Welcome to the NHL Star Energy 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 very good 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 Energy Index each week all through the common season.

Taking part in on a line with Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman definitely has its benefits. The truth is, Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl has taken the NHL by storm as of late and leads the league in objectives (23) and is second in factors (50).

Draisaitl turned the NHL’s first participant to succeed in the 20-goal mark this season, and earned that distinction for the second time in his skilled profession. In doing so, the Oilers ahead joined the likes of Jaromir Jagr (4x), Steven Stamkos (3x), Alex Ovechkin (2x) and Auston Matthews (2x) as the one gamers to succeed in the 20-goal mark first on a number of events during the last 30 years.

It additionally marked the ninth consecutive season during which Draisaitl registered 20 objectives, which is the third-longest streak of 20-goal campaigns in Oilers historical past, behind solely Mark Messier (10) and Jari Kurri (10).

In Monday’s 6-5 loss towards the Florida Panthers, the Oilers standout ahead discovered the again of the web but once more. Throughout the second interval, the Oilers discovered themselves on the power-play, which is a big benefit contemplating that the workforce is changing 22.8% of their power-play alternatives. 

With the puck within the offensive zone, McDavid handed over to Draisaitl, who was occupying his workplace within the face-off circle. Draisaitl did not just like the taking pictures lane, so he handed it again to McDavid earlier than getting the puck again simply seconds later. The Oilers ahead definitely did not miss as he ripped a one-timer that simply previous the glove of Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

Draisaitl’s power-play purpose gave the Oilers a 4-2 lead on the time, however they could not maintain on.

On Thursday, Draisaitl prolonged his level streak to seven consecutive video games with a three-assist efficiency in a 3-2 extra time win towards the Boston Bruins. Within the course of, Draisaitl reached the 900-point mark in his profession and have become the fourth-fastest lively participant to attain that feat in simply 751 video games.

Draisaitl has confirmed to be a goal-scoring machine and might be poised for a season for the ages. The Oilers star is on tempo for 59 objectives on the season, which might surpass his earlier career-high of 55 that he recorded in the course of the 2021-22 marketing campaign.

Brayden Level has been one of many NHL’s high purpose scorers during the last 5 seasons. With that in thoughts, it ought to come as no shock that the Tampa Bay Lightning ahead has been placing the puck within the web at a really excessive clip recently.

Level is presently on a seven-game level streak during which he is racked up 5 objectives and 12 assists. The truth is, previous to Thursday’s 3-1 win towards the St. Louis Blues, Level had registered a three-game purpose streak. He did not rating however nonetheless managed to have an effect on the end result of the competition.

On the 3:25 mark of the second interval, Level helped arrange one of many Lightning’s three objectives. Level introduced the puck into the offensive zone and surveyed the panorama earlier than uncorking a cross-ice move to teammate Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov then obtained the puck to a chopping Nick Perbix for one of many simpler objectives {that a} participant can have.

Whereas Level has had a knack for scoring objectives in latest weeks, he was in a position to tally an help for the fifth time over his final seven video games.

Level has established himself as one of many league’s extra dynamic playmakers, and generally will get overshadowed enjoying with Kucherov and now Jake Guentzel. The truth is, Level has registered 181 objectives over the previous 5 years, which is ninth in the entire NHL.

Level is among the largest causes that the Lightning have presently entrenched themselves as the highest Wild Card workforce within the Jap Convention.

The Vegas Golden Knights roster building has resulted in an abundance of offensive depth. Regardless of the entire firepower that the Golden Knights possess, one of many workforce’s most constant offensive producers has come from defenseman Shea Theodore.

Theodore presently ranks third on the workforce in factors (27), whereas being second on the Golden Knights in assists (23). The veteran defenseman has tallied multi-point performances in 4 of his final six video games.

Theodore just lately recorded a purpose and an help in a 3-2 win towards the Minnesota Wild.

On the 6:04 mark of the second interval, Theodore discovered the again of the web on the frenzy. Captain Mark Stone intercepted a move within the defensive zone, and dished the puck forward to teammate Jack Eichel. Upon surveying the state of affairs, Eichel dished it off to Theodore for a snap shot purpose after Theodore had joined the frenzy on the play.

Theodore additionally assisted on a Victor Olofsson power-play purpose within the opening interval, which was the third time within the final 4 video games that Theodore supplied an help.

Theodore has tallied three objectives and 6 assists in his final six video games, and has registered some extent in 5 of these six contests. The Golden Knights defenseman has glorious imaginative and prescient on the ice, and managed to be an amazing facilitator for Vegas through the years.

The Ottawa Senators had been in determined want of a franchise goaltender, and tried to fill that void within the type of Linus Ullmark in an offseason commerce with the Boston Bruins. Two months into his tenure, Ullmark seems simply as marketed.

Ullmark has been one of many hottest goaltenders throughout the NHL in latest weeks as he is presently recorded a seven-game successful streak since Dec. 5. The veteran netminder’s present run is the third-longest in franchise historical past with Andrew Hammond holding the file with at 9 (2015). 

Most just lately, Ullmark stopped 29 of the 31 photographs that he confronted in a 3-2 extra time win towards the Calgary Flames on Thursday. Ullmark has now allowed two or fewer objectives in every of his final seven video games and owns a 1.00 goals-against-average over that span.

In Thursday’s win vs. the Flames, he really did all of it, together with aiding on Brady Tkachuk’s game-winning purpose in extra time. Lower than a minute into the additional body, Ullmark was in a position to flip apart a shot from Jonathan Huberdeau. Proper after making that save to maintain the sport going, Ullmark instantly despatched the puck forward to Tim Stutzle, and Tkachuk in the end ended up scoring a rebound purpose to elevate Ottawa to victory.

Ullmark is enjoying a number of the finest hockey of his profession, which could be very spectacular contemplating that he has a Vezina Trophy to his credit score. Because of his stellar play, the Senators are in playoff rivalry because the season strikes alongside, and it is clear that Ullmark might have been the lacking hyperlink to ending their latest struggles.