The 2008-09 season is now well underway, and we can begin to gauge which players have distinguished themselves as the top individual performers. I created an objective statistical ranking system called the ?Floor Impact Counter? for basketball, for baseball and football, it is renamed the ?Field Impact Counter?, and for ice hockey it is called the ?Ice Impact Counter? or the IIC. There is never a be-all and end-all in any ranking system (particularly in a sport like hockey where intangibles are exceedingly important), but I believe my formula is equally fair to forwards, defensemen, and goaltenders. Ranking players by the IIC, I then am able to determine a Reina Value, which is a valuation system that quickly determines how players are performing in relation to their contracts throughout the season. With the NHL now using a salary cap, general managers must work within the confines of a strict budget, and big market teams cannot afford to write off big-contract mistakes like they once did. * Rank, Player, Team: Season IIC total (Reina Value) 1. Alexander Semin, Washington: 69.5 (107%) Semin has two or more points in nine of his 16 games this season, including five (two goals, three assists) in a 5-1 win over Carolina. All this despite being shelved recently with a mysterious 'upper body injury.' Semin has the +/- in the entire NHL with 17. 2. Shea Weber, Nashville: 64.6 (93%) Weber has 21 points through his first 20 games in 2008. He had just 20 points during the entire 2007-08 season. 3. Simon Gagne, Philadelphia: 56.8 (49%) The left winger has already eclipsed his 07-08 injury-shorten totals in both goals (11) and assists (14). Gagne has an excellent 25.6% shot percentage. 4. Tim Thomas, Boston: 50.7 (582%) Thomas trails just Dany Sabourin in goals against average with 1.80 and also has two shutouts. 5. Brian Campbell, Chicago: 49.5 (5%) The signing of Campbell this summer has paid off for the Blackhawks so far, as he has 16 points for the second place team in the Central. 6. Roberto Luongo, Vancouver: 49.1 (10%) Luongo's .928 save percentage is an improvement from his 07-08 total of .917, but he is currently battling a strained left groin. 7. Dan Boyle, San Jose: 48.2 (12%) Boyle is Campbell's replacement and his +/- total of +7 looks a lot better than the -29 he had a year ago on a bad Lightning team. 8. Patrick Marleau, San Jose: 46.9 (17%) Many people expected the Todd McLellan hire to have a tremendous effect on Marleau, who had a mercurial relationship with the ousted Ron Wilson. 9. Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota: 45.6 (132%) Backstrom is already halfway towards matching his shutout total of a season ago. 10. Kris Versteeg, Chicago: 44.5 (1353%) The young Versteeg had just four points in his 13 games last season; this year he has seven goals and 13 assists in 19 games, giving Chicago fans another reason to like this exciting team. 11. Zach Parise, New Jersey: 44.4 (129%) Parise has been a very consistent left wing for the Devils over the past few seasons and he has elevated his game by having a shot percentage of .159. 12. Mike Green, Washington: 44.2 (34%) With 16 points and a +10, Green continues to be one of the best young defensemen and he is earning every penny of his new four-year contract. 13. Marc Savard, Boston: 43.7 (40%) Savard is third in +/- with 13, trainling just Semin and Willie Mitchell of Vancouver. 14. Derick Brassard, Columbus: 43.6 (461%) Brassard, the sixth overall pick in 2006, has 20 points in 19 games. 15. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh: 43.6 (79%) Malkin leads the NHL in points with 31 (seven goals, 24 assists). 16. Devin Setoguchi, San Jose: 42.8 (451%) Seoguchi has 12 goals, 12 assists and a +8 for the extremely impressive Sharks. 17. Patrick Kane, Chicago: 41.5 (81%) In his second season, the Blackhawks' star right winger has increased his shot percentage from .110 to .186. 18. Mike Smith, Tampa Bay: 41.4 (611%) Smith has a save percentage of .932 as he is heavily bombarded each night. 19. Henrik Lundqvist, N.Y. Rangers: 40.1 (611%) The Rangers' goalie is leading the NHL with wins (12) and has a 2.15 goals against average. 20. Marian Hossa, Detroit: 39.9 (-2%) Hossa is enjoying Hockeytown through his first 19 games with 24 points. 21. Bryan Little, Atlanta: 39.0 (644%) Little had just 16 points in 48 games a year ago and has 17 in his first 19 in 08-09, as he's finally starting to deliver on the promise of what made him the 12th overall pick in 2006. 22. Mike Richards, Philadelphia: 38.3 (16%) Two of Richards' six goals have been game winners. 23. Dennis Wideman, Boston: 37.0 (68%) Wideman also has a +/- of 11 and 10 points. Notables 39. Niklas Lidstrom, Detroit: 32.3 (-19%) 42. Alexander Ovechkin, Washington: 31.6 (-40%) 47. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh: 30.6 (-37%) 51. Matt Stajan, Toronto: 29.8 (+207%) 54. Joe Thornton, San Jose: 29.6 (-26%) - Christopher Reina is the executive editor of RealGM