Welcome to the NHL Star Energy Index: a weekly index of gamers controlling a significant buzz within the league. When a participant is included on this checklist, that might not be a very good factor – it implies that it will get an enormous quantity of consideration from the hockey world.

These gamers are in no explicit rank in the case of the quantity of pleasure they create. We’ll be revisiting the Star Energy Index each week throughout the common season.

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin continued his rise on the NHL’s all-time targets checklist. On Friday, Ovechkin scored two targets. Winnipeg Jets and Detroit Red Wings legend surpasses Gordie Howe For quantity 2 on the league’s all-time goalscorer checklist.

Ovechkin caught a cross within the impartial zone for the primary aim of the night time and despatched the puck to teammate Dylan Strome. Strome handed goalkeeper David Rittich to Ovechkin, who fired the puck to provide the Capitals a 1-0 lead.

After tying Howe with the 801th aim of his skilled profession, it appeared like Ovechkin might need to attend till after Christmas to overhaul Howe to single-handedly declare 2nd place on the NHL’s all-time targets checklist. However the Capitals winger caught his second within the solar with simply 60 seconds left within the sport.

Ovechkin managed to bury an empty internet after the Jets pulled Rittich to return to the competitors. As quickly because the Pak crossed the aim line, the 37-year-old star was surrounded by your entire Capitals squad after finishing the historic second.

Ovechkin presently has 802 profession targets, simply 92 targets behind Wayne Gretzky’s all-time file 894.

Since Mitch Marner’s file streak ended, William Nylander has turn into the most recent member of the group. Toronto Maple Leaves to hold the scoring torch.

Nylander has scored one aim every in his final 4 video games and has recorded eight targets and 7 assists in December. The 26-year-old star’s final nice efficiency got here dramatically within the Maple Leafs’ 5-4 additional time win in opposition to the USA. Louis Blues Tuesday.

Nylander scored the game-winning aim in additional time. Blues star Vladimir Tarasenko was returning to the blue line on the offensive line when Nylander took his place. Nylander discovered himself on their own at Blues community supervisor Jordan Binnington, taking pictures a backstroke for the game-winning aim with simply 56.7 seconds left in additional time.

Nylander’s dramatic expertise secured his seventh win in 9 video games for the Maple Leafs, together with the group’s third consecutive win. Nylander is popping out of a career-high 80-point season (34 targets & 46 assists) and will definitely outshine that within the 2022-23 marketing campaign. The Maple Leafs star presently has 40 factors (21 targets & 19 assists) and is advancing with 94 factors (49 targets & 45 assists) this season.

This Boston Bruins‘ The second line is liable for the group being an absolute overwhelming drive. The mixture of veteran middle David Krejci’s crafty passes and David Pastrnak’s lethal goal-scoring prowess has really elevated the Bruins to the NHL’s elite. Pastrnak presently leads the group in factors (48), targets (24), assists (24), power-play targets (10) and taking pictures (175), whereas drawing for the group lead in power-play assists (12).

Forward of Tuesday’s 3-2 penalty shootout Ottawa SenatorsThe Bruins star had scored no less than one aim in 4 video games in a row. As well as, Pastrnak recorded no less than one level in all however one in December.

His most spectacular present went in opposition to New Jersey Demons When he scored a double second interval aim in a 4-3 win on December 23. Each of these factors got here from Krejci’s assists.

Pastrnak’s offensive acumen has been one of many important causes the Bruins are on the high of the NHL rankings because the New Yr approaches. If this stage of dynamic play continues, will probably be troublesome to derail this Boston group in a seven-game playoff streak.

After a tricky first two months to open the 2022-23 season, Andrei Vasilevskiy is again in elite standing.

This Tampa Bay Lightning netminder recorded a 6-2-0 file with 1.63 targets and .945 save proportion in opposition to common. Vasilevskiy additionally conceded two or fewer targets in seven of the eight video games he began throughout the month.

Vasilevskiy has scored a complete of 4 targets in his final three video games and turned down 83 of his 87 photographs. Additionally they scored only one aim every in a double win in opposition to the USA. Montreal Canadians prior to now weeks.

After stopping 25 out of 26 photographs in a 4-1 win over the Canadiens on Wednesday, Vasilevskiy’s file has risen to 50-32-3 within the 2022 calendar 12 months. It marks the second calendar 12 months in a row the place he has recorded no less than 50 wins. Solely Martin Brodeur (5: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2007) and Patrick Roy (three: 1996, 2000 and 2001) have recorded no less than 50 wins in a calendar 12 months over a number of seasons all through their careers.

With Vasilevskiy again in elite type, Lightning had a implausible December, successful eight out of 11 video games. The group will proceed to rise within the standings because the All-Star tweens trip on the backs of their proficient goalkeepers.