Welcome to the NHL Star Power Index, your weekly update on the league’s most talked-about players. This list highlights players making headlines, for better or worse, capturing the hockey world’s attention.
The players are presented without ranking based on buzz. Check back each week for the latest Star Power Index throughout the season.
Nathan MacKinnon: 1,000 Career Points
Nathan MacKinnon is having a phenomenal season in the NHL, achieving a significant career milestone this week with the Colorado Avalanche.
MacKinnon reached 1,000 career points by assisting twice in the Avalanche’s 3-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.
The 29-year-old is the 100th player in NHL history to reach this mark. He joins Joe Sakic (1,641) and Peter Stastny (1,048) as the only Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques players to achieve this feat.
Adding to his accomplishments, MacKinnon is the first NHL player this season to hit 100 points and the second in franchise history to record three 100-point seasons, alongside Stastny.
MacKinnon has been on a scoring streak, earning points in six of his last seven games, including a two-goal performance in a 7-4 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In a highlight play against the Maple Leafs, Martin Necas passed to MacKinnon, who skillfully maneuvered and scored a remarkable goal over goaltender Anthony Stolarz.
This goal became the game-winner, contributing to the Avalanche’s victory over the Maple Leafs. Valeri Nichushkin also scored a hat trick, and MacKinnon added an empty-net goal to secure the win.
The Hart Trophy race seems to be between MacKinnon and Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl. MacKinnon is currently projected to reach 127 points this season.
Dylan Cozens: Hot Start in Ottawa
It’s been a transformative week for Dylan Cozens. Traded from Buffalo to Ottawa at the NHL deadline, he joined a Senators team contending for a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Cozens has quickly made an impact with the Senators, scoring two goals and two assists in his first four games. He scored in a 5-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.
Against the Flyers, Cozens intercepted a puck clearing attempt by Nick Seeler and fired a powerful shot past goalie Ivan Fedotov, extending Ottawa’s lead to 4-2.
Cozens also scored in a 2-1 victory against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.
Drafted seventh overall by Buffalo in 2019, Cozens accumulated 106 points (44 goals, 62 assists) in his first two full seasons with the Sabres, including a career-best 68 points in 2022-23.
However, his production decreased in the following seasons, with 47 points in 2023-24. Before the trade, he had 11 goals and 20 assists in 61 games for Buffalo this season.
Despite the short time, Cozens appears to have found a good fit in Ottawa, playing on a line with Drake Batherson and David Perron. He could be key in helping the Senators end their Stanley Cup Playoff drought this season.
Brandon Montour: Overtime Heroics
Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour had an unforgettable game in a 5-4 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, sealing the victory in dramatic fashion.
Montour scored two goals and provided two assists, including the game-winning goal just four seconds into overtime.
In the overtime face-off, Montour gained control of the puck and scored against Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes to secure the win.
This victory marked the Kraken’s league-leading eighth comeback win of the season, and Montour tied an NHL record for the fastest goal at the start of any period.
Montour also matched a Kraken record for most points by a defenseman in a season and became the third NHL defenseman with multiple four-point games this season. He also set a franchise record for most goals in a season by a Kraken defenseman with 15, surpassing Vince Dunn’s 14 from 2022-23.
After winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers last season, Montour signed a seven-year, $50 million contract with the Kraken. He has significantly boosted Seattle’s offense from the blue line, achieving his third double-digit goal season in the last four years.
Darcy Kuemper: Stellar Season with Kings
After inconsistent seasons with the Washington Capitals, veteran goalie Darcy Kuemper is thriving with the Los Angeles Kings.
In his first season with the Kings, Kuemper has a 21-8-7 record, a 2.23 goals-against average, and a .917 save percentage. His GAA is second-best among qualifying goalies, only behind Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck.
Recently, Kuemper made 21 saves in a 3-0 shutout against the Capitals on Thursday, improving his home record to 11-0-1 in his last 12 games, matching Kelly Hrudey’s home point streak record from 1990-91.
Kuemper has a 1.58 GAA in March, allowing just two goals in his last three starts and eight goals in five appearances this month.
After winning the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, Kuemper had struggled with higher GAAs in the past two seasons. However, he seems to have found his stride in Los Angeles, helping the Kings to second place in the Pacific Division and a strong playoff position.
