NHL Stars of the Week – Reinhart Strikes for Top Honors

Today the National Hockey League announced their Three Stars of the Week for the week of October 14th through 20th.

First Star – Sam Reinhart (C – FLA)

Reinhart led the NHL with 4-5—9 and a +7 rating in four games to lift the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers (4-2-1, 9 points) to a 3-0-1 week as they moved into first place in the Atlantic Division. He opened the week with a pair of go-ahead goals, one on the power play and one shorthanded, in a 4-3 victory against the Boston Bruins Oct. 14. Reinhart then registered 1-2—3, including the go-ahead goal and an assist on the eventual game-winner, in 4-3 triumph over the Columbus Blue Jackets Oct. 15. He added one helper in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks Oct. 17 before collecting three more points (1-2—3) – highlighted by assists on the tying goal in the third period as well as the overtime winner – in a 4-3 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights Oct. 19. The 28-year-old Reinhart, who signed an eight-year contract with Florida this offseason after ranking second in the League with a career-high 57 goals in 2023-24 (57-37—94 in 82 GP), has found the score sheet in six of his seven appearances thus far in 2024-25 to place second in the NHL with 5-7—12.

Panarin finished second in the League with 4-4—8 in three contests to extend his season-opening point streak to five games (6-6—12) and propel the Rangers (4-0-1, 9 points) to a perfect week. Panarin recorded three helpers, his 37th career three-assist performance and 27th since joining New York in 2019-20, in a 4-1 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings Oct. 14. He then became the first player in Rangers history to begin a season with four consecutive multi-point games, notching 3-1—4 (highlighted by his eighth career hat trick) in a 5-2 victory against the Red Wings Oct. 17. Panarin potted another goal in a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs Oct. 19 to maintain his early position atop the 2024-25 Art Ross Trophy race (6-6—12 in 5 GP). The 32-year-old Panarin, who set a career high and ranked fourth in the League with 49-71—120 in 2023-24 (82 GP), places fifth in the NHL with 271-522—793 in 677 games since making his debut in 2015-16.

Gustavsson became the 15th goaltender in NHL history to score a goal – and the third to do so on the power play – as he went 2-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and .962 save percentage to guide the Wild (3-0-2, 8 points) to a pair of wins. He turned aside 27 of 28 shots before becoming the first goaltender in franchise history to register a goal as part of a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues Oct. 15. Gustavsson then made 23 saves on 24 shots, coming 1:25 shy of a shutout, in a 3-1 triumph against the Columbus Blue Jackets Oct. 19. The 26-year-old Gustavsson, who improved to 3-0-1 through four games in 2024-25, places among the early season League leaders (minimum: 3 GP) in goals-against average (4th; 1.49), save percentage (4th; .950) and wins (t-4th; 3). He owns a 55-40-15 record in 115 career NHL appearances (2.68 GAA, .913 SV%, 6 SO).

*All Graphics courtesy of the NHL, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, and Minnesota Wild.

*Player Profiles written by NHL PR Staff.

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