Sam Reinhart is capturing stars faster than Super Mario.
Honored for the fourth time this season, the Florida Panthers forward was named the NHL's First Star of the Week for the week ending Jan. 7, the NHL announced on Monday.
The other stars were Toronto's Martin Jones (second star) and Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck (third star).
This latest accolade comes after Reinhart was previously recognized as the Third Star of the Week for the week ending Dec. 10, the First Star of the Week for the week ending Nov. 12 and the Third Star of the Week for the week ending Oct. 12.
“At both ends of the ice, he’s an amazing player,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. “I’ve said so many good things about him. He just reads the game so well. On top of it, he’s a very big threat to score goals and make plays.”
Helping the Panthers extend their winning streak to a season-long seven games, Reinhart registered six points while helping the team post a perfect 3-0-0 record this past week, including scoring an NHL-leading five goals.
Lightning the lamp in all three games, two of his goals were game-winners.
After finding the back of the net in a 4-1 win at Arizona on Tuesday, Reinhart posted a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win at Vegas on Thursday. Closing out the week with a bang, he logged his seventh-career hat trick in an 8-4 win at Colorado on Saturday.
“We’ve seen that hockey from his all year,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said.
Heading to the NHL All-Star Game for the first time in his career, Reinhart leads Florida and ranks tied for eighth in the NHL in scoring with 50 points (28 goals, 22 assists). Of his 28 goals, an NHL-leading 13 of them have come on the power play.
On the other side of special teams, he’s also netted two shorthanded goals.
A model of consistency, Reinhart hasn’t gone more than two games this season without making a dent on the scoresheet. Of the 39 games he’s played in, he’s notched multiple points in 17 of them, including producing seven multi-goal showings.
Teaming up with Barkov and Evan Rodrigues to form one of the most exciting and dangerous trios in hockey, the Panthers have led 27-6 in goals when that line has been on the ice at 5-on-5 this season, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
“When you’re playing hockey into June, it almost takes less time getting back into it,” Reinhart said of his stellar start to the season. “You see a couple go in early, it’s easier to hold up confidence kind of over and over. I’m also playing with some great players.”
To give Reinhart some company at the NHL All-Star Game, visit NHL.com/Vote.
