Each week, we’re taking a look at the NHL players who are currently generating the most significant discussion and attention around the league. This isn’t necessarily a ranking of who’s ‘best,’ but rather a measure of who’s capturing the hockey world’s focus right now. We’ll be updating this index regularly throughout the season.
Auston Matthews, despite some early-season setbacks, seems to have found his peak form as the season progresses.
Over his last four games, Matthews has been highly productive, scoring four goals and providing one assist, notably including an impressive performance on St. Patrick’s Day in a dominant 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames.
In a recent game, Matthews achieved a three-point period, his 11th such period in his career. Furthermore, it marked his 36th multi-goal period, making him the all-time leader in this statistic for the Maple Leafs.
During a power-play in the second period, the Maple Leafs demonstrated excellent puck control. William Nylander initiated a shot that was blocked, but he quickly regained possession.
Nylander then located Matthews positioned in the face-off circle. Matthews assessed his options before unleashing a powerful shot over the shoulder of Flames’ goalie Dustin Wolf.
Just over three minutes later, Mitch Marner made a crucial play to keep the puck in the offensive zone during another Maple Leafs power-play. Matthews received the puck near the face-off circle and passed it to Nylander. After waiting for a clear passing lane, Nylander passed to Matthew Knies behind the net, who then found Matthews in the face-off circle for a blistering one-timer goal.
Matthews has now scored in four consecutive games, including a goal in a 2-1 win against the Colorado Avalanche following his standout performance.
Matthews’s scoring surge comes at a critical time as the Maple Leafs are in a tight race with the Florida Panthers for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. If Matthews maintains his high-level goal-scoring, the Maple Leafs might be poised for a significant Stanley Cup playoff run this spring.
The New Jersey Devils are currently navigating a period without their key forward, Jack Hughes, as the Stanley Cup Playoffs approach. In response, winger Jesper Bratt has taken on a greater offensive role and has been performing exceptionally well.
Bratt recently completed a four-game streak of scoring points, which included three games with multiple points.
Bratt has recently become only the sixth player in the history of the Devils to achieve at least three points in three back-to-back games. He is also only the third player in the last 30 years to reach this milestone, joining Jack Hughes and Ilya Kovalchuk.
In a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, Bratt scored for the third time in four games, a goal that ultimately decided the outcome.
During the second period, Blue Jackets’ goalie Jet Greaves attempted to play the puck from behind his net, but it unfortunately bounced off the back of the net directly to Bratt. Bratt quickly seized the opportunity, collecting the puck and scoring before Greaves could recover his position.
Bratt is currently leading the Devils in both total points (80) and assists (60), establishing himself as one of the most effective playmakers in the Eastern Conference. He also leads New Jersey in power-play assists, with 26.
The absence of Hughes is a significant setback for the Devils, but the team still has the potential to secure the second seed in the Metropolitan Division for the playoffs. If Bratt continues his role as a key offensive facilitator, the Devils could be a formidable team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Cale Makar has had an exceptional start to March, enhancing the Colorado Avalanche’s status as a significant contender in the Western Conference.
This month, Makar has accumulated three goals and ten assists in just nine games, including a goal and four assists in his most recent three games. Notably, he contributed a goal and two assists in a 4-3 overtime win against the Dallas Stars.
This was the seventh time this season that Makar has recorded three or more points in a game, making him one of only nine defensemen in NHL history to achieve this in three different seasons. He is the first defenseman to reach this mark since Brian Leetch, formerly of the New York Rangers.
Makar’s career average is 1.08 points per game, placing him among only four defensemen in history to maintain at least a point per game over a minimum of 100 games. The others are Bobby Orr (1.39), Harry Cameron (1.10), and Paul Coffey (1.09).
Makar added drama to Sunday’s game by scoring the winning goal in overtime.
Just 34 seconds into overtime, the Avalanche won a face-off in the neutral zone, and Makar took over. After Nathan MacKinnon gained control of the puck, he advanced it and then passed it back to Makar at the blue line. Makar then skillfully maneuvered through the Stars’ defense and shot the puck past goalie Jake Oettinger for the win.
Makar is a strong candidate for his second Norris Trophy. He currently leads all NHL defensemen in points (79), goals (25), and assists (55), with Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks expected to be his main competitors.
Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson continued his impressive recent form this week, delivering one of his most outstanding performances of the season.
Gustavsson successfully stopped all 34 shots in a 2-0 shutout win against the Seattle Kraken. This spectacular game marked his fifth shutout of the season, tying him for second place among NHL goalies in shutouts.
This performance also marked the second-highest number of shutouts in a single season in Wild team history. According to data, Gustavsson has recorded 31 games with a save percentage of .900 or higher, ranking third among NHL goalies, only behind Connor Hellebuyck (38) and Andrei Vasilevsky (33).
In March, Gustavsson has achieved a 5-2-0 record, with a goals-against average of 1.73 and a save percentage of .940 over seven games. Besides his recent shutout, Gustavsson also made 28 saves on 29 shots in a 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings.
If Gustavsson maintains this level of play, the Wild are likely to secure a playoff spot this season.
