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 an excellent factor — it implies that they’re capturing a considerable amount of the hockey world’s consideration.
These gamers are in no specific order in terms of the quantity of buzz that they are creating. We’ll revisit the Star Power Index each week all through the common season.
The Colorado Avalanche have been pressured to defend their Stanley Cup with out captain Gabriel Landeskog, who’s slated to be out till at the least January as a result of knee surgical procedure. Lucky for the Avalanche, the crew has loads of star playmakers that they’ll flip to once they want offensive manufacturing.
One of these has lately been star winger Mikko Rantanen.
Over the previous week, Rantanen has been completely on fireplace, as he is racked up 4 targets and 5 assists in simply his final three video games. The Finnish ahead has registered at the least two factors in every of these three contests, together with a four-point efficiency (one aim & three assists) towards the Carolina Hurricanes this previous Saturday.
In whole, Rantanen has registered seven targets and 7 assists in 5 video games this month, together with two multi-goal video games. His latest offensive surge has elevated him among the many league’s high level producers. The 26-year previous’s 25 factors ranks third within the NHL behind solely Connor McDavid (32) and Leon Draisaitl (28). In addition, Rantanen’s 11 targets are at present tied for fourth within the league.
Nearly a full calendar 12 months after being traded by the Buffalo Sabres, Jack Eichel exacted some revenge towards his former crew. In final Thursday’s 7-4 win over the Sabres, the Vegas Golden Knights star registered a 3 targets and an help towards his previous crew. Eichel scored all three of his three targets within the remaining interval.
The former Sabres star even made certain to taunt the group after he scored his first aim after getting booed throughout pregame warmups and each time he touched the puck all through the competition.
Eichel grew to become simply the fifth former Sabres participant to document a hat trick towards Buffalo as he joined Tyler Ennis (Jan. 25, 2022), Ray Sheppard (Nov. 26, 1996), Pierre Turgeon (Jan. 6, 1996) and Tony McKegney (Feb. 24, 1987). This was simply Eichel’s second sport towards his former crew since being traded to the Golden Knights final November.
Eichel’s triumphant efficiency towards his former crew was simply the most recent in a robust stretch for him. Over the previous 4 video games, Eichel has registered 5 targets and an help, together with at the least one aim in three of these 4 contests. In addition, the 2015 No. 2 choose is having fun with a sensational month during which he is racked up six targets and 4 assists.
Eichel has been a driving pressure for a Golden Knights crew that at present has the perfect document within the Western Conference.
The New Jersey Devils have simply been essentially the most thrilling story within the NHL this season. They are at present driving a 10-game profitable streak, which is the third-longest in franchise historical past.
One of the largest causes for the crew’s success has been the play of captain Nico Hischier.
Hischier might not have essentially the most gaudy numbers on the season (8 targets & 9 assists), however he is been very productive as of late. The 2017 No. 1 choose has tallied three targets and two assists over his final 4 video games, together with a two-goal efficiency in a 4-3 extra time win over the Ottawa Senators final Thursday.
Hischier additionally tipped residence the game-winning aim within the remaining minute of extra time off some extent shot from defenseman Dougie Hamilton. The total play was made doable after Hischier received the face-off towards Ottawa’s Tyler Motte.
The Devils middle has been extraordinarily reliable within the face-off circle all through the primary 16 video games of the 12 months, as he has received 190 face-offs (58.5 %), which is the seventh-most within the NHL. Hischier handled accidents early on in his NHL profession and did not develop fairly as rapidly as many anticipated him to. However, now the Devils top-line middle is de facto hitting his stride and showcasing why he was a high choose.
It’s been a tough latest stretch for the Calgary Flames with the crew shedding seven of their final 9 video games. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom has additionally been on the forefront of these struggles.
Markstrom, who was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy because the league’s finest goalie final season, has compiled a 3.06 goals-against-average and a .889 save share to this point this season. Both of these rank outdoors of the highest 30 amongst NHL goaltenders. Most lately, the Flames netminder surrendered 5 targets in a 6-5 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. In that contest, he solely stopped 24 of the 29 pictures that he confronted.
The 32-year previous has allowed two targets or fewer in solely 4 of his 12 begins on the 12 months up to now. It’s a far cry from a goalie that compiled a 37-15-0 document, 2.22 goals-against-average, and .922 save share throughout the 2021-22 marketing campaign. For a goalie with the pedigree of Markstrom, it is possible that this may not proceed all through the whole season, however it’s definitely regarding up to now.
