Last season I developed and introduced The OCTR, a comprehensive and unique way to rank teams based on much more than just wins and points. With the same idea in mind, it became time to develop a comprehensive formula to rank players; and because the roles and importance on certain statistics was different for each position, it became evident that goalies, defensemen and forwards should each be ranked on their own.
So this will be the first of three installments introducing Obe?s Comprehensive Player Rankings (OCPR): Goalies. Aside from the usual wins, losses, overtime losses, shutouts, goals against and save percentage, the OCPR for Goalies takes into account total saves, total goals allowed, as well as saves made and goals allowed on the power play (a goalie is supposed to be your best penalty killer, is he not?).
2009-10 Rankings with Point Total
1. Evgeni Nabokov, SJS ? 149.270
2. Ilya Bryzgalov, PHX ? 140.860
3. Ryan Miller, BUF ? 136.555
4. Martin Brodeur, NJD ? 131.195
5. Craig Anderson, COL ? 128.225
6. Jimmy Howard, DET ? 126.095
7. Roberto Luongo, VAN ? 120.910
8. Jonathon Quick, LAK ? 117.935
9. Mikka Kiprusoff, CGY ? 117.005
10. Henrik Lundqvist, NYR ? 113.575
11. Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT ? 112.455
12. Jose Theodore, WSH ? 105.775
13. Pekka Rinne, NSH ? 104.775
14. Chris Mason, STL ? 102.525
15. Brian Elloitt, OTT ? 99.490
16. Antti Niemi, CHI ? 97.645
17. Jonas Hiller, ANA ? 96.570
18. Jaroslav Halak, MTL ? 96.330
19. Tomas Vokoun, FLA ? 93.705
20. Marty Turco, DAL ? 89.005
21. Tuuka Rask, BOS ? 87.345
22. Cristobal Huet, CHI ? 85.630
23. Niklas Backstrom, MIN ? 83.870
24. Johan Hedberg, ATL ? 82.665
25. Dwayne Roloson, NYI ? 80.125
26. Antero Niittymaki, TBL ? 79.135
27. Steve Mason, CBJ ? 77.025
28. Tim Thomas, BOS ? 73.305
29. Cam Ward, CAR ? 65.605
30. Michael Leighton, PHI/CAR ? 65.280
31. Jonas Gustavsson, TOR ? 65.205
32. Ondrej Pavelec, ATL ? 64.990
33. Mathieu Garon, CBJ ? 60.545
34. J.S. Giguere, TOR/ANA ? 56.725
35. Jeff Deslauriers, EDM ? 56.135
36. Mike Smith, TBL ? 55.685
37. Dan Ellis, NSH ? 52.545
38. Carey Price, MTL ? 52.360
39. Pascal Leclaire, OTT ? 47.755
40. Vesa Toskala, CGY/TOR ? 40.520
Remember that these are based on the regular season only, and it is evident ? through players like Nabokov, Halak and Niemi ? that the best regular season goalie is not necessarily the best in the playoffs. The amount of games played has a large bearing on the total stats; but the top goaltenders should be seeing the majority of games played. Goalies who missed a lot of time due to injury (Ward, for instance) will suffer, but they can?t be deemed to be among the top difference makers if they didn?t play the same number of games as other top stoppers.
Nabokov, the top ranked goalie last season, couldn?t find a team that wanted him this offseason and he ended up signing with the KHL in Russia.
Niemi was ranked 16th, but ended up winning the Stanley Cup and is currently without a job. The Montreal Canadiens decided to trade Halak, even though he finished more than 44 points ahead of the man assuming the number one role, Carey Price.
The Atlanta Thrashers signed Chris Mason, who was almost 20 points better than Atlanta?s best statistical goalie last season, and was more than 37 points better Pavelec, so Atlanta really improved themselves on the back end.
The big surprise may be Detroit?s rookie Jimmy Howard finishing 6th.
But that was last season, and things are bound to change from top to bottom this season. It will be interesting to see who climbs and who falls in the rankings, especially with the number of goalies changing teams (Mason, Ellis, Turco, Niemi, Theodore, Niittymaki, Hedberg and Halak so far). Now that the formula has been established, keep on the lookout for updates throughout the season; also look for the release this month of the defensemen and forward rankings.
Nick can be reached via email [email protected] or on twitter @NickObergan
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