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
PANTHERS       3 0 11  5 -0.195  1.228    1  0.048    1  0.040    1  0.061    2 0.5471   22  0.901   20 -0.092    8  0.213 P
AVALANCHE      2 1 10  7  0.050  1.541    5  0.032    5  0.015    2  0.058    5 0.5333   25  0.864   23 -0.135    6  0.252 P
HURRICANES     2 0 10  6 -0.081  0.917    4  0.040    4  0.030    3  0.049    4 0.5445    9  1.308    6  0.396   22 -0.298 P
STARS          2 0 10  8  0.275  1.225    3  0.044    2  0.038    4  0.041    1 0.5588    1  1.493    1  0.648   30 -0.567 P
BRUINS         3 0 10  5 -0.155  1.285    2  0.046    3  0.037    5  0.035    3 0.5450   20  0.932   18 -0.083   13  0.153 P
RANGERS        2 2 10  5 -0.038  1.923   13  0.015   14 -0.010    6  0.032   11 0.5060   31  0.529   31 -0.493    2  0.557 P
JETS           1 1  7  7  0.103  1.082    9  0.023    9 -0.001    7  0.031    8 0.5173   17  1.092   16  0.100   15 -0.039 P
OILERS         1 1  6  5 -0.063  0.940   11  0.017   11 -0.008    8  0.029   13 0.5040   21  0.914   21 -0.109   10  0.167 P
CAPITALS       2 1  6  5  0.090  1.613    6  0.029    7  0.012    9  0.017    6 0.5234   29  0.611   29 -0.433    3  0.467 P
MAPLE LEAFS    1 1  8  8 -0.117  0.899   10  0.019   13 -0.009   10  0.016   10 0.5084    6  1.360    4  0.435   27 -0.403 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
WILD           1 1  9  7 -0.092  0.920   16  0.012   18 -0.015   11  0.012   17 0.4993    5  1.379    2  0.456   28 -0.432 P
LIGHTNING      0 2  7 10 -0.077  0.936   26 -0.031   27 -0.040   12  0.007   27 0.4735    8  1.313    9  0.361   24 -0.347 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 1 2 10 11 -0.135  1.330   24 -0.026   25 -0.029   13  0.004   24 0.4841   16  1.111   17  0.098   17 -0.090 P
CANUCKS        1 1  6  4  0.007  1.008   15  0.014   17 -0.013   14  0.000   18 0.4975   23  0.889   24 -0.166   11  0.166 P
KINGS          1 2  9 12  0.184  1.748   19 -0.001   20 -0.018   15 -0.011   20 0.4943   12  1.236   12  0.240   20 -0.263 P
DEVILS         1 1  8  9  0.184  1.165   14  0.015   12 -0.008   16 -0.013   12 0.5041    7  1.332    8  0.367   26 -0.392 P
PENGUINS       2 1  8  9  0.060  1.589    8  0.023    8  0.005   17 -0.015    9 0.5095   15  1.181   14  0.165   18 -0.196 P
KRAKEN         2 0  5  2 -0.170  0.863    7  0.028    6  0.013   18 -0.018    7 0.5214   32  0.302   32 -0.733    1  0.697 P
PREDATORS      1 1  4  4 -0.133  0.897   21 -0.013   23 -0.020   19 -0.027   23 0.4896   30  0.602   30 -0.485    4  0.431 P
CANADIENS      2 1 10  8 -0.120  1.366   12  0.016   10 -0.007   20 -0.031   14 0.5032   19  0.987   19 -0.086   14  0.025 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BLUES          1 1  4  7 -0.045  0.976   17  0.004   16 -0.012   21 -0.031   16 0.4996   24  0.867   25 -0.221   12  0.158 P
BLUE JACKETS   1 1  8  6  0.024  1.035   22 -0.023   21 -0.019   22 -0.034   21 0.4903   10  1.274   10  0.268   23 -0.335 P
SENATORS       1 1  7 10  0.192  1.181   18  0.001   15 -0.010   23 -0.037   15 0.5013    4  1.413    3  0.455   29 -0.529 P
MAMMOTH        1 1  4  4  0.118  1.118   20 -0.003   19 -0.016   24 -0.039   19 0.4969   28  0.743   28 -0.360    5  0.281 P
ISLANDERS      0 2  5  8  0.040  1.052   28 -0.042   30 -0.049   25 -0.042   29 0.4631   13  1.231   13  0.203   21 -0.288 P
FLYERS         0 2  4  6  0.289  1.264   29 -0.042   29 -0.048   26 -0.048   28 0.4667   27  0.770   26 -0.341    7  0.245 P
FLAMES         1 2  7 12  0.033  1.573   25 -0.027   24 -0.028   27 -0.050   25 0.4840   14  1.184   15  0.135   19 -0.235 P
RED WINGS      1 1  7  8 -0.015  1.007   23 -0.025   22 -0.020   28 -0.051   22 0.4896   11  1.271   11  0.246   25 -0.349 P
SABRES         0 2  1  7  0.160  1.165   30 -0.043   28 -0.048   29 -0.079   30 0.4629   26  0.790   27 -0.350    9  0.193 P
BLACKHAWKS     0 3  7 10  0.114  1.697   32 -0.062   32 -0.075   30 -0.090   31 0.4428   18  1.018   22 -0.109   16 -0.071 P
TEAM           W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
DUCKS          1 1  8  9 -0.233  0.840   27 -0.032   26 -0.032   31 -0.094   26 0.4748    2  1.437    5  0.433   32 -0.620 P
SHARKS         0 2  9 11 -0.211  0.863   31 -0.057   31 -0.072   32 -0.105   32 0.4260    3  1.419    7  0.395   31 -0.606 P

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         1 1  6  5 -0.063  0.940   11  0.017   11 -0.008    8  0.029   13 0.5040   21  0.914   21 -0.109   10  0.167 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 1 2 10 11 -0.135  1.330   24 -0.026   25 -0.029   13  0.004   24 0.4841   16  1.111   17  0.098   17 -0.090 P
CANUCKS        1 1  6  4  0.007  1.008   15  0.014   17 -0.013   14  0.000   18 0.4975   23  0.889   24 -0.166   11  0.166 P
KINGS          1 2  9 12  0.184  1.748   19 -0.001   20 -0.018   15 -0.011   20 0.4943   12  1.236   12  0.240   20 -0.263 P
KRAKEN         2 0  5  2 -0.170  0.863    7  0.028    6  0.013   18 -0.018    7 0.5214   32  0.302   32 -0.733    1  0.697 P
FLAMES         1 2  7 12  0.033  1.573   25 -0.027   24 -0.028   27 -0.050   25 0.4840   14  1.184   15  0.135   19 -0.235 P
DUCKS          1 1  8  9 -0.233  0.840   27 -0.032   26 -0.032   31 -0.094   26 0.4748    2  1.437    5  0.433   32 -0.620 P
SHARKS         0 2  9 11 -0.211  0.863   31 -0.057   31 -0.072   32 -0.105   32 0.4260    3  1.419    7  0.395   31 -0.606 P

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      2 1 10  7  0.050  1.541    5  0.032    5  0.015    2  0.058    5 0.5333   25  0.864   23 -0.135    6  0.252 P
STARS          2 0 10  8  0.275  1.225    3  0.044    2  0.038    4  0.041    1 0.5588    1  1.493    1  0.648   30 -0.567 P
JETS           1 1  7  7  0.103  1.082    9  0.023    9 -0.001    7  0.031    8 0.5173   17  1.092   16  0.100   15 -0.039 P
WILD           1 1  9  7 -0.092  0.920   16  0.012   18 -0.015   11  0.012   17 0.4993    5  1.379    2  0.456   28 -0.432 P
PREDATORS      1 1  4  4 -0.133  0.897   21 -0.013   23 -0.020   19 -0.027   23 0.4896   30  0.602   30 -0.485    4  0.431 P
BLUES          1 1  4  7 -0.045  0.976   17  0.004   16 -0.012   21 -0.031   16 0.4996   24  0.867   25 -0.221   12  0.158 P
MAMMOTH        1 1  4  4  0.118  1.118   20 -0.003   19 -0.016   24 -0.039   19 0.4969   28  0.743   28 -0.360    5  0.281 P
BLACKHAWKS     0 3  7 10  0.114  1.697   32 -0.062   32 -0.075   30 -0.090   31 0.4428   18  1.018   22 -0.109   16 -0.071 P

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     2 0 10  6 -0.081  0.917    4  0.040    4  0.030    3  0.049    4 0.5445    9  1.308    6  0.396   22 -0.298 P
RANGERS        2 2 10  5 -0.038  1.923   13  0.015   14 -0.010    6  0.032   11 0.5060   31  0.529   31 -0.493    2  0.557 P
CAPITALS       2 1  6  5  0.090  1.613    6  0.029    7  0.012    9  0.017    6 0.5234   29  0.611   29 -0.433    3  0.467 P
DEVILS         1 1  8  9  0.184  1.165   14  0.015   12 -0.008   16 -0.013   12 0.5041    7  1.332    8  0.367   26 -0.392 P
PENGUINS       2 1  8  9  0.060  1.589    8  0.023    8  0.005   17 -0.015    9 0.5095   15  1.181   14  0.165   18 -0.196 P
BLUE JACKETS   1 1  8  6  0.024  1.035   22 -0.023   21 -0.019   22 -0.034   21 0.4903   10  1.274   10  0.268   23 -0.335 P
ISLANDERS      0 2  5  8  0.040  1.052   28 -0.042   30 -0.049   25 -0.042   29 0.4631   13  1.231   13  0.203   21 -0.288 P
FLYERS         0 2  4  6  0.289  1.264   29 -0.042   29 -0.048   26 -0.048   28 0.4667   27  0.770   26 -0.341    7  0.245 P

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
PANTHERS       3 0 11  5 -0.195  1.228    1  0.048    1  0.040    1  0.061    2 0.5471   22  0.901   20 -0.092    8  0.213 P
BRUINS         3 0 10  5 -0.155  1.285    2  0.046    3  0.037    5  0.035    3 0.5450   20  0.932   18 -0.083   13  0.153 P
MAPLE LEAFS    1 1  8  8 -0.117  0.899   10  0.019   13 -0.009   10  0.016   10 0.5084    6  1.360    4  0.435   27 -0.403 P
LIGHTNING      0 2  7 10 -0.077  0.936   26 -0.031   27 -0.040   12  0.007   27 0.4735    8  1.313    9  0.361   24 -0.347 P
CANADIENS      2 1 10  8 -0.120  1.366   12  0.016   10 -0.007   20 -0.031   14 0.5032   19  0.987   19 -0.086   14  0.025 P
SENATORS       1 1  7 10  0.192  1.181   18  0.001   15 -0.010   23 -0.037   15 0.5013    4  1.413    3  0.455   29 -0.529 P
RED WINGS      1 1  7  8 -0.015  1.007   23 -0.025   22 -0.020   28 -0.051   22 0.4896   11  1.271   11  0.246   25 -0.349 P
SABRES         0 2  1  7  0.160  1.165   30 -0.043   28 -0.048   29 -0.079   30 0.4629   26  0.790   27 -0.350    9  0.193 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION       9  9 0.500    1  0.025
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 10 10 0.500    2  0.016
ATLANTIC DIVISION     11  8 0.579    3  0.000
PACIFIC DIVISION       8 11 0.421    4 -0.094

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Mon Oct 13 05:30:13 2025
games through: Sun Oct 12 2025

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.