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 checklist it is probably not a superb factor — it signifies that they’re capturing a considerable amount of the hockey world’s consideration.
These gamers are in no specific order with regards to the quantity of buzz that they are creating. We’ll revisit the Star Power Index each week all through the common season.
Despite being the No. 3 choose within the 2020 NHL Draft, Tim Stutzle is growing into the most important star of that class.
After delivering a 58-point season (22 targets & 36 assists) final yr, the Ottawa Senators star is enjoying a number of the greatest hockey of his brief profession in current weeks. Stutzle has registered 5 targets and two assists over his final 5 video games.
Due to his current scoring outburst, Stutzle is now tied for the workforce lead in targets (15) with veteran winger Claude Giroux. The German native is one among six Ottawa gamers which have tallied at the very least 10 targets all through the 2022-23 season up to now.
Stutzle’s most spectacular effort was a two-goal efficiency towards the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday. What made that displaying much more particular was the truth that Stutzle was in a position to rating on every of his two shots-on-goal.
In Tuesday’s 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, Stutzle discovered the again of the online as soon as once more.
Stutzle has positively been extra aggressive this season, which is why a profession season is effectively inside attain. The Senators winger is at present on tempo to register 84 factors (36 targets & 48 assists). That would obliterate his earlier career-high of 58 factors from final season. If Stutzle continues to be a big-time producer, there is not any doubt that Ottawa has the potential to be a playoff workforce this season.
It’s been a tricky week for the Buffalo sports activities group. On Monday evening, Buffalo Bills security Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest after tackling Cincinnati Bengals broad receiver Tee Higgins. Hamlin stays in vital situation at a Cincinnati hospital.
On Tuesday, Buffalo’s different skilled sports activities workforce — the Sabres — discovered themselves in a dogfight towards the Washington Capitals. In a 5-4 additional time win, Sabres star Tage Thompson offered fairly an inspiring efficiency when town of Buffalo wanted one thing to carry their spirits.
Thompson ended up tallying three targets, with the third coming precisely three minutes into the additional time interval on Jan. 3. The three targets additionally introduced Thompson’s season complete to 30.
Thompson’s four-point efficiency put him at 55 factors for the 2022-23 season, which is third behind solely Edmonton Oilers stars Connor McDavid (73) and Leon Draisaitl (58). Thompson has registered targets in six of his final eight video games, together with a stretch wherein he scored targets in 4 consecutive contests.
The New Jersey Devils possess a big quantity of younger offensive firepower, however Dougie Hamilton has not too long ago been showcasing his potential to an offensive asset as effectively.
The veteran defenseman has logged 5 factors (two targets and three assists) over his final three video games. Hamilton at present has 33 factors, which is fourth on the workforce behind solely Jack Hughes (44), Jesper Bratt (38) and Nico Hischier (36).
Hamilton has all the time been an offensive-minded defenseman that’s able to logging big-time minutes for an NHL franchise. The 29-year-old star has additionally proved to be an asset on the power-play all through his profession, as he is registered three targets and 13 assists as a member of the workforce’s prime power-play unit this season.
Most not too long ago, Hamilton tallied a purpose and an help in a 5-1 win towards the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. Both of his factors got here when the Devils have been on the man-advantage.
Hamilton continues to log big-time minutes for a defensive unit that yearns for his management. If he begins scoring at a extra constant price, that is simply one other feather within the cap for a workforce that already averages 3.39 goals-per-game
Few goaltenders have been extra spectacular than Connor Hellebuyck this season. The Winnipeg Jets netminder at present ranks second in wins (19), second in save proportion (.928) and fifth in goals-against-average (2.31) amongst NHL netminders. Hellebuyck is also one among simply 5 goalies within the league to register three shutouts all through the 2022-23 season.
Since permitting 9 targets over a two-goal stretch in mid-December, Hellebuyck has actually thrived. In seven video games since, the 29-year outdated keeper has recorded a 5-2-0 document to go together with a 1.86 goals-against-average and a .936 save proportion.
Hellebuyck has allowed two or fewer targets in 5 of these seven contests, together with three video games the place he yielded only one purpose. Most not too long ago, the Jets netminder stopped 33 of the 35 photographs that he confronted in a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.
Considering the beginning that he is needed to the season, Hellebuyck definitely is within the Vezina Trophy dialog because the NHL’s greatest goaltender. It additionally would not damage his probabilities that the Jets at present sit in second place within the Central Division simply three factors behind the division-leading Dallas Stars.
