October 29, 2010
Player Power Rankings
Here Comes Steven Stamkos

by Tom Awad

A lot can change in a week.

Last Monday, Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings topped the Player Power Rankings (which appear every Monday on ESPN.com).

This week, Quick is nowhere to be found on the top-10 list -- but another goalie, Tim Thomas, has assumed the crown as No. 1 -- and we're starting to see some familiar elite faces sneak in, in the form of Steven Stamkos at No. 2.

During the season, the rankings are based on player production in terms of Puck 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 are based on games through Oct. 23, 2010.

Legend:

OGVT: Offensive GVT

GGVT: Goaltending GVT

DGVT: Defensive GVT

GVT: Total GVT

Rank Player                                    OGVT/GGVT  DGVT    GVT
1.   Tim Thomas, G, Boston Bruins              7.0       -0.1     6.9   

Comment: Surprised to see Thomas up here? Don't be. He won the Vezina in 2008-09 after posting a Hasek-like 0.933 save percentage, and since the lockout he has been the fifth-most valuable regular-season goaltender in the entire league, behind only Tomas Vokoun, Henrik Lundqvist, Roberto Luongo and Martin Brodeur.

2.   Steven Stamkos, F, Tampa Bay Lightning    4.0        1.0     5.0      

Comment: We haven't had the feeling of seeing such a special talent since the emergence of Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby in 2006. Stamkos will continue to make Guy Boucher and Steve Yzerman look like geniuses for years to come.

3.   Brent Johnson, G, Pittsburgh Penguins     4.6        0.1     4.7    

Comment: Johnson finally got his first loss this week: a 1-0 overtime defeat to the St. Louis Blues. That tells you what it's taken to beat the career backup so far this season.

4.   Pekka Rinne, G, Nashville Predators       4.5       -0.1     4.4      

Comment: There is a history of strong goaltending in Nashville, and Rinne is the latest flag bearer. In four games, he has allowed more than one goal only once, is undefeated in regulation and currently holds a 0.955 save percentage.

5.   Kari Lehtonen, G, Dallas Stars            4.0       -0.2     4.2     

Comment: Dallas continues to get massively outshot (178-116 so far this season at even strength), so Lehtonen has to continue stopping a lot of rubber for the Stars to have a shot at the postseason. So far he has been equal to the task; this rating doesn't seem to add up because it also contains a 0.4 shootout GVT. We'll begin adding that when more goalies have appeared in shootouts.

6.   Marian Hossa, F, Chicago Blackhawks       2.6        0.9     3.5     

Comment: Is this the lifting of the Hossa curse, or just a veteran scorer doing what he does best? The Blackhawks will take Hossa's 11 points in 10 games either way, but just watch out for the penalties: Hossa, usually a disciplined player, has already taken four non-offsetting minors.

 
7.   Kris Letang, D, Penguins                  1.6        1.8     3.4  

Comment: Letang has been on the ice for 12 goals at even strength (second in the league), and has points on six of them (two goals, four assists). With the departure of Sergei Gonchar, this is the type of contribution the Penguins are counting on.

8.   Daniel Sedin, F, Vancouver Canucks        2.4        0.5     3.4 

Comment: Time for another Sedin at the top of the scoring race? Daniel is second in the NHL with 11 points; that's one more than his brother. When the bros are together on the ice for Vancouver power plays, here are the stats: six goals in 26 minutes (roughly a 40 percent rate). Without them: one goal in 17 minutes. He also has a 0.5 shootout GVT.

9.   John-Michael Liles, D, Colorado Avalanche 2.3        1.1     3.4   

Comment: What a change for Liles! Often chastised for his even-strength play but counted on to make the power play hum, Liles has six assists and a plus-8 at even, but the Avalanche have allowed three short-handed goals while he has manned the point.

10.  Patrick Sharp, F, Blackhawks              2.5        0.0     3.5     

Comment: Is this the year Sharp gets recognition as the elite player he is? A key component of Chicago's Cup run, Sharp is one of 20 or so wingers in the league who plays regularly in all manpower situations. He also has a shootout GVT of 0.5.

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.