The National Hockey League announced their Three Stars of the Week for the week of September 29th through October 4th.
First Star – Igor Shesterkin (G – NYR)
- Shesterkin went 2-1-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average and .934 save percentage in three appearances; ranked second in the League in saves (71) and third in shots against (76); and became the 18th different goaltender in NHL history to score a goal in the regular season while helping the Rangers (3-1-0, 6 points) finish the opening week of the campaign atop the League standings. Shesterkin began 2026-27 by stopping each of the first 19 shots he faced, making a total of 20 saves, in a 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins Sept. 29. He then denied 23 of 24 shots while scoring the first goal by a netminder in Rangers history during a 5-1 triumph over the Tampa Bay Lightning Oct. 1. Shesterkin added 28 stops, as well as his fourth career assist, in a 4-2 victory against the Utah Mammoth Oct. 4. The 30-year-old Shesterkin, who won the Vezina Trophy in 2021-22, owns a 189-108-28 record with a 2.51 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and 22 shutouts in 328 career NHL games (all w/ NYR) since being selected by New York in the fourth round (118th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.
Second Star – Evan Bouchard (D – EDM)
- Bouchard led defensemen and placed second in the entire League with 4-4—8 in three outings to propel the Oilers (2-0-1, 5 points) to five out of six possible standings points. He opened the campaign with 3-2—5 in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks Sept. 29, becoming the first defenseman in NHL history to record five points in a season opener as well as the third blueliner to register a hat trick in such a game (also Mark Howe in 1980-81 w/ HFD and Bert Corbeau in 1919-20 w/ MTL). Bouchard then posted 1-2—3 in a 9-7 win against the Canucks Oct. 1 to become the first defenseman in League history with at least eight points through his team’s first two contests of a season. The 26-year-old Bouchard, who closed the week with 27:01 and a +1 rating in a 3-1 triumph over the Seattle Kraken Oct. 3, has compiled 80-261—341 through 432 career NHL games – highlighted by career highs in goals (21), assists (74) and points (95) last season (82 GP).
Third Star – Paul Cotter (LW – VAN)
- Cotter, who signed with Vancouver as a free agent during the offseason, shared the League lead with four goals in as many games (4-2—6) to guide the Canucks (2-2-0, 4 points) to a pair of wins. Cotter scored twice, including his first career shorthanded goal and second career overtime winner, in a 6-5 decision against the Edmonton Oilers Sept. 29. He became the sixth player in franchise history to record multiple goals in his Vancouver debut, a feat last achieved by Elias Lindholm in 2023-24, as well as the first player in team history to collect either a shorthanded goal or an overtime goal in his Canucks debut. Cotter followed that with 1-1—2 in a 9-7 loss to the Oilers Oct. 1 before posting one assist in a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames Oct. 3 and one goal in a 3-2 setback against the Vegas Golden Knights Oct. 4. The 26-year-old Cotter has registered 51-37—88 through 300 career NHL games with the Canucks, New Jersey Devils and Golden Knights.
*All Graphics courtesy of the NHL, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks.
*Player Profiles written by NHL PR Staff.
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