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
HURRICANES     14  5 78 45 -0.072  8.495    3  0.193    3  0.190    1  0.264    3 0.5430   15  1.103    8  0.261    4  0.266 P
WILD           12  7 63 43  0.041  9.472    5  0.137    5  0.131    2  0.248    4 0.5343   30  0.843   18 -0.054    1  0.550 P
BRUINS         13  5 68 41  0.005  8.634    2  0.195    2  0.196    3  0.242    1 0.5471   22  1.020   11  0.140    3  0.345 P
OILERS         12  6 75 55 -0.041  8.359    6  0.133    6  0.126    4  0.206    6 0.5309    8  1.257    3  0.400   15  0.013 P
AVALANCHE      10  8 72 56 -0.063  8.321   16  0.021   16  0.027    5  0.142   16 0.5042    2  1.424    1  0.566   27 -0.281 P
DEVILS         13  5 66 51  0.032  9.044    1  0.208    1  0.209    6  0.139    2 0.5468   16  1.103   12  0.135   10  0.142 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 12  7 64 51 -0.025  9.095    7  0.118    7  0.112    7  0.120    7 0.5258   23  0.985   17 -0.023    5  0.263 P
LIGHTNING      11  6 63 53  0.022  8.432    4  0.138    4  0.137    8  0.119    5 0.5310    7  1.258    6  0.315   20 -0.076 P
PREDATORS       8  9 52 51  0.115  9.202   17  0.001   17  0.009    9  0.065   17 0.4970   27  0.948   22 -0.121    6  0.251 P
STARS          10  7 49 41 -0.053  8.005   12  0.062   12  0.061   10  0.063   12 0.5145   32  0.718   28 -0.368    2  0.494 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CANADIENS      11  6 61 53 -0.085  7.793    9  0.098    9  0.093   11  0.061    9 0.5219   11  1.169   10  0.140   16 -0.018 P
RANGERS        10  8 55 52  0.014  8.999   13  0.053   13  0.053   12  0.050   13 0.5133   24  0.970   20 -0.112    7  0.211 P
CAPITALS        9  6 53 51  0.057  7.767    8  0.103    8  0.098   13  0.041    8 0.5242    5  1.364    4  0.380   28 -0.297 P
MAMMOTH        10  8 63 63  0.089  9.571   11  0.080   11  0.080   14  0.039   11 0.5196    6  1.282    7  0.266   24 -0.187 P
SENATORS       11  7 58 54 -0.043  8.591   10  0.086   10  0.082   15  0.038   10 0.5206   12  1.161   14  0.107   18 -0.032 P
ISLANDERS       7  9 47 49  0.065  8.387   20 -0.032   20 -0.030   16  0.010   21 0.4884   26  0.957   24 -0.166    8  0.186 P
DUCKS          10  8 69 66 -0.038  8.682   15  0.025   15  0.031   17 -0.009   15 0.5077    1  1.479    2  0.494   31 -0.512 P
BLUES           7 10 50 53  0.083  9.061   22 -0.055   22 -0.053   18 -0.009   22 0.4876   13  1.141   16  0.034   19 -0.053 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8 11 64 64 -0.008  9.413   24 -0.073   24 -0.075   19 -0.018   24 0.4828    9  1.240    9  0.153   25 -0.189 P
KRAKEN          9  7 57 57 -0.047  7.693   14  0.027   14  0.034   20 -0.038   14 0.5120    4  1.380    5  0.323   30 -0.399 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PENGUINS        6 12 58 65  0.019  9.152   29 -0.135   29 -0.147   21 -0.046   29 0.4637   10  1.229   13  0.111   26 -0.203 P
PANTHERS        9  9 56 55 -0.092  8.348   19 -0.030   19 -0.029   22 -0.050   18 0.4940   21  1.028   23 -0.144   14  0.043 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  8 40 47  0.024  7.712   18 -0.028   18 -0.021   23 -0.096   20 0.4903   25  0.967   26 -0.260   12  0.068 P
KINGS           5 10 45 52 -0.016  7.495   28 -0.131   28 -0.137   24 -0.098   28 0.4649   14  1.122   19 -0.077   22 -0.118 P
JETS            7 11 49 63  0.056  9.523   25 -0.077   25 -0.078   25 -0.104   25 0.4777   19  1.044   25 -0.178   17 -0.029 P
SABRES          8  9 50 57 -0.072  8.083   21 -0.047   21 -0.046   26 -0.106   19 0.4904   17  1.097   21 -0.116   21 -0.096 P
RED WINGS       7 11 49 56 -0.090  8.480   27 -0.121   27 -0.128   27 -0.132   27 0.4685   29  0.899   29 -0.372   11  0.108 P
FLAMES          8 10 46 63 -0.027  8.984   23 -0.056   23 -0.054   28 -0.168   23 0.4853   28  0.913   30 -0.393   13  0.057 P
FLYERS          4 15 42 65  0.072 10.233   31 -0.245   31 -0.246   29 -0.171   30 0.4426   31  0.814   32 -0.504    9  0.162 P
SHARKS          7 12 48 69  0.006  9.861   26 -0.117   26 -0.116   30 -0.244   26 0.4701   20  1.040   27 -0.323   23 -0.164 P
TEAM            W  L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CANUCKS         3 16 55 87  0.082 10.461   32 -0.289   32 -0.289   31 -0.256   32 0.4297    3  1.381   15  0.106   32 -0.618 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 14 39 76  0.018  9.529   30 -0.243   30 -0.244   32 -0.363   31 0.4366   18  1.075   31 -0.400   29 -0.327 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         12  6 75 55 -0.041  8.359    6  0.133    6  0.126    4  0.206    6 0.5309    8  1.257    3  0.400   15  0.013 P
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 12  7 64 51 -0.025  9.095    7  0.118    7  0.112    7  0.120    7 0.5258   23  0.985   17 -0.023    5  0.263 P
DUCKS          10  8 69 66 -0.038  8.682   15  0.025   15  0.031   17 -0.009   15 0.5077    1  1.479    2  0.494   31 -0.512 P
KRAKEN          9  7 57 57 -0.047  7.693   14  0.027   14  0.034   20 -0.038   14 0.5120    4  1.380    5  0.323   30 -0.399 P
KINGS           5 10 45 52 -0.016  7.495   28 -0.131   28 -0.137   24 -0.098   28 0.4649   14  1.122   19 -0.077   22 -0.118 P
FLAMES          8 10 46 63 -0.027  8.984   23 -0.056   23 -0.054   28 -0.168   23 0.4853   28  0.913   30 -0.393   13  0.057 P
SHARKS          7 12 48 69  0.006  9.861   26 -0.117   26 -0.116   30 -0.244   26 0.4701   20  1.040   27 -0.323   23 -0.164 P
CANUCKS         3 16 55 87  0.082 10.461   32 -0.289   32 -0.289   31 -0.256   32 0.4297    3  1.381   15  0.106   32 -0.618 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
WILD           12  7 63 43  0.041  9.472    5  0.137    5  0.131    2  0.248    4 0.5343   30  0.843   18 -0.054    1  0.550 P
AVALANCHE      10  8 72 56 -0.063  8.321   16  0.021   16  0.027    5  0.142   16 0.5042    2  1.424    1  0.566   27 -0.281 P
PREDATORS       8  9 52 51  0.115  9.202   17  0.001   17  0.009    9  0.065   17 0.4970   27  0.948   22 -0.121    6  0.251 P
STARS          10  7 49 41 -0.053  8.005   12  0.062   12  0.061   10  0.063   12 0.5145   32  0.718   28 -0.368    2  0.494 P
MAMMOTH        10  8 63 63  0.089  9.571   11  0.080   11  0.080   14  0.039   11 0.5196    6  1.282    7  0.266   24 -0.187 P
BLUES           7 10 50 53  0.083  9.061   22 -0.055   22 -0.053   18 -0.009   22 0.4876   13  1.141   16  0.034   19 -0.053 P
JETS            7 11 49 63  0.056  9.523   25 -0.077   25 -0.078   25 -0.104   25 0.4777   19  1.044   25 -0.178   17 -0.029 P
BLACKHAWKS      4 14 39 76  0.018  9.529   30 -0.243   30 -0.244   32 -0.363   31 0.4366   18  1.075   31 -0.400   29 -0.327 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     14  5 78 45 -0.072  8.495    3  0.193    3  0.190    1  0.264    3 0.5430   15  1.103    8  0.261    4  0.266 P
DEVILS         13  5 66 51  0.032  9.044    1  0.208    1  0.209    6  0.139    2 0.5468   16  1.103   12  0.135   10  0.142 P
RANGERS        10  8 55 52  0.014  8.999   13  0.053   13  0.053   12  0.050   13 0.5133   24  0.970   20 -0.112    7  0.211 P
CAPITALS        9  6 53 51  0.057  7.767    8  0.103    8  0.098   13  0.041    8 0.5242    5  1.364    4  0.380   28 -0.297 P
ISLANDERS       7  9 47 49  0.065  8.387   20 -0.032   20 -0.030   16  0.010   21 0.4884   26  0.957   24 -0.166    8  0.186 P
PENGUINS        6 12 58 65  0.019  9.152   29 -0.135   29 -0.147   21 -0.046   29 0.4637   10  1.229   13  0.111   26 -0.203 P
BLUE JACKETS    7  8 40 47  0.024  7.712   18 -0.028   18 -0.021   23 -0.096   20 0.4903   25  0.967   26 -0.260   12  0.068 P
FLYERS          4 15 42 65  0.072 10.233   31 -0.245   31 -0.246   29 -0.171   30 0.4426   31  0.814   32 -0.504    9  0.162 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
BRUINS         13  5 68 41  0.005  8.634    2  0.195    2  0.196    3  0.242    1 0.5471   22  1.020   11  0.140    3  0.345 P
LIGHTNING      11  6 63 53  0.022  8.432    4  0.138    4  0.137    8  0.119    5 0.5310    7  1.258    6  0.315   20 -0.076 P
CANADIENS      11  6 61 53 -0.085  7.793    9  0.098    9  0.093   11  0.061    9 0.5219   11  1.169   10  0.140   16 -0.018 P
SENATORS       11  7 58 54 -0.043  8.591   10  0.086   10  0.082   15  0.038   10 0.5206   12  1.161   14  0.107   18 -0.032 P
MAPLE LEAFS     8 11 64 64 -0.008  9.413   24 -0.073   24 -0.075   19 -0.018   24 0.4828    9  1.240    9  0.153   25 -0.189 P
PANTHERS        9  9 56 55 -0.092  8.348   19 -0.030   19 -0.029   22 -0.050   18 0.4940   21  1.028   23 -0.144   14  0.043 P
SABRES          8  9 50 57 -0.072  8.083   21 -0.047   21 -0.046   26 -0.106   19 0.4904   17  1.097   21 -0.116   21 -0.096 P
RED WINGS       7 11 49 56 -0.090  8.480   27 -0.121   27 -0.128   27 -0.132   27 0.4685   29  0.899   29 -0.372   11  0.108 P

DIVISION               W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 70 68 0.507    1  0.049
ATLANTIC DIVISION     78 64 0.549    2  0.042
CENTRAL DIVISION      68 74 0.479    3  0.030
PACIFIC DIVISION      66 76 0.465    4 -0.124

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Mon Nov  9 05:30:14 2026
games through: Sun Nov  8 2026

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