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During the season, these rankings -- which appear on Mondays in concert with the overall NHL Power Rankings -- are based on player production in terms of Hockey Prospectus' GVT valuation metric. If you are unfamiliar with GVT and how it works, you can find more here.
Check out the full rankings below. We'll be back every Monday with new editions.
Hockey Prospectus: Player Power Rankings
These rankings are based on games through Dec. 12.
Legend:
OGVT: Offensive GVT
GGVT: Goaltending GVT
DGVT: Defensive GVT
SGVT: Shootout GVT
GVT: Total GVT
Rank Player OGVT/GGVT DGVT SGVT GVT
1. Tim Thomas, G, Boston Bruins 23.9 -0.4 -0.1 23.4
Comment: Let's be perfectly honest: There's no way Thomas can keep up these numbers for the rest of the season. However, even if he reverts to his four-season averages (2.25 GAA and 0.927 save percentage), he's within striking distance of Miikka Kiprusoff’s modern GAA record (1.70) and Dominik Hasek’s save percentage record (0.937).
2. Carey Price, G, Montreal Canadiens 18.4 0.1 0.0 18.4
Comment: One reason the Canadiens always need good goaltending is that they have never had the cellar-dwelling seasons (and associated top draft picks) of other teams. At fifth overall in 2005, Price was Montreal's highest draft pick since Petr Svoboda, also No. 5, in 1984.
3. Sidney Crosby, F, Pittsburgh Penguins 12.6 1.7 0.3 14.6
Comment: If Crosby wins the scoring title this year, it will be the 14th win by a Penguins' skater in the last 24 years: Mario Lemieux won six, Jaromir Jagr won five, Crosby will have two and Evgeni Malkin won one.
4. Ondrej Pavelec, G, Atlanta Thrashers 16.3 -0.3 -1.5 14.6
Comment: Pavelec can already be considered the second-best goaltender in Thrashers franchise history, behind Kari Lehtonen. Amazingly, Pavelec has allowed more than three goals once in his 17 starts this season.
5. Steven Stamkos, F, Tampa Bay Lightning 11.7 1.7 -0.5 12.9
Comment: Over the last two seasons, Stamkos leads the NHL in power-play goals (35) and points (62), but he sure gets a lot of ice time to do his thing. He's averaged a shade under five minutes of PP ice time per game, tenth in the NHL.
6. Jonathan Quick, G, Los Angeles Kings 9.0 0.7 1.7 11.4
Comment: Last season, the Kings penalty kill ranked 20th in the league; this year it's fifth. They've cut their shots against from 48 per 60 minutes to 44, but Quick has helped, as he has increased his save percentage at 4-on-5 from 0.862 to 0.916. It's a small sample, so beware.
7. Cam Ward, G, Carolina Hurricanes 10.5 -0.8 0.3 10.1
Comment: Ever since being pulled from back-to-back shellackings against Philadelphia and Montreal in November, Ward has regained his mojo. In his nine games since, he has a 1.50 GAA and 0.950 save percentage.
8. Kris Letang, D, Pittsburgh Penguins 5.7 4.0 0.3 10.0
Comment: Letang has put up spectacular numbers. His plus-18 leads the league and his 26 points are second among defensemen. He has also done it under difficult conditions. He is tied with Paul Martin for most even-strength ice time on the Penguins and has faced the toughest opponents of any Penguins defenseman.
9. Alexander Semin, F, Washington Capitals 7.9 1.8 0.0 9.7
Comment: The Capitals' fortunes have followed those of "the other Alex." In the last six games, Semin has no goals and three assists, and the Capitals have lost five of those games, four in regulation.
10. Daniel Sedin, F, Vancouver Canucks 8.5 0.8 0.3 9.6
Comment: Sedin has been just a bit better everywhere than his brother, Henrik: one more point, plus-1 in plus-minus, two fewer minor penalties and a bit better in the shootout. He also has points in seven straight games, of which the Canucks have won five.
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.
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