Every Monday until the end of the season, Hockey Prospectus will provide updated Player Power Rankings for the top 10 skaters and top five goalies in the NHL based on HP's proprietary value metric, GVT, a statistic that combines player contributions in all aspects of the game, including defense and the shootout.
Though the Islanders remain tied at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, their former No. 1 overall pick is ready for his starring role, as John Tavares currently holds this week's title as the NHL's most valuable player.
Player Power Rankings: Skaters
These rankings
are through Feb. 17.
Rank
Player
Team
Pos.
Off. GVT
Def. GVT
Shootout GVT
Total GVT
1
John Tavares
New York Islanders
F
6.5
1
0.6
8.1
A huge week for Tavares, who wasn't even in the top 10 last
week. With 5 goals and 7 points in 3 games, Tavares has at least kept the
Islanders in the playoff conversation in the East. It helps that he shoots a
lot too. His 57 shots rank fifth in the NHL.
2
Thomas Vanek
Buffalo Sabres
F
6
1.3
0.6
7.9
Despite 0 points in 3 games this week, Vanek continues to lead
the scoring race, as well as leading the NHL with 15 even-strength points.
However, by going 1-2 his Sabres have fallen to 11th in the East.
3
Sidney Crosby
Pittsburgh Penguins
F
5.1
2
0.6
7.6
Crosby's points-per-game of 1.4 is lower than he achieved in
2010-11 (1.61) or 2011-12 (1.68), but is still almost as good as the best in
the entire league last year, Evgeni Malkin's 1.45.
4
Eric Staal
Carolina Hurricanes
F
5
2.2
0
7.2
With the Canes weaker the last two seasons Staal was a combined
minus-30, but with the team improved by the addition of his brother Jordan,
Eric is now 3rd in the NHL with a plus-12.
5
Patrik Elias
New Jersey Devils
F
4.8
2.7
-0.4
7.1
Elias has by far the highest career GVT of any player in the top
10 with 216.1. Crosby is second with 141.9.
6
Saku Koivu
Anaheim Ducks
F
4.2
2
0.6
6.9
The average age of the nine other players in the top 10 GVT is
26.6 years of age. Koivu turned 38 in November and is in his 17th NHL season,
yet has only managed a point per game once before, in 1996-97. He does have
14 points in 14 games so far this season.
7
Patrick Kane
Chicago Blackhawks
F
6.2
1.1
-0.5
6.8
Kane has managed at least a point in 13 of his first 14 games,
and amazingly the Blackhawks have yet to lose a single one of them in
regulation time.
8
Alexander Steen
St. Louis Blues
F
3.2
2
1.2
6.5
Despite the 48-game season, Steen is on pace to improve on his
career-best of 51 points, set in 2010-11. He's done this despite no increase
in his ice time, at 18:15 per game, including 3:02 of PP time.
9
Kevin Shattenkirk
St. Louis Blues
D
3.8
2.3
0
6.1
Shattenkirk leads all defensemen in assists and points, and his
Blues have allowed only 22.6 shots against per game, the best mark in the
league.
10
Steven Stamkos
Tampa Bay Lightning
F
6
0.3
-0.4
5.9
The Lightning had lost six consecutive games, five of them in
regulation, until Stamkos's 3-point night on Saturday enabled a 6-5 win over
Florida.
Player Power Rankings: Goalies
These rankings
are through Feb. 17.
Rank
Player
Team
Pos.
Goalie GVT
Def. GVT
Shootout GVT
Total GVT
1
Craig Anderson
Ottawa Senators
G
17.6
-0.3
-1.8
15.5
Anderson has faced 400 shots, third-highest in the league, and
has stopped an amazing 94.8 percent of them. Without him, Ottawa would
currently be sitting near the basement of the Eastern Conference.
2
Pekka Rinne
Nashville Predators
G
11.7
0.4
-0.9
11.3
Nashville is dead last in the league with 2.0 goals scored per
game, yet despite this they sit fourth in the Western Conference. The
difference has been Rinne, who is third among goaltenders with a .936 save
percentage.
3
Kari Lehtonen
Dallas Stars
G
10.7
-0.5
0.5
10.7
The Stars are hoping Lehtonen's injury isn't serious as he has
been the major reason they have remained in the playoff picture throughout
the first 15 games.
4
Antti Niemi
San Jose Sharks
G
9
0
0.4
9.4
Niemi has had a strong run since signing with San Jose, with a
total 39.2 GVT over two seasons and a third.
5
Viktor Fasth
Anaheim Ducks
G
7.5
0.2
0.7
8.3
Viktor who? Fasth, a 30-year-old Swede, only made it to the
Swedish Elite League two years ago and only crossed the Atlantic this year,
but so far he has an undefeated 8-0-0 record and a .933 save percentage.
A version of this story originally appeared at ESPN Insider .
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Howe and Why (02/18)
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