Adam Proteau analyzes the NHL's top three performers of the week, including a Lightning goalie in form and forwards in Edmonton and Boston setting career highs.

This is THN.com’s three stars of the week – a regular online feature in which we pay attention to the three top performers in the NHL over the past seven days. Let’s get straight to it.

3. David Pastrnak, Boston

No NHL sniper was more potent on offense this week than Pastrnak, who generated a league-best seven goals – including two game-winners, one of which came in overtime – in four games in a starring role for the white-hot Bruins. 

The 26-year-old currently has new career bests in goals and points (102) in 76 games. And he’s only one point away from equalling his career high in assists (47). The Bruins have arguably the best depth in the league this season, but there’s no question he’s the straw that stirs the drink for the Bruins.

Shutting down Pastrnak in the Stanley Cup playoffs will be the primary defensive focus of whichever team takes on Boston in the first round, but he’s been the primary defensive focus of opponents throughout the regular season, and yet he’s still dominated and raised his all-around game to a new height. And he’s nowhere close to being 30 years old. The sky still feels like the limit for the Czechia native, who is as responsible as any Bruins player for the astonishing team success this year. His salary rises to $11.2 million next season, and if he amasses the same amount of points as he has this year, no Bruins fan will complain.

2. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton

The Oilers have gone 13-2-1 since the beginning of March, and one of the key reasons why are the contributions Nugent-Hopkins made on offense: in four games this week, the 29-year-old had two goals and a league-best eight points. One of those goals was a game-winner, one goal came on the power play, and the other came at even strength. The improved balance in his game has not gone unnoticed. He’s at his peak, and Edmonton is reaping the rewards of it.

In 77 games this season, Nugent-Hopkins has achieved new career highs in goals (35), assists (62) and points (97). He has 19 points in his past 11 games, and his salary cap hit of $5.125 million – which runs through the 2028-29 season – makes him a huge bargain. He doesn’t get the attention of star teammates Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but that’s a good place for him to operate in. He can provide the type of secondary scoring that virtually all Cup-winning teams need. And he’s a fine fit under the cap. With his current pace on offense, Nugent-Hopkins has to have Oilers GM Ken Holland feeling ecstatic with what the team has got out of him.

1. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay

The Lightning ended a four-game losing streak with three wins this week, and Vasilevsky was central to all of them. The veteran Bolts goalie posted a phenomenal two shutouts and three wins in three games played. His individual numbers – most notably, a 0.33 goals-against average and .990 save percentage – were outstanding.

This hasn’t been Vasilevskiy’s best year, but despite struggling early on, he’s still managed to put up a 2.57 GAA and .918 SP in 58 games. That’s nearly identical to his career NHL averages of a 2.51 GAA and a .919 SP. This current win streak of his is making Leafs fans itchy with anxiety, and the Lightning need him to be as good as he was in the 2022 playoffs in order to get by Toronto. But at 28 years old, he’s been rounding into peak condition at the ideal time of year.