Welcome to the NHL Star Power Index: A weekly gauge of the players who are controlling substantial buzz around the league. When a player is included on this list it may not be a good thing — it means that they are capturing a large amount of the hockey world’s attention.
These players are in no particular order when it comes to the amount of buzz that they’re creating. We’ll revisit the Star Power Index every week throughout the regular season.
The Boston Bruins are currently on the outside looking in on a potential playoff berth, but David Pastrnak is single-handedly keeping the team within striking distance.
Pastrnak is currently embarking on a 12-game point streak in which he’s tallied 11 goals and 14 assists over that span. His point streak is tied for the 11th-longest point streak in franchise history.
The Bruins star forward has also racked up eight points (four goals & four assists) over his last five games. In Boston’s 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Wednesday, Pastrnak was able to extend his impressive point streak to 12 games with a goal.
At the 15:03 mark of the second period, Bruins forward Pavel Zacha was maneuvering the puck when he found Pastrnak waiting for the puck in the face-off circle. Pastrnak quickly uncorked a one-timer that was blocked, but the puck came right back to Pastrnak. The Bruins star then ripped a snap shot past Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who was being screened on the play.
Prior to Wednesday’s one-goal performance, the Bruins star also compiled a hat trick in a 6-3 win against the Rangers on Saturday.
With under three minutes remaining in the second period, Pastrnak got on the board for the first time off an assist from teammate Matthew Poitras. Poitras was able to gain control of the puck behind the net and fed Pastrnak, who was cutting in front of the net. Pastrnak easily deposited the puck over the glove of Shesterkin.
Pastrnak finished off the hat trick performance with an empty-net tally late in Saturday’s contest.
During Pastrnak’s sensational point streak, he’s registered at least a goal in eight of those contests, including four in his last three games. Pastrnak had just 13 goals in the first three months of the season, but has exploded for 15 goals since the start of 2025.
While the Bruins may not be the elite team that they have been in previous seasons, Pastrnak is putting together quite an impressive campaign. He’s currently tied for sixth in the league in points (67), and could vault himself into the Hart Trophy conversation if his hot streak continues.
After somewhat of a down year in 2023-24, Buffalo Sabres star Tage Thompson has bounce back in a big way this season.
Thompson has compiled four goals and four assists in his last three games alone. Within that span, the Sabres standout tallied a three-point performance (one goal & two assists) in a 4-3 win against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.
Thompson didn’t waste any time getting onto the score sheet in Sunday’s contest. Just 8:11 into the game, Sabres defenseman Owen Power brought the puck in from the neutral zone and let go a powerful shot that Devils goaltender Jake Allen was able to stop. However, Allen allowed a very juicy rebound that Thompson was able to pounce on in the slot, and snap it into the back of the net for the game’s first goal.
Just over seven minutes later, Thompson impacted the game yet again when he earned the primary assist on forward JJ Peterka’s goal to give the Sabres a 2-0 advantage.
The Sabres star has also racked up seven goals in his last seven games, but is currently on the injured list due to a concussion that he suffered in Sunday’s game.
Thompson is currently on pace for 84 points (45 goals & 39 assists) this season, which would be the second-highest output of his eight-year NHL career.
The Sabres are currently on a four-game winning streak as they get set to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. If Thompson is able to suit up, he’ll have a chance to extend his point streak to four straight games.
In just three short seasons, Jake Sanderson has developed into one of the more talented defensemen that the NHL has to offer. As the regular season moves along, the Ottawa Senators blue-liner continues to thrive on both ends of the ice.
Sanderson registered an assist in Tuesday’s 4-3 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and extended his point streak to five consecutive games. Prior to Tuesday’s contest, Sanderson had a three-game goal streak, which tied a franchise record for a defenseman.
Sanderson also became just the fifth defenseman this season to tally at least a three-game goal streak as he joined the likes of Shayne Gostisbehere (4), Colton Parayko (3), Brandon Montour (3), and Rasmus Dahlin (3).
The Senators blue-liner was able to score a goal in his third consecutive contest in a 5-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Monday.
At the 13:04 mark of the second period, Senators forward Matthew Highmore was able to shovel the puck back to Sanderson at the point. Sanderson displayed incredible patience as he straddled along the blue line, and was able to send a cannon of a shot that got past Predators goaltender Juuse Saros.
Sanderson is in the midst of having a career season as he currently is on pace for 54 points. That would far surpass his previous career-best season of 38 points (10 goals & 28 assists), which he recorded during the 2023-24 campaign.
Since tallying a 3.45 goals-against-average in December, Ilya Sorokin has really hit his stride and provided a steady presence in the New York Islanders crease.
Sorokin has tallied a 3-0-0 record to go along with a 1.00 goals-against-average and a .966 save percentage over his last three games. In fact, the Islanders netminder hasn’t landed in the loss column since Jan. 16 against the Philadelphia Flyers and has now been victorious in seven consecutive outings.
Most recently, Sorokin turned aside 33 of the 34 shots that he faced in a 2-1 win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. The Islanders goaltender stopped 13 of the 14 shots that the Golden Knights peppered him with in the third period and didn’t allow his lone goal until 47:40 into the contest.
Sorokin has also tallied at least 30 saves in three of his last four starts.
The veteran goaltender struggled last season with a career-worst 3.01 goals-against-average and a .909 save percentage. However, despite the Islanders have their share of up-and-downs this season, Sorokin has been the one constant over the last two months, and has the team within earshot of the playoff race.
Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak continued his impressive point streak with another strong performance, while Buffalo Sabres winger Tage Thompson had a breakout game with multiple goals. Both players have been making waves in the NHL and are proving to be key contributors for their respective teams.
Pastrnak, who is known for his scoring prowess, extended his point streak to seven games with an assist in the Bruins’ recent victory over the New York Islanders. The 25-year-old Czech forward has been on fire this season, leading the team in goals and points. His offensive skills and playmaking ability have made him one of the top players in the league and a key player for the Bruins.
On the other hand, Thompson had a standout game for the Sabres, scoring two goals in their win over the New Jersey Devils. The 24-year-old American forward has been showing flashes of his potential this season, and his performance against the Devils was a testament to his scoring ability. Thompson’s strong play has been a bright spot for the struggling Sabres, who are looking to build a competitive team around their young core of players.
Both Pastrnak and Thompson have been instrumental in their teams’ success this season, and their performances have earned them a spot in the NHL Star Power Index. These two players are among the top performers in the league right now and are worth keeping an eye on as the season progresses.
In conclusion, David Pastrnak and Tage Thompson have been making headlines with their impressive performances in recent games. Both players have been key contributors for their teams and are proving to be top talents in the NHL. As they continue to shine on the ice, fans can expect to see more great things from these rising stars in the future.
