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
DUCKS          49 45 312 330 -0.022 46.829   15  0.017   15  0.016   24 -0.110   15 0.5016    1  1.276   10  0.132   31 -0.351
OILERS         43 45 303 295 -0.040 43.003   21 -0.024   21 -0.048   15  0.013   21 0.4940    2  1.262    5  0.235   27 -0.209
PENGUINS       43 45 304 284  0.005 44.530   18 -0.000   19 -0.018   11  0.074   18 0.4986    3  1.249    3  0.278   25 -0.131
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.009 41.911   30 -0.176   30 -0.173   28 -0.149   30 0.4748    4  1.242   16  0.046   30 -0.344
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.029 40.737   22 -0.044   22 -0.061   29 -0.178   22 0.4909    5  1.214   18 -0.018   29 -0.337
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.008 41.813   20 -0.005   18 -0.018   21 -0.087   20 0.4981    6  1.193   17  0.046   28 -0.219
SABRES         57 38 331 280  0.022 48.581    3  0.209    3  0.181    4  0.186    3 0.5275    7  1.165    2  0.282   10  0.090
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.025 41.106   32 -0.315   32 -0.334   32 -0.394   32 0.4499    8  1.160   29 -0.304   32 -0.485
CANADIENS      57 43 336 306  0.057 52.597    5  0.173    5  0.156    7  0.131    5 0.5235    9  1.134    8  0.189   11  0.073
WILD           51 42 313 279  0.022 47.517    7  0.088    7  0.090    6  0.146    7 0.5128   10  1.125    7  0.192    9  0.100
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.016 41.053   23 -0.053   23 -0.072   23 -0.103   23 0.4888   11  1.121   20 -0.061   26 -0.144
SENATORS       44 42 283 257  0.015 43.806   12  0.027   13  0.026    8  0.111   11 0.5056   12  1.120    9  0.151   12  0.071
MAMMOTH        45 43 286 263 -0.009 44.078   16  0.015   16  0.009   13  0.041   17 0.5007   13  1.118   14  0.078   18  0.004
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244 -0.002 41.268    9  0.034   10  0.033   10  0.083    9 0.5065   14  1.108   11  0.109   13  0.058
BRUINS         47 41 284 270  0.027 45.327    8  0.064    8  0.070   12  0.071    8 0.5116   15  1.105   13  0.092   14  0.050
HURRICANES     64 30 332 260  0.015 47.725    1  0.308    1  0.313    2  0.236    1 0.5457   16  1.104    4  0.256    3  0.215
LIGHTNING      53 36 305 247  0.017 45.330    4  0.189    4  0.165    3  0.201    4 0.5261   17  1.082    6  0.195    4  0.208
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 51 47 323 288 -0.011 48.918   13  0.026   12  0.026    9  0.097   14 0.5037   18  1.067   15  0.072    8  0.121
AVALANCHE      63 32 346 240 -0.007 47.234    2  0.276    2  0.270    1  0.360    2 0.5373   19  1.065    1  0.333    1  0.387
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.007 41.669   19 -0.004   20 -0.019   16 -0.014   19 0.4984   20  1.061   19 -0.046   15  0.018
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STARS          52 36 294 249 -0.001 44.197    6  0.156    6  0.145    5  0.148    6 0.5208   21  1.054   12  0.107    5  0.188
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.005 41.683   17  0.008   17  0.001   18 -0.055   16 0.5009   22  1.037   21 -0.116   17  0.005
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.024 40.728   24 -0.078   24 -0.095   19 -0.070   24 0.4853   23  1.028   22 -0.142   19  0.001
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.014 41.140   25 -0.123   25 -0.129   26 -0.125   26 0.4802   24  1.022   26 -0.204   23 -0.047
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.009 41.838   26 -0.127   26 -0.133   20 -0.071   25 0.4808   25  1.016   23 -0.157   16  0.014
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.027 40.747   28 -0.160   28 -0.159   27 -0.145   28 0.4762   26  0.998   28 -0.251   22 -0.038
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.009 41.896   14  0.022   14  0.022   25 -0.119   13 0.5043   27  0.996   27 -0.227   20 -0.011
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.020 41.072   31 -0.242   31 -0.252   31 -0.229   31 0.4620   28  0.985   30 -0.351   24 -0.108
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.001 41.517   10  0.032    9  0.036   17 -0.032   10 0.5065   29  0.948   25 -0.196    7  0.132
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.023 40.930   27 -0.158   27 -0.155   30 -0.195   27 0.4767   30  0.932   32 -0.377   21 -0.013
TEAM            W  L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FLYERS         47 45 271 267  0.026 47.430   11  0.029   11  0.032   14  0.022   12 0.5055   31  0.917   24 -0.176    2  0.220
KINGS          35 51 230 260 -0.010 43.266   29 -0.163   29 -0.162   22 -0.088   29 0.4759   32  0.848   31 -0.362    6  0.186

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          49 45 312 330 -0.022 46.829   15  0.017   15  0.016   24 -0.110   15 0.5016    1  1.276   10  0.132   31 -0.351
OILERS         43 45 303 295 -0.040 43.003   21 -0.024   21 -0.048   15  0.013   21 0.4940    2  1.262    5  0.235   27 -0.209
SHARKS         39 43 251 292 -0.029 40.737   22 -0.044   22 -0.061   29 -0.178   22 0.4909    5  1.214   18 -0.018   29 -0.337
CANUCKS        25 57 216 316 -0.025 41.106   32 -0.315   32 -0.334   32 -0.394   32 0.4499    8  1.160   29 -0.304   32 -0.485
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 51 47 323 288 -0.011 48.918   13  0.026   12  0.026    9  0.097   14 0.5037   18  1.067   15  0.072    8  0.121
KRAKEN         34 48 226 263 -0.027 40.747   28 -0.160   28 -0.159   27 -0.145   28 0.4762   26  0.998   28 -0.251   22 -0.038
FLAMES         34 48 212 259 -0.023 40.930   27 -0.158   27 -0.155   30 -0.195   27 0.4767   30  0.932   32 -0.377   21 -0.013
KINGS          35 51 230 260 -0.010 43.266   29 -0.163   29 -0.162   22 -0.088   29 0.4759   32  0.848   31 -0.362    6  0.186

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           51 42 313 279  0.022 47.517    7  0.088    7  0.090    6  0.146    7 0.5128   10  1.125    7  0.192    9  0.100
PREDATORS      38 44 247 269 -0.016 41.053   23 -0.053   23 -0.072   23 -0.103   23 0.4888   11  1.121   20 -0.061   26 -0.144
MAMMOTH        45 43 286 263 -0.009 44.078   16  0.015   16  0.009   13  0.041   17 0.5007   13  1.118   14  0.078   18  0.004
AVALANCHE      63 32 346 240 -0.007 47.234    2  0.276    2  0.270    1  0.360    2 0.5373   19  1.065    1  0.333    1  0.387
STARS          52 36 294 249 -0.001 44.197    6  0.156    6  0.145    5  0.148    6 0.5208   21  1.054   12  0.107    5  0.188
BLUES          37 45 231 258 -0.024 40.728   24 -0.078   24 -0.095   19 -0.070   24 0.4853   23  1.028   22 -0.142   19  0.001
JETS           35 47 231 260 -0.014 41.140   25 -0.123   25 -0.129   26 -0.125   26 0.4802   24  1.022   26 -0.204   23 -0.047
BLACKHAWKS     29 53 213 275 -0.020 41.072   31 -0.242   31 -0.252   31 -0.229   31 0.4620   28  0.985   30 -0.351   24 -0.108

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       43 45 304 284  0.005 44.530   18 -0.000   19 -0.018   11  0.074   18 0.4986    3  1.249    3  0.278   25 -0.131
CAPITALS       43 39 263 244 -0.002 41.268    9  0.034   10  0.033   10  0.083    9 0.5065   14  1.108   11  0.109   13  0.058
HURRICANES     64 30 332 260  0.015 47.725    1  0.308    1  0.313    2  0.236    1 0.5457   16  1.104    4  0.256    3  0.215
BLUE JACKETS   40 42 253 253  0.007 41.669   19 -0.004   20 -0.019   16 -0.014   19 0.4984   20  1.061   19 -0.046   15  0.018
RANGERS        34 48 238 250  0.009 41.838   26 -0.127   26 -0.133   20 -0.071   25 0.4808   25  1.016   23 -0.157   16  0.014
DEVILS         42 40 230 254  0.009 41.896   14  0.022   14  0.022   25 -0.119   13 0.5043   27  0.996   27 -0.227   20 -0.011
ISLANDERS      43 39 233 241  0.001 41.517   10  0.032    9  0.036   17 -0.032   10 0.5065   29  0.948   25 -0.196    7  0.132
FLYERS         47 45 271 267  0.026 47.430   11  0.029   11  0.032   14  0.022   12 0.5055   31  0.917   24 -0.176    2  0.220

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
MAPLE LEAFS    32 50 253 299  0.009 41.911   30 -0.176   30 -0.173   28 -0.149   30 0.4748    4  1.242   16  0.046   30 -0.344
PANTHERS       40 42 251 276  0.008 41.813   20 -0.005   18 -0.018   21 -0.087   20 0.4981    6  1.193   17  0.046   28 -0.219
SABRES         57 38 331 280  0.022 48.581    3  0.209    3  0.181    4  0.186    3 0.5275    7  1.165    2  0.282   10  0.090
CANADIENS      57 43 336 306  0.057 52.597    5  0.173    5  0.156    7  0.131    5 0.5235    9  1.134    8  0.189   11  0.073
SENATORS       44 42 283 257  0.015 43.806   12  0.027   13  0.026    8  0.111   11 0.5056   12  1.120    9  0.151   12  0.071
BRUINS         47 41 284 270  0.027 45.327    8  0.064    8  0.070   12  0.071    8 0.5116   15  1.105   13  0.092   14  0.050
LIGHTNING      53 36 305 247  0.017 45.330    4  0.189    4  0.165    3  0.201    4 0.5261   17  1.082    6  0.195    4  0.208
RED WINGS      41 41 241 258  0.005 41.683   17  0.008   17  0.001   18 -0.055   16 0.5009   22  1.037   21 -0.116   17  0.005

DIVISION                W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
ATLANTIC DIVISION     371 333 0.527    1  0.070
METROPOLITAN DIVISION 356 328 0.520    2  0.031
CENTRAL DIVISION      350 342 0.506    3  0.027
PACIFIC DIVISION      310 384 0.447    4 -0.167

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.045 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 May 28 05:30:10 2026
games through: Wed May 27 2026

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.