The Winnipeg Jets, in conjunction with the National Hockey League, today announced that forward Blake Wheeler has been named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week for the week ending Nov. 11/18.
Wheeler, 32, recorded a new career-high with five points (1G, 4A), as he recorded the franchise’s first five-point game since Ilya Kovalchuk on Feb. 28/09 to lead the Jets to a 5-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. His empty net goal against the Avalanche snapped a string of nine straight Jets goals where he earned an assist, as Wheeler joined Wayne Gretzky as the only players in NHL history to assist on nine-or-more consecutive team goals. On Sunday, the Plymouth, Minn. native added another pair of assists to propel Winnipeg to a 5-2 victory over New Jersey. In total, Wheeler tied for an NHL-best six assists and was third in the league with seven points (1G, 6A) for the week despite playing only two games and he is currently riding a 10-game point streak (2G, 17A).
On the season, Wheeler shares the NHL lead with 20 assists and is tied for fourth in the league with 23 points (3G, 20A) in 16 games played. He leads the Jets in points (23) and assists (20) and he has been held off the scoresheet in only three games so far this season.
This is the third time in his career that Wheeler has been selected in the NHL’s Three Stars of the Week. He is the second Jets player to be selected in 2018-19 after Winnipeg had eight appearances in the Three Stars of the Week last season. Wheeler joins Mark Scheifele (Oct. 29 – Second Star) as members of the Jets that have earned NHL Three Stars of the Week honours this season.