317 0.517    3  0.036
PACIFIC DIVISION      286 363 0.441    4 -0.169

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.058 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: Thu Apr 16 05:30:07 2026
games through: Wed Apr 15 2026

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.