Through 14 games of the 2016-17 NHL season, the New York Rangers have enjoyed a dream start. Who, though, has been the most impressive?

Forget a dream beginning to the 2016-17 NHL season. It’s been downright exhilarating. Through 14 games, the New York Rangers currently lead the Metropolitan Division with a 10-4 record and 14 points (currently tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins).

The fun part comes when realizing that there’s more than meets the eye with this club.

The Rangers aren’t just winning hockey games. They’re bludgeoning teams.

New York not only leads the NHL with an astounding 4.14 goals per game, it’s crushing the competition with a +24 goal differential. Runner-ups include the Chicago Blackhawks with 3.33 goals a game and the Montreal Canadiens through sporting a +16 differential.

Who, though, is helping the Rangers reach these unexpected heights most? This is the question we — and you, the reader — take on today.

After the first two weeks of play, the answer was easy. Chris Kreider, after his explosive first three games (3G, 7P), would have topped the list. Thanks to his injury, others have zoomed past.

Here are the New York Rangers player power rankings.

23-16

23. Oscar Lindberg
22. Josh Jooris
21. Adam Clendening
20. Dan Girardi
19. Pavel Buchnevich
18. Marc Staal
17. Nick Holden
16. Brandon Pirri

The first crop of Rangers is rather predictable. Oscar Lindberg, Josh Jooris, and Adam Clendening round out the bottom three mainly due to minimum games played.

Dan Girardi — as much as every fan in Rangerstown loves to get on the guy — has been alright thus far. While nobody’s going to throw the guy a parade, his five points and +5 through 10 games is nothing to sneeze at. The same can be said for Marc Staal. Rest for these two veterans in finally not having the extra load of springtime hockey has done a world of good.

Pavel Buchnevich is just now starting to kick it into high gear and will climb these rankings as the season moves along. Nick Holden and Brandon Pirri have been phenomenal in their roles. This is the especially the case for Holden who’s been tasked, at times, with playing the right side next to Ryan McDonagh on the top pairing.

15-11

15. Antti Raanta
14. Henrik Lundqvist
13. Kevin Klein
12. Mika Zibanejad
11. Mats Zuccarello

If anybody was to say the Rangers would be 10-4 after 14 games and Henrik Lundqvist wouldn’t be one of the top 10 Rangers, they’d be called crazy a thousand times over. But that’s just reality.

Moreover, Antti Raanta has been better.

Raanta’s 9.26 SV% and 2.32 GAA edges Hank’s 908 SV% 2.39 GAA. Lundqvist ranks higher strictly due to the workload.

On a less talented team, Kevin Klein, Mika Zibanejad, and Mats Zuccarello would all be approaching the top five. While none have been unspectacular, it’s just a testament to how well this personnel grouping is stacking up at the moment.

10-6

10. Jesper Fast
9. Chris Kreider
8. Brady Skjei
7. Derek Stepan
6. Michael Grabner

The forgotten man among so many skillful Rangers is Jesper Fast. He’s one of the few Rangers who can not only play a semi-physical game but simultaneously get under the opponent’s skin. What he does on the ice every shift can never be simply measured in points and stats.

As mentioned on the first page, Chris Kreider’s seven points over the first four games had he and his line flourishing. Only a neck injury has him ranked ninth.

Where are those Keith Yandle fans now? Hiding, perhaps, because young Brady Skjei has arrived. The best part about Skjei is he provides nearly the same offensive output as Yandle while representing immense defensive potential that Yandle couldn’t dare dream match.

Derek Stepan has been his usual steady self with 10 points in 14 games while providing a ton defensively.

Speaking of defense, check out the guy in the No. 6 spot. Michael Grabner has been a flat-out stud this season, to the point all Isles fans need to keep the Kleenex nearby every time they turn on MSG. He’s already collected a Hat Trick, seven goals, 12 points, and a team-leading +12 while representing the right wing on the Rangers current top line (J.T. Miller, Kevin Hayes).

Nov 6, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) against the Winnipeg Jets during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports

6-1

5. Jimmy Vesey
4. Rick Nash
3. Kevin Hayes
2. J.T. Miller
1. Ryan McDonagh

What can you say about the wonder boy? The Harvard product. Jimmy Vesey, has been nothing but a dream. Not only is the kid dripping from head to toe with talent, but his hockey IQ is off the charts. He’s always in the right spot on the ice and his six goals and 10 points reflect that.

Rick Nash has rebounded very nicely from a poor season a year ago. He’s already proved he can still put the puck in the net (seven goals) and with Vesey at his side, the sky’s the limit.

The other two-thirds of the vaunted third line rank No. 3 and 2. Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller have been phenomenal. Coming into the season lighter, Hayes leads New York in scoring with 13 points. Actually, he’s tied for the lead in scoring with Miller. That’s how good they’ve been.

As good as those two have been, the cream of the crop has to be Ryan McDonagh. Like Girardi and Staal, the early ouster at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins last spring helped McDonagh. Injury prone in his career, the Rangers captain looks fast, sharp, and completely on his game. While he hasn’t scored a goal, his nine assists and +7 only tells part of the story in how good he’s been.