Each week, the NHL Star Power Index assesses players generating significant attention across the league. Inclusion in this index signifies considerable buzz within the hockey community.
The players are listed without ranking, reflecting the varying degrees of attention they are currently receiving. This index will be updated weekly throughout the regular season.
The Vegas Golden Knights are reaping the rewards of acquiring Jack Eichel in 2021. Already a Stanley Cup champion with the team in 2023, Eichel is experiencing what might be his most statistically impressive season yet.
He has surpassed his previous career-best, reaching 90 points (26 goals and 64 assists), exceeding his prior high of 80 points achieved once in his decade-long professional career.
Eichel scored a hat trick in Tuesday`s 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild, his third since joining the Golden Knights, tying him for the second-most hat tricks in franchise history.
Opening the scoring in the first period, Eichel capitalized on a rebound after his pass to Shea Theodore resulted in a blocked shot on Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.
Later, with Vegas holding a narrow 2-1 lead in the third, Eichel demonstrated composure on a power play, firing a powerful shot past Fleury from the face-off circle after a face-off win.
Eichel completed his hat trick with a final goal, sealing the game at 17:28 of the third period.
Projected to reach 105 points this season, Eichel has propelled the Golden Knights to the top of the Pacific Division. He is currently on a four-game point streak, accumulating five goals and five assists.
Following a career-best 109-point season in 2022-23, Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars experienced a slight dip in performance. However, he appears to have rediscovered his peak form.
Robertson leads the Stars with 32 goals and is tied for second in points with 73, alongside Matt Duchene. He recently achieved a natural hat trick in the second period of a 4-3 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.
With the Stars already leading 1-0, Robertson initiated his scoring spree early in the second period, converting a backhand shot after passes from Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz.
Just minutes later, Robertson scored again after exiting the penalty box, capitalizing on a two-on-one opportunity with a shot past Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner.
Robertson completed his natural hat trick shortly after, extending the Stars` lead to 4-0. These goals proved crucial as the Oilers mounted a comeback in the third period.
While unlikely to surpass his career-high of 46 goals, Robertson`s offensive output has increased this season, marking his third 30-goal season in the last four years.
With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl sidelined due to injuries, the Edmonton Oilers have relied on other players for offensive contributions. Defenseman Evan Bouchard has significantly stepped up.
Bouchard has recorded points in three of his last five games, including a two-assist performance in a recent loss to the Dallas Stars.
In that game, Bouchard contributed to a late comeback attempt, firing a shot that led to a rebound goal by Zach Hyman, narrowing the score to 4-3.
Bouchard has tallied three assists in his last three games and has accumulated four goals and eight assists in March.
He ranks third on the Oilers in points (57), trailing only McDavid and Draisaitl. Among NHL defensemen, Bouchard is third in points and sixth in assists.
While not as offensively dominant as McDavid or Draisaitl, Bouchard provides crucial playmaking ability for Edmonton, especially as they approach the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where he will be a key player.
The Colorado Avalanche made a goaltending change earlier this season, acquiring MacKenzie Blackwood and trading Alexandar Georgiev. This move appears to have significantly improved their goaltending.
Blackwood has amassed a 21-8-3 record with a 2.15 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage in 32 games for the Avalanche. He is also tied for third in the NHL with four shutouts this season.
Blackwood achieved his fourth shutout recently, stopping all 22 shots in a 4-0 win against the Los Angeles Kings, marking his third consecutive game allowing two or fewer goals.
Prior to that, Blackwood delivered another strong performance against the Detroit Red Wings, allowing only two goals on 23 shots.
After winning the Stanley Cup with Darcy Kuemper and then having Georgiev, Blackwood has emerged as the reliable goaltender the Avalanche need, potentially making a significant impact in the upcoming postseason.
