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 might not be a superb factor — it implies 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.
The Carolina Hurricanes are one of many hottest groups, as they’re driving a six-game profitable streak heading into the All-Star break. Star ahead Sebastian Aho is arguably the highest motive for the workforce’s current surge.
Aho is on a five-game aim streak and has scored a number of objectives on two events throughout that stretch. Since Jan. 12, Aho has recorded an NHL-leading 9 aim in addition to two game-winning objectives. The Hurricanes heart lately stored his aim streak alive in heroic vogue, as he scored the game-winning aim in additional time to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 5-4 on Tuesday.
It was Aho’s fifth game-winning of the 2022-23 season and second over the previous 5 video games.
Aho simply wrapped up by far his greatest month of the season with 11 objectives and 6 assists in January. His eight objectives over the previous 5 video games have been nothing in need of sensational.
Obviously, Carolina was dealt a brutal blow earlier this month when star ahead Max Pacioretty was misplaced for the season with one other Achilles damage. But even with the stroke of unhealthy luck, the Hurricanes nonetheless look to be one of many prime groups within the Eastern Conference.
When the Ottawa Senators signed Claude Giroux this previous offseason, he was anticipated to be a veteran voice within the locker room and assist vault a struggling franchise to the subsequent degree. It’s working, because the Senators sit simply six factors out of a Wild Card spot within the Eastern Conference.
However, the veteran winger seems to have discovered the fountain of youth and is producing at a exceptional degree.
Giroux is at the moment on a four-game aim streak and the Senators star has registered 5 objectives and three assists over the workforce’s final 4 video games — which have all landed them within the win column. His most spectacular efficiency got here in Saturday’s 5-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens during which he scored a pair of objectives and added an help.
Entering the All-Star break, Giroux at the moment has 48 factors (20 objectives & 28 assists) on the season. He’s on tempo for 79 factors (33 objectives & 46 assists) and if he had been to attain these numbers, it will be his highest output for the reason that 2018-19 season.
The Seattle Kraken hit the lottery after they had been capable of snag Vince Dunn within the growth draft in 2021. Dunn has developed right into a top-four defenseman and actually helped anchor Seattle’s blue line.
Dunn at the moment ranks twelfth in factors amongst NHL defensemen (36), however is coming off a month during which he led all NHL defensemen with 17 factors. He additionally was tied for the league lead amongst all skaters with a +18 score, which helped vault the Kraken to first place within the Pacific Division because of a 11-3-1 document in January.
Dunn has almost doubled his scoring numbers from his first 34 video games of the 2022-23 season. During these first 34 video games, the 26-year outdated registered 19 factors (4 objectives & 15 assists), however was capable of recorded factors in 11 of his 15 video games since that time.
Dunn’s 36 factors have already matched his career-high, which beforehand got here through the 2018-19 marketing campaign when he had 35 factors with the St. Louis Blues in 73 video games. Over the previous week, Dunn has registered a pair of assists. Both of these helpers got here in a 6-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks final Wednesday. His elite presence on Seattle’s blue line has been a real distinction maker for the workforce this season. If the Kraken find yourself within the postseason, his prowess on each ends of the ice shall be much more paramount.
After being within the shadow of Henrik Lundqvist and Igor Shesterkin, Alexandar Georgiev is lastly getting an opportunity to showcase his abilities. When the defending champion Colorado Avalanche let Darcy Kuemper stroll in free company, they acquired Georgiev in a commerce. He has since taken benefit of being the workforce’s main keeper, one thing he by no means received to do in New York.
Georgiev at the moment ranks eighth in wins (20), twelfth in goals-against-average (2.60), and is tied for seventh in save share (.920) amongst NHL goalies. He has a pair of shutouts to his credit score. Over his final 4 video games, the 26-year outdated has a 4-0-0 document to associate with a 1.50 goals-against-average and a .954 save share.
The Avalanche netminder has stopped 125 of the 131 pictures that he is confronted over that stretch and has allowed two objectives or fewer in all 4 of these begins. In eight begins in January, Georgiev posted a 2.39 goals-against-average and solely allowed greater than three objectives on one event.
Georgiev continues to benefit from his alternative as a number-one goaltender. If the Avalanche need to defend their Stanley Cup from a season in the past, he’ll be an enormous a part of any success that the workforce has when the postseason rolls round.
