Boston athletes power index

The dog days of summer and the recent propensity of Buzzfeed, Forbes and others to complile super fun lists got us thinking about who the most powerful athletes in Boston sports today are. These athletes not only have to be great on the field, they have to exert control in their own locker rooms and have some broader appeal. We’re sticking to current athletes and to players rather than coaches/owners. Look through our list, and if you don’t agree, follow the link below to give your own power rankings. Note, these rankings have changed drastically since last year, when Tyler Seguin, Kevin Garnett, Wes Welker, and Paul Pierce made the top 10.

10. Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox

This may seem like a stretch, but Bogaerts cracks the top 10 as the third Red Sox player on this list (you can probably guess who the other two are). If you’re incredulous, run down the Red Sox roster and find another name you’d put ahead of the much-hyped infielder. The Sox jettisoned three of their supposed “stars’’ to the Dodgers in the offseason, and Jacoby Ellsbury is a free agent after this season. That leaves Bogaerts, one of the top prospects in baseball, a prospect compared to Hanley Ramirez, as the future of the Red Sox organization. He’s done nothing with the big club to earn being on this list, but he should be the player Sox fans would least want to see go in a trade.

9. Tuukka Rask, Bruins

After leading the Bruins to Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final vs. the Blackhawks, Rask signed an eight-year, $56 million contract to remain in Boston. After ranking near the top of the league all season, Rask’s .940 save percentage was tops among all goalies in the playoffs. The Bruins fell short of their goal by two games, but Rask helped them overachieve. He’ll be the foundation of the franchise for years to come.

8. Rajon Rondo, Celtics

Rondo is the only Celtic to make this list (he’s the only Celtic who’s remotely close at this point, actually). He’s a lightning rod for criticism, but he’s also the team’s best player after the departures of Pierce and Garnett. His unique talent makes him popular with diehards, and he’s also crossed over and become a fan-favorite, particularly with younger Celtics fans.

7. Vince Wilfork

How many casual fans in any other city know who their team’s nose tackle is? Wilfork transcends the position as the rock of New England’s defense, the counterpart to Tom Brady on his side of the ball. After Brady, he’s the player the team can least afford to lose.

6. Zdeno Chara, Bruins

The Bruins captain was the highest-rated Bruin on this list last year, and while he didn’t do anything to drop, another player stepped up (see No. 5). Chara is representative of all that Bruins fans want: a big, tough defenseman who controls the game, plays big minutes, and leads by example. He’s got a few endorsements, but he fails to cross the line of mass appeal that reaches casual fans.

5. Patrice Bergeron, Bruins

If this were a list of the toughest players, Bergeron would be No. 1, and it wouldn’t really be close. Bergeron shouldn’t have played in Game 6 vs. Chicago with a torn rib cartilage, a broken rib, a separated shoulder, and a punctured left lung, but he toughed it out. He’s sometimes overlooked, but he’s the team’s best overall player. In hockey circles, he’s one of the most valuable players in the game.

4. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox

Pedroia is the most universally popular player on the Red Sox, liked by both casual fans and diehards. The entire team struggled in 2012, and Pedroia took some of the blame for that, but now that the team is in contention again, the plucky second baseman is front and center. He remains of the elite players at his position.

3. Rob Gronkowski

Gronkowski is currently injured, but when healthy he’s one of the best tight ends in football. In 2011, he set the NFL’s all-time record for touchdowns in a season with 17. Off the field, Gronk lives the life of a rock star. He’s funny and earnest on top of his frat boy exterior.. The sky’s the limit for the Patriots tight end.

2. David Ortiz

This was the toughest position to rank. A lot went into Ortiz’s placement at No. 2: He still puts up huge numbers, the Red Sox have struggled in games without him, and he’s the public face of the franchise. His contributions to the 2004 World Series team will forever cement him in Red Sox lore. Combine that with the fact that he’s still hitting home runs and still smiling, and he gets the edge over teammate Pedroia and the injured Gronkowski.

1. Tom Brady

What else can be said about Brady? He’s won three Super Bowls and led the Patriots to two others. He holds the record for most touchdowns in a single season. He’s a dreamboat, married to a super model, and still playing at an elite level. He may be worth more to his team than any other player in sports. Of course it’s Brady.