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 checklist 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 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.
San Jose Sharks ahead Macklin Celebrini has put collectively a powerful rookie marketing campaign, however the rookie had probably the most spectacular efficiency of the season this week when he recorded his first hat trick in a 8-7 additional time loss towards the Minnesota Wild.
Celebrini scored 3 times and added two assists within the high-scoring affair. The Sharks star turned the primary 18-year-old in franchise historical past to perform the feat and the NHL’s third over the previous eight seasons as he joined Anaheim Geese ahead Leo Carlsson and Columbus Blue Jackets middle Cole Sillinger.
This marked the fourth multi-goal efficiency for Celebrini throughout his rookie season.
Celebrini began issues off on the 7:29 mark of the opening interval when he was the beneficiary of some great puck motion. Fellow rookie ahead Will Smith was in a position to slide the puck out to the blue line to defenseman Jack Thompson. Thompson was then in a position to get the puck in direction of the slot the place Celebrini was ready. Celebrini rapidly corralled it and swept it previous Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.
Halfway by the third interval, Smith was in a position to race down the ice and provide you with a free puck. After circling behind the online, Smith discovered Celebrini reducing in direction of the aim, and Celebrini was in a position to roof a shot {that a} sprawling Fleury wasn’t in a position to slide throughout to cease for his third of the sport.
Celebrini had considerably of a sluggish begin to his rookie marketing campaign, however he has actually picked up his degree of play over the past two months. The Sharks rookie has tallied six targets and 14 assists for the reason that starting of March.
He trails Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson by simply two factors for the rookie factors lead. Regardless of lacking time early within the season, Celebrini nonetheless has been one of the crucial spectacular rookies this 12 months.
It could be a down season for the Boston Bruins, however that hasn’t stopped star winger David Pastrnak from placing on an offensive clinic.
In Tuesday’s 7-2 win towards the New Jersey Devils, Pastrnak registered a aim and two assists to achieve the 100-point mark for the third consecutive season. Pastrnak truly turned the primary Czech-born participant in NHL historical past to perform that feat.
Earlier within the week, Pastrnak made much more historical past as he recorded his first profession pure hat trick in a 5-1 win towards the Carolina Hurricanes. The Bruins star factored in on all 5 tallies for the group in that one with a pair of assists besides. It additionally clinched his fourth straight season of at the very least 40 targets and fifth total in his profession to match Rick Middleton (5) for the second-most in group historical past.
In Saturday’s sport towards the Hurricanes, Pastrnak actually made his mark over the ultimate half-hour of the competition.
Halfway by the second interval, Pastrnak supplied a aim from an not possible angle. Bruins ahead Elias Lindholm was in a position to flip the puck in entrance of the online earlier than Pastrnak was holding courtroom. Pastrnak ended up kicking the puck to himself, and as soon as he bought management, he fired a side-angle shot previous Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen for the aim.
On the 15:18 mark of the competition, the Bruins star showcased his spectacular stick-handling abilities. Teammate Morgan Geekie introduced the puck into the Hurricanes zone, surveyed panorama, and located Pastrnak wide-open within the face-off circle. Pastrnak then was in a position to skate in on Andersen and deke his technique to a aim.
Pastrnak is having every week for the ages as he is tallied 5 targets and eight assists in his final 4 video games. Relationship again even additional, the Bruins winger has scored seven targets in his final six contests, and clearly is not slowing down regardless of Boston lacking the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season.
Since breaking into the NHL again in 2022, Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson has made important strides in every of his three seasons. Because the common season winds down, Sanderson is having the perfect season of his skilled profession from an offensive standpoint.
Sanderson has tallied 54 factors and his 43 assists rank second on the group behind solely ahead Tim Stutzle (51).
The Senators blue-liner has logged three targets and two assists throughout his final 5 video games, and registered a degree in 4 of these contests. Sanderson recorded a aim and an help in a 3-0 win towards the Florida Panthers this previous Saturday.
On the 11:21 mark of the primary interval towards Florida, Sanderson discovered himself on the proper place on the proper place. After teammate Shane Pinto scooped the puck up behind the Panthers internet, Sanderson was positioned within the face-off circle and Pinto slid over an ideal cross for a scorching aim through a one-timer.
Sanderson additionally added a secondary help on a Drake Batherson power-play aim simply three minutes later to increase Ottawa’s benefit to 2-0.
Sanderson has been an enormous a part of Ottawa’s success this season because the franchise will likely be enjoying postseason hockey for the primary time for the reason that 2016-17 marketing campaign. He gives a stabilizing presence on the again finish, whereas possessing the offensive skillset that provides the Senators an added increase.
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill has been a continuing supply of stability within the crease since he was acquired by the group throughout its Stanley Cup-winning season in 2022-23. Lastly getting his probability as a franchise netminder, Hill continues to excel for a group that wishes to return to glory.
Hill has tallied a 31-13-5 document along with a 2.46 goals-against-average and a .908 save proportion this season. Over his final two begins, the veteran goalie has produced back-to-back victories to go together with a 1.50 goals-against-average and a .935 save proportion.
Most lately, Hill turned apart 24 of the 25 photographs that he confronted in a 2-1 win towards the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. He ended up stopping 11 photographs within the third interval to maintain the Kraken from tying the sport.
Hill has additionally allowed one aim or much less in 4 of his final 9 outings, and has been a pressure down the stretch.
The Golden Knights are on the verge of clinching the highest playoff spot within the Pacific Division with only a few video games remaining within the common season. As soon as the Stanley Cup Playoffs roll round, Hill will likely be closely counted on to maintain a number of the Western Convention’s elite groups off the scoreboard because the group makes an attempt to make one other Stanley Cup run.