December 6, 2011
Player Power Rankings
Can Giroux Remain MVP?

by Tom Awad

These rankings are based on games through December 4th.

Legend:

OGVT: Offensive GVT

GGVT: Goaltending GVT

DGVT: Defensive GVT

SGVT: Shootout GVT

GVT: Total GVT

Rank Player                                    OGVT/GGVT  DGVT  SGVT   GVT

1.   Claude Giroux, F, Philadelphia Flyers      7.3       1.5   -0.3   8.6

Comment: Giroux now has the best points per game in the NHL. Through a third of the season, Giroux is the MVP among skaters.

2.   Joffrey Lupul, F, Toronto Maple Leafs      6.0       1.0    1.1   8.1     

Comment: Lupul's previous career high in GVT is 10.0 in 2007-08, but at this rate he could surpass it by the New Year.

3.   Jonathan Toews, F, Chicago Blackhawks      6.1       1.7    0.2   8.1

Comment: The NHL's most complete player is also one of its best right now, with a league-leading 17 goals and 23rd with 20:18 of ice time per game.

4.   Tyler Seguin, F, Boston Bruins             6.4       1.9   -0.3   8.0   

Comment: Seguin was the first player to surpass his full-season point total from last year, with 24 points in 24 games versus last year's 22 in 74 games.

5.   Patrick Kane, F, Chicago Blackhawks        5.8       1.6    0.5   7.9     

Comment: Kane has never been thought of as a playmaker, but he leads the league with 21 assists.

6.   Phil Kessel, F, Toronto Maple Leafs        7.2       0.8   -0.3   7.7    

Comment: Kessel hasn't scored a goal in six games and has been a -6, but he's contributed five assists in that time, helped the Leafs win four of the six games and maintained his NHL point lead.

7.   Marian Hossa, F, Chicago Blackhawks        6.0       1.7   -0.3   7.5

Comment: Hossa isn't putting up spectacular numbers, just his same reliable self. He now has 204 career GVT, more than Forsberg and Lindros and closing in on Hawerchuk, Brind'Amour, Gartner, Mogilny, and Andreychuk. He's only 32.

 
8.   Daniel Sedin, F, Vancouver Canucks         6.3       1.0    0.0   7.3

Comment: Daniel has more assists than Henrik for the first time since they were 12 years old. Over the last four seasons, Daniel's plus-97 is the best in the NHL.

9.   Jordan Eberle, F, Edmonton Oilers          4.9       1.1    1.3   7.3    

Comment: Is it scary that Eberle may not be the best under-21 player on his team?

10.  Tomas Fleischmann, F, Florida Panthers     5.5       2.2   -0.5   7.2

Comment: Fleischmann was cast aside by both Washington and Colorado in the last year, but he's been a key element of the Panthers power play and his relative plus-minus of +13.4 is third in the NHL behind Shea Weber and Ryan Suter.

Player Power Rankings: Goalies

These rankings are based on games through December 4th.

Legend:

OGVT: Offensive GVT

GGVT: Goaltending GVT

DGVT: Defensive GVT

SGVT: Shootout GVT

GVT: Total GVT

Rank Player                                    OGVT/GGVT  DGVT  SGVT   GVT

1.   Jonathan Quick, G, Los Angeles Kings       15.8     -0.3   -0.5   15.1   

Comment: The Kings have the second-worst offense in the NHL this season. Their saving grace has been Quick, who has easily wrested 80% of the starts from Jonathan Bernier with an impressive .936 save percentage in 21 games.

2.   Tim Thomas, G, Boston Bruins               11.2      0.0    2.2   13.4     

Comment: It's as if the dream season never ended for Thomas, whose stats so far this season are scary—even better than last year's.

3.   Mike Smith, G, Phoenix Coyotes             12.4     -0.5    0.3   12.3    

Comment: Nobody expected Smith here, who had one good season in 2008-09 and two mediocre ones since, but the departure of Bryzgalov created an opening that he has seized with glove and blocker.

 
4.   Jimmy Howard, G, Detroit Red Wings         10.9      0.7    0.0   11.6

Comment: Howard continues his bounceback from a sub-par 2010-11, and is more reminiscent of the goaltender who saved the Wings season in 2009-10, with a .931 save percentage in 21 games (and for those who care, a league-leading 15 wins).

5.   Henrik Lundqvist, G, New York Rangers      11.4     -0.2    0.1   11.2

Comment: Lundqvist remains destined to always be thought of as the third-best goaltender in the NHL. His stats this season remain spectacular, but not good enough to win the Vezina. His post-lockout GVT is 172.7, far and away the best in the league.

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