This week`s NHL Star Power Index highlights players generating significant attention in the league. It`s a measure of buzz, not necessarily performance ranking.
These players are listed without any specific order of importance. We will update this index weekly during the regular season.
San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini had a week to remember, scoring his first NHL hat trick in an 8-7 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild.
Celebrini`s five-point game included three goals and two assists. He`s the youngest Shark ever to achieve a hat trick and only the third 18-year-old in the NHL in the last eight years to do so, joining Leo Carlsson and Cole Sillinger.
This was Celebrini`s fourth game with multiple goals in his debut season.
His first goal came early in the game, capitalizing on great puck movement from his rookie teammate Will Smith and defenseman Jack Thompson to beat Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.
Celebrini completed his hat trick in the third period, again assisted by Smith. He fired a shot past Fleury for his third goal of the night.
After a slow start, Celebrini has improved significantly in the last two months, racking up six goals and 14 assists since March.
He is close behind Lane Hutson for the rookie points lead, making him one of the most impressive rookies this season despite missing some games earlier on.
Despite a challenging season for the Boston Bruins, David Pastrnak is having a fantastic offensive year.
In a 7-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils, Pastrnak scored a goal and added two assists, reaching the 100-point mark for the third season in a row. He is the first Czech player in NHL history to achieve this milestone.
Earlier in the week, Pastrnak also recorded his first career natural hat trick in a 5-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes. He contributed to all five of his team`s goals in that game, adding two assists. This also marked his fourth consecutive 40-goal season and his fifth overall, tying him with Rick Middleton for the second-most in Bruins history.
Pastrnak`s natural hat trick against Carolina included a remarkable goal from a sharp angle. He also displayed impressive stick-handling for another goal in the same game.
Pastrnak has been on a hot streak, with five goals and eight assists in his last four games, and seven goals in his last six. He continues to perform at a high level even though the Bruins are not expected to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season.
Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson has consistently improved since entering the NHL in 2022. He is currently having his best offensive season.
Sanderson has 54 points, and his 43 assists are second on the team, only behind Tim Stutzle.
He has been productive recently with three goals and two assists in his last five games, scoring in four of them. This includes a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win against the Florida Panthers.
Sanderson scored against Florida after Shane Pinto set him up with a pass in the face-off circle. He also had an assist on a power-play goal in the same game.
Sanderson has been crucial to Ottawa`s improved play, as the team aims to reach the postseason for the first time since 2016-17. He provides stability on defense and offensive contributions.
Vegas Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill has been a reliable presence in net since joining the team during their Stanley Cup win in 2022-23. Now a starting goalie, Hill is playing well for a team aiming for another championship.
Hill has a 31-13-5 record this season with a 2.46 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. In his last two starts, he has won both games, with a 1.50 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage.
Recently, Hill made 24 saves in a 2-1 win against the Seattle Kraken, including 11 saves in the third period to prevent a tie game.
Hill has allowed one or fewer goals in four of his last nine games and has been strong down the stretch.
The Golden Knights are close to securing the top spot in their division as the regular season ends. Hill will be essential for their playoff hopes as they face tough Western Conference teams in their Stanley Cup bid.
Elton Marrow