Today the National Hockey League announced their Three Stars of the Week for the week of March 30th through April 5th.
First Star – Rickard Rakell (RW – PIT)
- Rakell, who scored in each of his five appearances, led the NHL with seven goals (7-1—8) to lift the Penguins (40-22-16, 96 points) to a 4-1-0 week and back into second place in the Metropolitan Division as they seek their first playoff berth since 2021-22. He found the back of the net twice in an 8-3 win over the New York Islanders March 30. Rakell then scored once in both a 5-1 victory against the Detroit Red Wings March 31 and a 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning April 2. He capped the week with four points over back-to-back games versus the Florida Panthers, notching 1-1—2 in a 9-4 triumph April 4 and two goals, including his 34th career game-winner, in a 5-2 victory April 5. The 32-year-old Rakell, who has compiled 24-24—48 through 57 overall contests this season, has nearly doubled his 2025-26 total with points in 16 of his last 17 outings dating to March 7 (13-10—23). His current five-game goal streak is one shy of his career high, set from Dec. 21, 2017 – Jan. 2, 2018 (7-3—10 in 6 GP w/ ANA).
Second Star – Jack Hughes (C – NJ)
- Hughes topped the NHL with 3-6—9 to propel the Devils (40-34-3, 83 points) to points in three of their four games (2-1-1). He did not find the scoresheet in a 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers March 31, but rebounded with a career-high 2-3—5 (including his 27th career game-winning goal and fifth of the season) in a 7-3 victory against the Washington Capitals April 2. Hughes then scored once and picked up the primary assist on the tying goal as New Jersey rallied from a three-goal deficit in an eventual 4-3 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens April 4. He added two more helpers as the Devils took the second half of their back-to-back home-and-home set with the Canadiens by a 3-0 score on April 5. The 24-year-old Hughes, who paces New Jersey with 25-47—72 through 56 total games this season, leads the League with 13-23—36 in 20 appearances since scoring the “golden goal” for the United States at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Third Star – Robert Thomas (C – STL)
- Thomas recorded 5-3—8 in four contests as the Blues (33-31-12, 78 points) also posted a 2-1-1 week to move within three points of the playoff line in the Western Conference. He collected one assist in a 5-4 loss to the San Jose Sharks March 30 before scoring the tying goal with 3:53 remaining in the third period of an eventual 2-1 overtime setback against the Los Angeles Kings April 1. Thomas then notched consecutive three-point performances, tallying 1-2—3 in a 6-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks April 3 followed by his first career hat trick (capped by the tiebreaking goal with 2:50 left in regulation) in a 3-2 triumph versus the Colorado Avalanche April 5. The 26-year-old Thomas, who has points in 16 of his last 18 appearances dating to Jan. 9 (11-15—26), tops St. Louis with 21-35—56 through 58 total games this season.
*All Graphics courtesy of the NHL, Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, and St. Louis Blues.
*Player Profiles written by NHL PR Staff.
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