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 is probably not factor — it signifies that they’re capturing a considerable amount of the hockey world’s consideration.

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

It was a tough begin to the 2023-24 season for Alex Ovechkin, however the Washington Capitals star has utterly turned this marketing campaign round following the All-Star break.

Ovechkin has tallied seven targets and an help over his final 5 video games, together with three two-goal performances in that stretch. The Capitals winger is already having the very best month of his season with 15 factors (10 targets & 5 assists) in 13 video games in March.

Ovechkin can also be one of many largest causes that the Capitals are making a push towards a possible playoff berth. On Sunday, the Capitals shut out the Winnipeg Jets 3-0, and Ovechkin led the cost with a pair of targets in that contest.

In doing so, Ovechkin grew to become the third participant in NHL historical past to report 18 25-goal seasons as he joined Gordie Howe (20) and Jaromir Jagr (18). He additionally grew to become the fourth-oldest participant in league historical past to report a five-game objective streak together with Brett Hull (39 years outdated in 2003-04), Johnny Bucyk (39 years outdated in 1974-75), and Joe Pavelski (38 years outdated in 2022-23).

In the course of the third interval of Sunday’s sport, defenseman John Carlson bought the scoring began with a power-play objective to provide the Capitals a 1-0 lead. Simply over two minutes later, teammate Connor McMichael tried to win the face-off, and the puck stayed put proper within the face-off circle. Ovechkin then ripped a shot that simply squeaked previous goaltender Connor Hellebuyck for a objective.

Later within the interval, the Capitals had been capable of put the Jets away. T.J. Oshie introduced the puck into the offensive zone earlier than dropping it off to teammate Dylan Strome. Upon receiving the puck close to the blue line, Strome fired a pinpoint go over to Ovechkin, who was capable of convert a backhanded objective in on their lonesome on Hellebuyck.

Ovechkin has confirmed to be a goal-scoring machine as of late, which has been big for a Capitals group that’s making an attempt to make a playoff push. 

The Capitals star sits simply 46 targets behind Wayne Gretzky for the NHL’s all-time targets report. Contemplating the recent streak that he is on, that report could possibly be attainable subsequent season for Ovechkin if he scores a handful of targets over the season’s closing month.

Auston Matthews has definitely had no drawback placing the puck within the internet this season, and that reality does not appear to be it is altering anytime quickly.

The Toronto Maple Leafs star has tallied 4 targets and 5 assists in his final 4 video games. What could be much more mind-boggling is the truth that Matthews is averaging 6.25 pictures per contest, together with placing the puck on internet a staggering 9 occasions in Tuesday’s 6-3 loss towards the New Jersey Devils.

Matthews recorded a objective on Tuesday, and it marked the fourth time within the final seven video games that the Maple Leafs middle has discovered the again of the web.

Throughout Tuesday’s sport, the Maple Leafs discovered themselves knotted at 2-2 with the Devils within the second interval. That is when Matthews made his impression on the competition.

On the 4:51 mark of the second interval, Maple Leafs defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin fired the puck from his personal zone to Matthews, who was already down within the offensive zone. Matthews was capable of corral the puck, outmuscle Devils defenseman Simon Nemec, and despatched a sweeping shot previous goaltender Jake Allen to provide the Maple Leafs a 3-2 lead.

Matthews at the moment has 59 targets on the season and is on tempo to attain one other 10 earlier than the postseason. The Maple Leafs star can have topped the 60-goal mark for the second time in three seasons if he will get only one extra.

The Maple Leafs is the league’s chief in targets by a commanding margin as he holds an eight-goal benefit over Florida Panthers star Sam Reinhart for the distinction. 

The Nashville Predators are arguably the NHL’s hottest group with a 16-0-2 report over their final 18 video games. One of many major causes for that elevated degree of success has been due to star defenseman Roman Josi.

Josi has registered 4 targets and 4 assists over his final 5 video games. As well as, the Predators veteran defenseman is at the moment on a six-game level streak.

In Tuesday’s 5-4 additional time win towards the Vegas Golden Knights, Josi confirmed simply how clutch he could be.

The Golden Knights possessed a commanding 4-1 lead coming into the third interval, and the Predators had been going through an uphill climb. Nonetheless, Ryan O’Reilly, Filip Forsberg, and Gustav Nyquist scored targets to tie the sport, and in the end pressure additional time.

Simply 40 seconds into the additional time interval, the Predators deployed a spectacular three-man sport with terrific puck motion. Ahead Filip Forsberg handed the puck off to teammate Ryan O’Reilly, who then dropped it off to Josi close to the blue line. Josi then stick-handled his method in the direction of the Golden Knights internet, and was capable of get in deep and tuck the puck previous goaltender Jiri Patera to provide the Predators an exhilarating victory.

Josi is commonly identified for being a stabilizing pressure on the blue line, however he has additionally continued to be an offensive weapon in latest seasons. The Predators defenseman is simply 4 targets from tying his career-high in targets (23) that he set through the 2021-22 season.

Because the Predators make their method towards a playoff berth, having Josi enjoying at an elite degree offensively is a sensation sight to see.

Whereas Jake Guentzel was a giant addition to the Carolina Hurricanes roster, he is probably not an important piece that lately returned to the ice.

Goaltender Frederik Andersen had been out of the lineup since November on account of a blood clot situation. Andersen made his method again to the ice earlier this month and has been distinctive ever since.

In his six video games since returning, Andersen has tallied a 6-0-0 report to go together with a 1.34 goals-against-average and a .951 save share. Andersen has surrendered two targets or much less in every of these video games and even registered a shutout throughout that stretch.

In his most up-to-date outing, Andersen stopped 32 of the 33 pictures that he confronted in a 2-1 win towards the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Andersen offers Carolina a stabilizing presence within the crease with the Stanley Cup Playoffs proper across the nook. Having a strong one-two punch with Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov could possibly be extraordinarily helpful come playoff time.