NEW YORK – Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Martin Jones and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Jan. 7.
FIRST STAR – SAM REINHART, C, FLORIDA PANTHERS
Reinhart led the NHL in goals last week, recording 5-1—6 with a pair of game-winners in three road starts to help the Panthers (25-12-2) extend their winning streak to seven games and close within two points of the Atlantic Division-leading Bruins. Reinhart tallied goals in all three games, beginning with a third-period game-winner in a 4-1 victory at Arizona Jan. 2. Shortly after being named an NHL All-Star for the first time, he notched a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win at Vegas Jan. 4 and concluded the week with his seventh career hat trick in an 8-4 win at Colorado Jan. 6. The third of his three-goal effort was his seventh game-winner and 13th power-play tally of the season, which both lead the League. Reinhart improved his season totals to a team-leading 28-22—50 (39 GP), tied for second place in the NHL goal-scoring race and on pace to shatter his career high for goals in a season (currently 33 in 2021-22). With his father Paul Reinhart having played a pair of NHL All-Star Games, in 1985 and 1989, the pair will become the ninth father-son to both feature, following the Tkachuks, Stastnys, Parises, Hulls, Howes, Fogolins, Dineens and Apps‘.
SECOND STAR – MARTIN JONES, G, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Jones posted a 3-0-0 record with a 0.66 goals-against average, .976 save percentage and one shutout, helping the Maple Leafs (20-10-7) sweep a three-game trip to California. He stopped 81 of 83 shots he faced, beginning with a 31-save shutout in a 3-0 win at Los Angeles Jan. 2. Jones recorded his 30th career shutout and second with Toronto in just seven starts for the club; only seven goaltenders in Maple Leafs history had previously recorded two shutouts in their first seven starts in the Blue and White, the most recent being Jean-Sebastien Giguere in 2009-10. Jones went on to make 27 saves in a 2-1 overtime victory at Anaheim Jan. 3 and 23 stops in a 4-1 win at San Jose Jan. 6. The 11-year NHL veteran improved his season record to 7-3-0 with a 2.08 goals-against average and .932 save percentage in 11 appearances. His 232 career wins are tied for eighth place among active goaltenders (min. 1 GP in 2023-24) with Cam Talbot and his 30 career shutouts are tied for seventh on the active list with Talbot and Darcy Kuemper.
THIRD STAR – CONNOR HELLEBUYCK, G, WINNIPEG JETS
Hellebuyck started and won three of the Jets’ four consecutive victories last week (3-0-0, 1.68 goals-against, .937 save percentage) extending his personal point streak to 12 (10-0-2) and helping Winnipeg (26-9-4) climb to first place in the NHL overall standings. Hellebuyck began the week stopping 32 shots in a 4-2 home win over Tampa Bay Jan. 2. He marked his selection to participate in the NHL All-Star Game for the fourth time making 27 saves in an 2-1 win at San Jose Jan. 4 and made 15 saves in a 6-2 win at Arizona Jan. 7. Hellebuyck upped his season record to 20-6-3 in 29 appearances, tied for second place in wins, ranking fourth in goals-against average (2.27) and sixth in save percentage (.921). The Jets have won six consecutive games, one short of tying their franchise record, and have set a franchise mark with an active 12-game point streak (10-0-2). The club has allowed three goals or fewer in 29 straight contests; only five teams in NHL history have posted a run of that length, with the 2014-15 Wild (35 GP) the only other club to have done so in the past 70 years.
