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 record it will not be a great factor — it implies that they’re capturing a considerable amount of the hockey world’s consideration.

These gamers are in no explicit order in relation to the quantity of buzz that they are creating. We’ll revisit the Star Energy Index each week all through the common season.

Evgeni Malkin continues to carry out at an elite degree even within the latter stage of his NHL profession. Actually, the Pittsburgh Penguins star achieved a really important milestone in Wednesday’s 6-5 extra time win in opposition to the Buffalo Sabres.

Through the third interval of Wednesday’s contest, Malkin scored his five hundredth profession aim and was in a position to take action in dramatic trend. 

Malkin obtained the puck from Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and his preliminary shot was stopped by the pad of Sabres goaltender Ukko Pekka-Luukkonen. The Penguins ahead stayed with the play and regardless of falling down, nonetheless managed to deposit the rebound into the again of the online.

It was an evening of milestones as Crosby grew to become the tenth participant in NHL historical past to report 1,600 factors in his NHL profession. Sarcastically sufficient, Malkin assisted on Crosby’s game-winning extra time aim to raise the Penguins to victory.

Malkin joined Mario Lemieux (690) and Crosby (593) as simply the third participant in group historical past to tally 500 objectives. As well as, Malkin grew to become simply the eighth participant in NHL historical past that was born exterior of the USA or Canada to register 500 profession objectives.

Apart from the milestone, Malkin has been on hearth to start the 2024-25 season. The Penguins star has tallied 11 factors (two objectives & 9 assists) within the first 5 video games of the marketing campaign, and achieved much more historical past. Malkin grew to become the primary Penguins participant to rack up 11 factors within the group’s first 5 video games of a single season since Lemieux had 4 objectives and 7 assists within the first 5 video games of the 2002-03 season.

Coming into Friday, Malkin is tied for the NHL lead in factors with New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin.

After being held off the rating sheet within the season opener in opposition to the New York Rangers, Malkin has registered a number of factors in every of the final 4 contests. Malkin’s finest recreation was Wednesday’s efficiency in opposition to the Sabres during which he recorded 4 factors (one aim & three assists)

The Penguins are going to wish to rely upon their franchise cornerstones in Malkin and Crosby in the event that they need to make a playoff push this season. In consequence, it is an enormous deal to see Malkin getting off to such a sizzling begin.

Sam Reinhart was at all times a particularly productive participant throughout his time with the Buffalo Sabres at the start of his profession. Since arriving in South Florida, Reinhart has reworked into probably the most deadly aim scorers across the NHL.

The Florida Panthers star had a profession 12 months in 2023-24 during which he tallied 59 objectives and was rewarded with a eight-year, $69 million contract extension over the summer season. Reinhart has picked up proper the place he left off final season after he helped lead the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup in franchise historical past.

Coming into Friday, Reinhart is at the moment tied for third within the NHL in factors (9) with 4 objectives and 5 assists. The Panthers ahead has registered multi-point performances in three of Florida’s six video games to date.

Reinhart’s most spectacular displaying got here in a 4-3 win in opposition to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. The 28-year previous tallied a aim and two assists in that exact contest and it marked his first three-point efficiency of the younger 2024-25 season.

Reinhart scored his fourth aim of the season in well timed trend to assist lead the Panthers previous the Blue Jackets. 

With simply two seconds remaining within the second interval, Reinhart dumped the puck behind the online to teammate Carter Verhaeghe, and made his approach in the direction of the entrance of the online. Reinhart was in a position to sneak the puck previous Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins on a bang-bang aim when he acquired the puck again in entrance.

Reinhart continues to thrive as one of many Panthers prime aim scorers. Florida is certainly going to wish his scoring manufacturing over the subsequent handful of video games with out Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk within the lineup.

The Calgary Flames have appeared like one of many extra spectacular groups throughout the league within the opening two weeks of the 2024-25 season. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson has been a really huge a part of that success.

Andersson has turn out to be the chief of Calgary’s again finish and tallied factors in three of the group’s first 4 video games. The 27-year previous blue-liner’s finest efficiency up to now got here in a 4-1 win in opposition to the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday when he racked up a aim and a pair of assists.

Andersson displayed his super imaginative and prescient on the ice all through Sunday’s recreation.

The Flames defenseman carried the puck into the offensive zone and proceeded to weave his approach by means of the Oilers protection like he was Connor McDavid. Ultimately, Andersson was in a position to make his approach into the slot and ripped a shot previous Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner to provide the Flames a 2-1 lead on the time.

The veteran defenseman additionally offered secondary assists on objectives from forwards Anthony Mantha and Justin Kirkland within the third interval, which helped the Flames take a commanding benefit in opposition to the Oilers.

Coming into Friday, Andersson’s six factors are second behind solely Cale Makar (8) amongst NHL defensemen. Andersson has continued to turn into a really sturdy offensive-minded blue-liner in recent times, however seeing his imaginative and prescient on full show early within the season has been spectacular to look at.

It is protected to say that Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev has had a considerable amount of struggles out of the field this season.

In 4 begins to start out off the 12 months, Georgiev has tallied a 0-3-0 report to go together with a 5.79 goals-against-average and a .800 save proportion. The Avalanche netminder has been pulled in two of these begins and has yielded no less than 4 objectives in three of these contests.

Georgiev started the season on a bitter be aware as he surrendered 5 objectives in simply two intervals in opposition to the Vegas Golden Knights. He ended up not taking the ice for the ultimate interval in a recreation that the Avalanche ended up dropping 8-4.

The story remained the identical within the group’s subsequent recreation in opposition to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 12 when he surrendered three objectives in simply over a interval of motion. Georgiev was pulled simply 1:56 into the second interval after Blue Jackets ahead Adam Fantilli discovered the again of the online in what finally was a 6-4 loss.

Most lately, Georgiev let up 4 objectives in a 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. 

Georgiev’s tough begin has resulted within the Avalanche having a 0-4-0 report to start the common season. Actually, Colorado is one in all solely three winless groups throughout the league up thus far. 

Clearly, there’s nonetheless an extended season forward, and there is loads of time for Georgiev to proper the ship. Nonetheless, after tallying a 3.02 goals-against-average in 62 begins final season, it is somewhat regarding for an Avalanche group that’s anticipated to contend for a Stanley Cup in 2024-25.