Goalies Rask, Binnington lead impact player rankings
Here is a ranking of the impact potential of the Bruins and Blues players playing in the Stanley Cup Final, which starts Monday in Boston.
1. Tuukka Rask, goalie, Bruins: With a 1.84 goals-against average and .942 save percentage, Rask is playing the best hockey of his career.
2. Jordan Binnington, goalie, Blues: He is the primary reason the Blues are in the Cup Final. Counting the regular season and playoffs, the rookie goalie is 3612-1 as the St. Louis starter.
3. Brad Marchand, left wing, Bruins: Love him or hate him, Marchand is an elite offensive player and is superior at getting under the opponent’s skin.
4. Patrice Bergeron, center, Bruins: A top performer in every aspect of the game, including faceoffs and defensive coverage.
5. Jaden Schwartz, left wing, Blues: With 12 goals in 19 games, Schwartz is the hottest playoff scorer.
6. David Pastrnak, right wing, Bruins: The most dangerous goal scorer in the series. Give him a small window, and he will create a scoring chance.
7. David Krejci, center, Bruins: The forgotten man in the Bruins’ offense. Registered 73 points this season without fanfare.
8. Vladimir Tarasenko, right wing, Blues: Never mind his ups and downs in the playoffs, he has 30 career playoff goals.
9. Alex Pietrangelo, defenseman, Blues: Set a Blues playoff record for a defenseman with 13 points in a single playoff season. Can be a force in any situation.
10. Zdeno Chara, defenseman, Bruins: At 42, Chara is still an intimidating presence. Forwards try to avoid him.
11. Charlie McAvoy, defenseman, Bruins: When you see the impact he has on the ice, it’s easy to forget he is only 21.
12. Ryan O’Reilly, center, Blues: Even when the Blues were underachieving early in the season, he was not. He’s a hard-nosed, two-way center. His acquisition has been crucial to St. Louis’ success.
13. Brayden Schenn, center, Blues: Even though he went 13 games without a goal, he was still one of the Blues’ key contributors.
14. Colton Parayko, defenseman, Blues: He is 6-6 and 230 pounds and commands a booming slap shot. He is a three-zone contributor.
15. David Perron, right wing, Blues: He has now reached the Stanley Cup Final for two different teams in consecutive years. He was on the Golden Knights last season.
16. Torey Krug, defenseman, Bruins:
His offensive flair makes the Bruins’ forward group more dangerous.
17. Charlie Coyle, center, Bruins: General manager Don Sweeney acquired the missing piece when he pried Coyle from the Wild. He has brought balance to the Bruins’ forward lineup. Noteworthy No. 3 center.
18. Jay Bouwmeester, defenseman, Blues: He’s one of the Blues whose level improved significantly with coach Craig Berube in charge.
19. Brandon Carlo, defenseman, Bruins: He’s only 22 and you don’t always notice him. But he almost always has a quality game. He is a reason the Bruins haven’t given up many goals in the postseason.
20. Joel Edmundson, defenseman, Blues: He plays almost 18 minutes per game and chips in offensively as well as defensively.
21. Oskar Sundqvist, center, Blues: With four goals, eight points and a team-leading 60 hits as a fourth-liner, he is invaluable
22. Tyler Bozak, center, Blues: Reliable. Experienced. Effective. Consistent. Gets the job done. He’s an important player.
23. Robert Thomas, right wing, Blues: He’s only 19 and he’s been more impressive than his six points suggest. He’s going to be a top Blues player in the future.
24. Sean Kuraly, center, Bruins: An underrated player, Kuraly is fifth among Bruins forwards in playing time during this Stanley Cup run.
25. Matt Grzelcyk, defenseman, Bruins: He has stepped up when the Bruins have needed more from him. Had a two-goal game against Carolina in the conference final.
26. Vince Dunn, defenseman, Blues: He’s a third-pairing defenseman but a second-unit power-play point man.
27. Jake DeBrusk, left wing, Bruins: His 50 shots on goal rank fourth on the Bruins.
28. David Backes, right wing, Bruins: At 35, Backes has never won the Stanley Cup. As a wide-bodied forward with an offensive side, he has found a role on this team. He played 10 seasons for St. Louis.
29. Marcus Johansson, left wing, Bruins: Has become one of the better trade-deadline acquisitions. He has improved their secondary scoring.
30. Danton Heinen, right wing, Bruins: He is 23 and has scored 27 goals over the past two seasons for Boston. His teammates appreciate his contributions.
31. Carl Gunnarsson, defenseman, Blues: A 10-year veteran, he brings experience and a safe style to the Blues’ third pairing.
32. Sammy Blais, left wing, Blues: The 22-year-old is 6-2 with 51 games of NHL experience but has been productive in his eight playoff games.
33. Patrick Maroon, left wing, Blues: A St. Louis native, Maroon gives his team plenty of grit, fire and passion in his 12-13 minutes of playing time.
34. Alexander Steen, left wing, Blues: Experienced player who has accepted his status as a role player. Has blocked more shots (15) than any other forward.
35. Joakim Nordstrom, left wing, Bruins: He’s an effective role player with the skill to create a scoring opportunity now and then.
36. Ivan Barbashev, center, Blues: He’s third on the Blues with 53 hits.
37. Connor Clifton, defenseman, Bruins: He’s a feisty, spunky third-pair defenseman who makes himself known.
38. Noel Acciari, right wing, Bruins: When Chris Wagner was injured blocking a shot in the conference final, it created a spot for Acciari, a Rhode Island native.
39. Jaroslav Halak, goalie, Bruins: Had an outstanding regular-season (2211-4 record, .924 save percentage). The Bruins are comfortable when he’s in net.
40. Jake Allen, goalie, Blues: Was given every opportunity to be the guy in St. Louis. Just wasn’t able to take advantage.