Welcome to the NHL Star Power Index: A weekly gauge of the gamers who’re controlling substantial buzz across the league. When a participant is included on this listing it will not be factor — it signifies that they’re capturing a considerable amount of the hockey world’s consideration.
These gamers are in no specific order on the subject of the quantity of buzz that they are creating. We’ll revisit the Star Power Index each week all through the common season.
It appeared fairly becoming that Alex Ovechkin etched his identify within the NHL report books but once more on the identical night time he was being honored by the Washington Capitals.
On Tuesday, the Capitals honored Ovechkin for passing Gordie Howe (801) on the NHL’s all-time targets listing again on Dec. 23. In the opening interval of Tuesday’s 7-6 time beyond regulation loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ovechkin scored his fortieth aim of the 2022-23 season, and in doing so, handed Wayne Gretzky for probably the most 40-goal seasons in league historical past.
This marked the thirteenth time through which Ovechkin topped the 40-goal plateau and broke a tie with Gretzky for the report.
Ovechkin’s aim was the 820th of his skilled profession, which locations him 75 targets from breaking Gretzky’s report for probably the most in NHL historical past.
The Capitals winger turned the fifth participant in league historical past to attain 40 targets in a season at age 37 or older. That brief listing contains Howe (age 40 in 1968-69), Johnny Bucyk (age 37 in 1972-73), Brendan Shanahan (age 37 in 2005-06) and Phil Esposito (age 37 in 1978-79).
Ovechkin now has 13 40-goal seasons to his credit score and leads Gretzky (12), Mario Lemieux (10) and Marcel Dionne (10) on that listing. He might report much more historical past within the targets division earlier than the mud settles on the 2022-23 common season. Ovi is at present tied with New York Islanders legend Mike Bossy for probably the most profession 50-goal seasons with 9. Following Tuesday’s sport, Washington has 10 extra contests on their schedule.
Colorado Avalanche star Mikko Rantanen has been on hearth and may very well be on the verge of becoming a member of some very elite firm quickly.
Rantanen at present has 47 targets by way of 70 video games, simply 11 targets from breaking Michel Goulet’s franchise report (57) for many targets in a single season. Goulet set the staff report throughout the 1982-83 season, when the Avalanche have been often known as the Quebec Nordiques.
With 12 video games left on Colorado’s common season schedule, Rantanen, 26, actually has an opportunity to catch Goulet’s mark. He has registered not less than one level in eight of his final 9 video games, together with 4 multi-point efficiency throughout that span. The Avalanche ahead has racked up 13 factors (six targets, seven assists) throughout that latest sizzling streak.
He ranks third within the league in targets behind solely Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid (60) and Boston Bruins standout David Pastrnak (48). Rantanen can also be tied with McDavid with 36 even-strength targets on the season.
With his forty seventh aim in a 5-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, Rantanen scored probably the most targets by an Avalanche participant for the reason that 2002-03 marketing campaign when Milan Hejduk netted 50 targets. In addition, Rantanen can also be only one aim from tying Teemu Selanne for probably the most targets (48) by a Finnish-born participant in NHL historical past.
If Rantanen can keep sizzling down the stretch, the Avalanche nonetheless have an opportunity to win the Central Division as they path the Dallas Stars by simply two factors for first place regardless of all of the adversity they’ve confronted.
Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov not too long ago made some very spectacular historical past. In Monday’s 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings, Barkov registered the 614th level (238 targets, 376 assists) of his NHL profession and in doing so, turned the Panthers all-time chief in factors.
Barkov positioned himself atop Florida’s all-time factors listing with an help towards Detroit. The veteran ahead handed former Panthers star Jonathan Huberdeau for the highest spot on the staff’s all-time listing.
While changing into the Panthers’ all-time factors chief is spectacular, it is simply the most recent in a string of sturdy performances for Barkov. He is at present on an eight-game level streak that started firstly of March. The Panthers star has registered a number of factors in 5 of these contests, together with 4 multi-point showings over his final 5 video games.
His lone level towards the Red Wings could not have come at a greater time as he ended up helping on the game-deciding aim.
Barkov at present ranks third on the staff in factors (63) and assists (45) whereas being fourth in targets (18). The versatile ahead will definitely go down as one of many prime gamers to ever put on a Panthers sweater and remains to be within the prime of his profession at simply 27.
Igor Shesterkin actually had a month of February to neglect. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner compiled a bleak 3.71 goals-against-average and only a .863 save share in seven begins.
However, the New York Rangers netminder has put these struggles behind him, and is taking part in a few of his greatest hockey of the 2022-23 season proper now
On Saturday, Shesterkin was terrific as he turned apart all 33 photographs that he confronted in a 6-0 Rangers win’ over the Pittsburgh Penguins. It marked his first shutout since a 1-0 Rangers’ time beyond regulation win towards the Philadelphia Flyers all the best way again on Nov. 1. Shesterkin has simply two shutouts to his credit score after recording six throughout his Vezina Trophy profitable marketing campaign a season in the past.
Shesterkin could not have registered back-to-back shutouts the following time he took the ice. However, the Rangers goalie nonetheless produced a strong outing on Tuesday in a 3-2 loss by the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Shesterkin stopped 36 of the 39 photographs that he got here into contact with. He was capable of preserve the Hurricanes’ dynamic offense off of the rating sheet for the opening two intervals of the competition.
In March, Shesterkin has amassed a 6-2-0 report to go together with a 2.22 and a .927 save share in eight begins. He’s solely yielded greater than three targets in considered one of his outings.
