NEW YORK (– Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov, Seattle Kraken right wing Eeli Tolvanen and Montreal Canadiens left wing Juraj Slafkovský have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” presented by GEICO for the week ending Dec. 28.
FIRST STAR – NIKITA KUCHEROV, RW, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Kucherov registered a League-leading 4-2—6 in three contests to propel the Lightning (22-13-3, 47 points) to a perfect week and into second place in the Atlantic Division. He collected a pair of assists in a 4-1 win against the St. Louis Blues Dec. 22. Kucherov then scored twice in each of his next two outings, notching his 61st career game-winning goal (and fourth of the season) in a 4-2 triumph over the Florida Panthers Dec. 27 and posting his 54th career multi-goal performance (and fourth of the campaign) in a 5‑4 shootout victory against the Montreal Canadiens Dec. 28. The 32-year-old Kucherov, who has won the Art Ross Trophy each of the past two seasons (and three times overall), sits seventh in the NHL with 17-32—49 through 34 total appearances in 2025-26.
SECOND STAR – EELI TOLVANEN, RW, SEATTLE KRAKEN
Tolvanen ranked second in the NHL with 2-4—6 in three games to guide the Kraken (16-14-6, 38 points) to their fourth straight win (dating to Dec. 20) as they moved within one point of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. He recorded one assist in a 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks Dec. 22 before adding a pair of helpers in a 3-2 triumph versus the Los Angeles Kings Dec. 23. Tolvanen then registered 2-1—3, his sixth career multi-goal game and eighth career three-point performance, in a 4-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers Dec. 28. The 26-year-old Tolvanen, who has points in six straight games dating to Dec. 16 (3-7—10), tops Seattle with 7-18—25 through 36 total contests this season.
THIRD STAR – JURAJ SLAFKOVSKÝ, LW, MONTREAL CANADIENS
Slafkovský produced 3-2—5 across two outings to help the Canadiens (20-12-6, 46 points) go 1‑0-1 and extend their point streak to five games dating to Dec. 18 (3-0-2). He collected 1-1—2 in a 6-2 win versus the Boston Bruins Dec. 23. Slafkovský then notched 2-1—3, including the tying goal with 3.8 seconds remaining in regulation, in an eventual 5-4 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning Dec. 28. The 21-year-old Slafkovský, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft, ranks fifth on Montreal with 13-15—28 through 38 total appearances this season after recording a career-best 18-33—51 in 2024-25 (79 GP).
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