March 23, 2010
Player Power Rankings
Ovi Climbing

by Tom Awad

The Puck Prospectus metric GVT (goals versus threshold) allows us to compare players at every position to determine who the true leaders are. Ryan Miller is still atop the rankings, but Alex Ovechkin is fast approaching. Even though the star forward was suspended two games this past week, he managed to climb up the rankings thanks to the struggles of goalies like Evgeni Nabokov.

Puck Prospectus: Player Power Rankings

Alexander Ovechkin missed two games but still was able to climb two spots.

Legend:

OGVT: Offensive GVT

GGVT: Goaltending GVT

DGVT: Defensive GVT

SGVT: Shootout GVT

GVT: Total GVT

Rank Player                    Last Week   OGVT/GGVT    DGVT    SGVT     GVT
1.   Ryan Miller, G, BUF        1          31.4        -0.5    -1.4     29.5 

Comment: Miller had perhaps his worst game of the season Tuesday against Atlanta, allowing three goals in only six minutes and five shots before being pulled, but he was excellent in his two other starts, a 6-2 win against Tampa and a 3-1 win against Florida.

2.   Alex Ovechkin, F, WAS      4          24.9         3.6    -1.0     27.4   

Comment: Ovechkin's most notable accomplishment this week was getting suspended for two games, but he remains among the favorites for the Hart trophy, and leads all players in goals and points despite now missing 10 games to suspension and injury.

3.   Tomas Vokoun, G, FLA       3          31.2        -2.1    -2.7     26.4   

Comment: Definitely a week to forget for Vokoun: First he was pulled after five goals in 34 minutes in a 7-3 shelling against Washington, and then he gave up the tying goal on a 105-foot bouncer against Phoenix with 60 seconds left, and he was pulled again after two goals in 22 minutes against Buffalo.

4.   Evgeni Nabokov, G, SJ      2          23.7        -0.8     2.9     25.8 

Comment: Another goaltender with a terrible week. The numbers speak for themselves: 4.12 goals-against average, 0.859 save percentage, 0-4-0 record. The Sharks have little to play for at this point, but it's still worrisome.

5.   Sidney Crosby, F, PIT      5          17.9         3.2     2.8     23.9 

Comment: The Penguins' inconsistencies continue, and Crosby put up only two points in four games, which is poor for him, but his overall play has still been good. Crosby is plus-15 this season at 5-on-5 and, incredibly, the Penguins have been outscored by only one goal in the 66 minutes he's killed penalties.

6.   Craig Anderson, G, COL     6          25.5        -1.2    -0.4     23.8 

Comment: Anderson's 48-save effort in a 5-3 win against Dallas is one of the highlights of the Avalanche's season.

 
7.   Ilya Bryzgalov, G, PHO     8          20.6         0.4     2.3     23.3   

Comment: Bryzgalov now has won seven games in a row, and the Coyotes are two points out of first place in the West. His stats in those games: a spectacular 0.944 save percentage and 1.66 GAA.

8.   Henrik Sedin, F, VAN       7          18.6         4.6     0.0     23.2   

Comment: Henrik always has been the playmaker, with twin brother Daniel being the scorer, but it's Henrik who's in the top 20 in the NHL in goals as well as being No. 1 in assists.

9.   Nicklas Backstrom, F, WAS 11          17.8         2.8     0.6     21.3 

Comment: Backstrom has really taken charge when Ovechkin has been out of the lineup. In the three games Ovechkin missed (including most of the game against Chicago), Backstrom had three goals and four assists, and the Capitals picked up five points out of a possible six.

10.  Duncan Keith, D, CHI       9          13.2         7.8     0.0     21.0 

Comment: Chicago's once impregnable defense has been springing leaks. The Blackhawks have given up 11 third-period goals in the past five games. With Brian Campbell and Brent Seabrook out, this puts even more pressure on Keith.

A version of this story originally appeared on ESPN Insider .

Tom Awad is an author of Hockey Prospectus. You can contact Tom by clicking here or click here to see Tom's other articles.