Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Flyers’ Voracek named NHL’s first star of the week

Jakub Voracek, James Reimer

Philadelphia Flyers’ Jakub Voracek (93) celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal past Florida Panthers’ James Reimer (34) as Michael Matheson (19) and Denis Malgin (62) trail during overtime in an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 3-2. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

AP

Jakub Voracek is earning his money. The 27-year-old forward was named the NHL’s first star of the week today, after a pair of four-point games in the past seven days for the streaking Philadelphia Flyers.

Voracek entered the season under a lot of pressure to produce. He did not have a fantastic 2015-16, finishing with 55 points in 73 games. Through 31 games of 2016-17, he already has as many goals (11) as he did all of last season. He also has 21 assists, giving him 32 points total, tied for the second most in the league behind only Connor McDavid (39).

This is the first year of an eight-year, $66 million contract extension that Voracek signed in the summer of 2015.

From the league’s press release:

Voracek led the NHL with six assists and nine points in four outings to help the Flyers (18-10-3, 39 points) complete a perfect week and extend their overall winning streak to nine games, their longest such run since April 2-22, 1995 (also 9-0-0). He scored his eighth career overtime goal – and second of the season – in a 3-2 victory against the Florida Panthers Dec. 6. Voracek then registered 1-3—4 in each of his next two contests: a 6-5 triumph over the Edmonton Oilers Dec. 8 and a 4-2 win against the Dallas Stars Dec. 10. In doing so, he became the first Flyers player to collect four-plus points in consecutive team games since Dec. 31, 1997 – Jan. 3, 1998 (Eric Lindros).

Rangers goalies Antti Raanta and Blue Jackets center Sam Gagner were the second and third stars of the week, respectively.