Wild leading scorer Mikael Granlund named Second Star of the Week

Wild leading scorer Mikael Granlund, who recorded his first career hat trick and four-point game during Saturday's 6-3 win in Vancouver, was named the NHL's Second Star of the Week this morning.

Granlund is riding a franchise-record 12-game point streak (17 points), the longest point streak in the NHL this season. Since Dec. 7, no NHL player has more assists (24) and points (34) than Granlund. Granlund and C Eric Staal are tied for 13th in the NHL with 24 points on the road.

Granlund has already established career-highs for goals (15) and points (48) in 51 games.

In case you forgot, here's the feature I wrote on Granlund for the Jan. 18 Star Tribune on his personality and why John Torchetti moved him to wing.

The Wild's in Winnipeg and practices today at 1, so more later.

AHO, GRANLUND AND BUDAJ NAMED NHL 'THREE STARS' OF THE WEEK

NEW YORK (Feb. 6, 2017) – Carolina Hurricanes right wing Sebastian
Aho, Minnesota Wild center Mikael Granlund and Los Angeles Kings goaltender
Peter Budaj have been named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the week ending
Feb. 5.

FIRST STAR – SEBASTIAN AHO, RW, CAROLINA HURRICANES

Aho tied for the League lead with four goals (4-1—5) including two
game-winning tallies as the Hurricanes (24-20-7, 55 points) won all three
of their games. On Jan. 31, Aho recorded his first career hat trick,
including the game-winning goal, and added one assist in a 5-1 victory over
the Philadelphia Flyers. He added another game-winning goal in a 2-1 win
against the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 3 before being held pointless in a 5-4
overtime victory over the New York Islanders on Feb. 4. Chosen 35th overall
by Carolina in the 2015 NHL Draft, the 19-year-old Rauma, Finland native
ranks third among rookies with 16 goals and tied for sixth with 31 points
(16-15—31).

SECOND STAR – MIKAEL GRANLUND, C, MINNESOTA WILD

Granlund finished the week tied for first in points with 3-3—6 as the
Western Conference-leading Wild (34-12-5, 73 points) won two of three
contests. On Jan. 31, Granlund recorded one assist in a 5-2 victory over
the Edmonton Oilers and on Feb. 1, he registered one assist in a 5-1 loss
to the Calgary Flames. Granlund closed out the week by recording his first
career hat trick and added one assist in a 6-3 win over the Vancouver
Canucks on Feb. 4. In his fifth NHL season, all with Minnesota, the
24-year-old Oulu, Finland native leads the Wild with 48 points (15-33—48)
and is riding a franchise-best 12 game point streak (5-12—17), the longest
such run in the NHL this season.

THIRD STAR – PETER BUDAJ, G, LOS ANGELES KINGS

Budaj went 3-1-0 with a 1.62 goals-against average, .930 save
percentage and two shutouts as the Kings, who hold the first Wild Card spot
in the Western Conference, improved to 27-22-4 (58 points). Budaj opened
the week by stopping 30 shots in a 3-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on
Jan.31. He then recorded consecutive shutouts in a 5-0 win against the
Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 1 (22 saves) and a 1-0 overtime victory over the
Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 4 (17 saves). He finished the week by stopping
11 shots over two periods as the Kings fell 5-0 to the Washington Capitals
on Feb. 5. Budaj, a 34-year-old Banska Bystrica, Slovakia native has posted
a 25-15-3 record this season with a 2.02 goals-against average, .920 save
percentage and a League-leading seven shutouts.