NHL Stars of the Week – Hagel Takes Top Honors

Today the National Hockey League announced their Three Stars of the Week for the week of February 3rd through 9th.

First Star – Brandon Hagel (LW – TB)

Hagel – who will represent Canada at this week’s 4 Nations Face-Off – led the NHL with 4-4—8, all at even strength, in four contests to lift the Lightning (31-20-4, 66 points) into third place in the Atlantic Division via four straight wins over division opponents. He helped Tampa Bay sweep back-to-back games versus the Ottawa Senators, one of the teams ahead of them in the Atlantic entering the week, potting the tiebreaking goal early in the third period of a 4-3 victory Feb. 4 and scoring the game-winner (his third of 2024-25) in a 5-1 triumph Feb. 6. Hagel then registered his third career four-point performance, all of which have come this season (also Oct. 22 at NJD: 3-1—4 and Nov. 25 vs. COL: 0-5—5), with 2-2—4 in a 6-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings Feb. 8. He closed the week with a pair of assists, his 16th multi-point outing of the campaign, in a 5-3 triumph over the Montreal Canadiens Feb. 9 at Bell Centre – the site of the first four games of the 4 Nations Face-Off, including the tournament opener this Wednesday (CAN vs. SWE, 8 p.m. ET, TNT, truTV, Max, SN, TVAS). The 26-year-old Hagel ranks second on the Lightning and 16th in the entire NHL with 26-36—62 through 55 total appearances this season. He also places among the 2024-25 League leaders in shorthanded assists (t-1st; 4), shorthanded points (t-1st; 6), even-strength goals (3rd; 24), even-strength points (5th; 49), goals (t-9th; 26) and plus/minus (t-10th; +24).

Demko stopped 64 of the 65 shots he faced across three appearances, going 2-0-0 with a 0.46 goals-against average, .985 save percentage and one shutout as the Canucks (26-18-11, 63 points) moved into the final playoff spot in the Western Conference via a perfect week. He earned his ninth career shutout and first of 2024-25 with 25 saves in a 3-0 victory against the Colorado Avalanche Feb. 4. Demko then turned aside 33 shots, including a combined 17 in the third period and overtime, in a 2-1 triumph versus the San Jose Sharks Feb. 6. The 29-year-old Demko, who denied all six shots he saw before exiting Vancouver’s 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs Feb. 8, owns a 6-6-3 record, 2.87 goals-against average and .891 save percentage through 17 total contests this season.

Tkachuk – another participant in the 4 Nations Face-Off – scored in all three of his outings, totaling 4-3—7, to extend his goal streak to six games (Jan. 29 – Feb. 8: 7-6—13) as the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers (34-20-3, 71 points) maintained a three-point cushion atop the Atlantic Division. He found the back of the net once in a 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals Feb. 4. Tkachuk then posted 2-1—3, including the tiebreaking goal with 11.8 seconds remaining in regulation, in 3-2 victory at his hometown St. Louis Blues Feb. 6 before adding 1-2—3, his seventh three-point performance of the season, in a 5-1 triumph over the Ottawa Senators Feb. 8. The 27-year-old Tkachuk sits second on Florida in goals (22), assists (35) and points (57) through 52 total games in 2024-25.

*All Graphics courtesy of the NHL, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks, and Florida Panthers.

*Player Profiles written by NHL PR Staff.

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