NEW YORK – Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes and St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” presented by GEICO for the week ending April 5.
FIRST STAR – RICKARD RAKELL, RW, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
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, NEW JERSEY DEVILS
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, ST. LOUIS BLUES
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.
