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.
Alex Ovechkin is getting closer to becoming one of the all-time greats in NHL history.
Ovechkin is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record, and looks primed to top that mark before the regular season comes to a close. The Washington Capitals star is now just 12 goals from breaking Gretzky’s career goals record of 894 goals after having an impressive return to the ice following the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off break.
The 39-year old has tallied four goals in four games with three of them coming in a hat trick performance against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday.
At the midway point of the second period, Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas had possession of the puck in the neutral zone before passing it off to teammate Dylan Strome. After entering the Oilers zone with the puck, Strome dropped off a pass for Ovechkin, and the Capitals star did the rest. With the puck on his stick, Ovechkin was able to snap a shot into the back of the net from right in the slot.
At the 18:39 mark of the second period, Ovechkin was able to work his magic yet again. With the Capitals on the power-play, defenseman Jakob Chychrun had the puck near the point when he spotted Ovechkin in the face-off circle. Chychrun slid the puck over to Ovechkin, who deposited a one-timer into the net for his second goal of the game.
Ovechkin added an empty-net goal late in the third period to clinch the hat trick.
The Capitals star also scored a goal in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss against the Calgary Flames. In doing so, he tallied with the 19th 30-goal season of his NHL career, which is a league record.
With 23 games still remaining on Washington’s regular-season schedule, Ovechkin certainly should be able to surpass Gretzky’s record as long as he stays healthy. After all, Ovechkin has racked up at least a goal in six of his last eight games dating back to late January.
Winnipeg Jets star Mark Scheifele has put himself among the top names in franchise history.
Scheifele provided the game-winning goal in Monday’s 2-1 overtime win against the San Jose Sharks. In doing so, he was able to set the franchise goals record in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers history with 329.
The Jets star was able to pass former Thrashers standout Ilya Kovalchuk to reach the mark. If that weren’t impressive enough, Scheifele was able to achieve the feat in dramatic fashion.
After Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey had tied the game in the final minute of regulation, it was Scheifele’s turn to put his stamp on the game. Just 1:33 into the overtime period, Scheifele dropped off a pass for teammate Nikolaj Ehlers, who uncorked a snap shot that Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek was able to turn aside. However, Scheifele pounced on the rebound and was able to shovel a backhander into the net to win the game.
It also marked the 16th career overtime goal for Scheifele, which is tied for the eighth-most in league history.
Scheifele also tallied a goal in Wednesday’s 4-1 win against the Ottawa Senators, and has racked up two goals and an assist since the NHL’s return to play.
Entering Friday, Scheifele now has 33 goals on the season and is tied with Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander for second in the league in goals. Scheifele only trails Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (41) for the NHL lead in that department.
Montreal Canadiens Lane Hutson has picked up right where he left off following the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
Hutson picked up his 40th assist of the season in a 4-3 overtime win against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. In doing so, Hutson became just the third rookie in franchise history to record 40 assists in a single season and the first since Chris Chelios (55 assists in 1984-85).
The Canadiens blue-liner also took the second-fewest games to reach the mark since Detroit Red Wings legend Nicklas Lidstrom accomplished the feat in 56 games during the 1991-92 campaign.
In the final minute of the opening period in Thursday’s game, Hutson possessed the puck at the blue line and was able to show off his tremendous ice vision. Hutson spotted forward Nick Suzuki open in the face-off circle, and Suzuki quickly let go of a turnaround shot that got past Sharks goaltender Alexandar Georgiev for the top shelf goal.
Hutson has now recorded at least a point in all three games following the break. He also found the back of the net in a 4-0 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.
The Canadiens have seemed to strike gold with their second-round selection of Hutson in the 2022 NHL Draft. Hutson is currently on pace for 61 points in his rookie season, which would put him second in team history behind Chelios for the most points by a rookie defenseman.
Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has provided a very stabilizing presence in between the pipes for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The two-time Stanley Cup champion has logged a 28-15-3 record to go along with a 2.26 goals-against-average and a .923 save percentage on the season. Vasilevskiy has also put together a 3-0-0 record, a 0.67 goals-against-average, and a staggering .977 save percentage over his last three games.
Vasilevskiy has surrendered just a grand total of two goals during that span, including registering a 3-0 shutout win against the Calgary Flames on Thursday. In that particular game, Vasilevskiy stopped all 27 shots that he faced.
The Lightning find themselves in third place in the Atlantic Division playoff race, but are currently only three points out of the top spot in the division. If Vasilevskiy continues to be a brick wall in the crease, Tampa Bay certainly has a chance to make a run at winning the Atlantic Division at the conclusion of the regular season.
As the NHL season continues to unfold, two of the league’s biggest stars are making headlines for their impressive performances on the ice. Alex Ovechkin, the dynamic forward for the Washington Capitals, is closing in on the all-time goals record, while Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets has achieved a historic milestone in the NHL Star Power Index.
Ovechkin, known for his scoring prowess and powerful shot, has been a dominant force in the NHL for over a decade. With each goal he scores, he inches closer to surpassing the legendary Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record of 894. Ovechkin’s relentless pursuit of this milestone has captivated hockey fans around the world, as they eagerly await to see if he can etch his name in the history books as the greatest goal scorer of all time.
Meanwhile, Mark Scheifele has been making waves of his own in the NHL Star Power Index. The talented center recently achieved a historic milestone by becoming the fastest player in Winnipeg Jets history to reach 500 career points. Scheifele’s combination of skill, vision, and leadership on the ice has solidified his status as one of the top players in the league, and his impressive feat further cements his place among the NHL’s elite.
Both Ovechkin and Scheifele’s accomplishments serve as a reminder of the incredible talent and skill that exists in the NHL. As these two superstars continue to shine on the ice, they inspire fans and aspiring players alike to push themselves to new heights and strive for greatness in their own careers.
With Ovechkin nearing the all-time goals record and Scheifele achieving a historic milestone, the NHL Star Power Index is filled with excitement and anticipation as fans eagerly watch these two incredible players continue to make their mark on the league.
