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.
In the first player rankings of the regular season, a pair of Sharks have been lighting the lamp with regularity, while Martin Brodeur continues to show no signs of his age. Meanwhile, a rookie is making a very visible early impression for the St. Louis Blues.
Player Power Rankings: Skaters
These rankings
are through Jan. 26.
Rank
Player
Team
Pos.
Off. GVT
Def. GVT
Shootout GVT
Total GVT
1
Patrick Marleau
San Jose Sharks
F
4.6
0.5
0.0
5.0
The last time a player opened an NHL season with four multi-goal
games, motorized automobiles were still a novelty and Woodrow Wilson was U.S.
president. That's how special Marleau's season start has been.
2
Joe Thornton
San Jose Sharks
F
3.5
0.6
0.0
4.1
With Thornton and Marleau still making magic in San Jose, it's a
good time to remember that Thornton has been the premier playmaking center of
the last decade, easily leading the league with 663 assists since 2001-02.
3
Marian Gaborik
New York Rangers
F
3.3
0.7
0.0
4.0
Gaborik had four points to lead the Rangers past the Toronto
Maple Leafs on Saturday, and looks to lead the team in scoring for the third
time in four seasons.
4
Daniel Winnik
Anaheim Ducks
F
2.7
0.8
0.0
3.4
The most unexpected player here, Winnik is already 45 percent of
the way to his career high in goals, which is just 11, and may soon match his
career-best GVT of 4.5
5
Thomas Vanek
Buffalo Sabres
F
3.2
0.3
0.0
3.4
Amazingly, Vanek has been involved in 82 percent of the Sabres'
goals so far this season.
6
Vladimir Tarasenko
St. Louis Blues
F
2.7
0.6
0.0
3.3
Only 21, Tarasenko was one of eight players to average a point a
game in the KHL this season. Among the others? Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin,
Alexander Radulov, Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk.
7
Patrick Kane
Chicago Blackhawks
F
3.0
0.2
0.0
3.2
On top of leading his team in points, Kane also leads Hawks
forwards in even-strength, power-play and total ice time.
8
Marian Hossa
Chicago Blackhawks
F
2.9
0.3
0.0
3.2
With impressive longevity, Hossa just keeps producing: His total
GVT of 183.2 over the last 11 seasons is second-highest among position
players (just behind Thornton's 189.0) and fifth in the NHL over that period.
9
T.J. Oshie
St. Louis Blues
F
1.7
0.8
0.6
3.1
Despite showing huge promise, Oshie has only incrementally
improved his GVT since his rookie season, from 8.1 in 2009-09 to 9.0 in
2010-11, 10.4 the season after and 11.2 last season. This could be the year
he breaks out.
10
Erik Karlsson
Ottawa Senators
D
2.2
0.9
0.0
3.1
It's only a matter of time before Karlsson leads all defensemen
in every offensive category imaginable; he's also ninth in total ice time,
including playing almost 3 minutes a game shorthanded.
Player Power Rankings: Goalies
These rankings
are through Jan. 26.
Rank
Player
Team
Pos.
Goalie GVT
Def. GVT
Shootout GVT
Total GVT
1
Craig Anderson
Ottawa Senators
G
5.9
0.0
0.0
6.0
No, I wasn't expecting Ottawa to be fourth in the East either.
Much credit can go to Anderson, who has allowed a minuscule two goals in
three games for a 0.67 GAA and .977 save percentage.
2
Ryan Miller
Buffalo Sabres
G
5
-0.2
0.0
4.8
Miller was considered the best in the world three years ago,
when he won the Vezina and led the USA to within a goal of an Olympic gold
medal. If he regains even a fraction of that form this year, the Sabres will
be dangerous.
3
Kari Lehtonen
Dallas Stars
G
4.7
-0.2
0.0
4.6
Last year, the Stars got a .922 save percentage from Lehtonen
but only .905 from Richard Bachman and Andrew Raycroft. With more Lehtonen
this year, they could make the playoffs.
4
Carey Price
Montreal Canadiens
G
4.4
0.0
0.0
4.4
With the team's other young star, P.K. Subban, still not signed,
Price has been shouldering the load, allowing just four goals in the team's
first three games. If he puts up 29.5 GVT like he did in 2010-11, the
Canadiens will be in the top six in the East.
5
Martin Brodeur
New Jersey Devils
G
4.2
0.2
0.0
4.4
Who's too old? After two less-than-stellar seasons, the
legendary Brodeur is back to terrifying shooters. His career GVT now stands
at 311.8, sixth all-time among NHL goaltenders.
A version of this story originally appeared at ESPN Insider .
The rest of this article is restricted to Hockey Prospectus Subscribers.
Not a subscriber?
Click here for more information
on Hockey Prospectus subscriptions or use the buttons to the right to subscribe and get access to the best hockey content on the web.
Player Power Rankings (04/11)
0 comments have been left for this article. 
