FIRST STAR – CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS
McDavid, who scored in all four of his appearances and put in a trio of multi-point performances, posted a 5-5-10 lead in the League to earn his second consecutive ‘First Star’ honour, overtaking Nathan Mackinnon in the Art Ross Trophy race and lift the Oilers (18-13-6, 42 points) to third place in the Pacific Division via a 3-1-0 week. He went 2-2-4, his third four-point performance of the season (also December 4 vs. SEA: 3-1-4 and December 11 vs. DET: 0-4-4), in a 6-4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 16. McDavid followed that up with 1-1-2, including his 19th career shorthanded goal, in a 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins on December 18 before potting. one of Edmonton’s two goals in a 5–2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on December 20. He finished the week with 1-2-3, his twentieth multi-point performance of the campaign, in a 4-3 win against the Vegas Golden Knights on December 21. The 28-year-old McDavid, spurred by a 10-game point streak dating back to Dec. 4 (12-14-26), leads the NHL with 23-39-62 through 37 total games this season. He also ranks among the 2025-26 leaders in assists (1st; 39), power-play assists (1st; 20), power-play points (1st; 27), goals (t-3rd; 23) and shots on goal (10th; 122).
SECOND STAR – LINUS ULLMARK, G, OTTAWA SENATORS
Ullmark went 3-0-0 with a 1.32 goals-against average, a .943 save percentage and one shutout to take the lead. Senators (18-13-4, 40 points) to a perfect week that saw them move within one point of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. He denied 23 shots as Ottawa rallied from 3-2 overtime against the Winnipeg Jets on December 15. Ullmark then earned his 13th career shutout with 25 saves in a 4–0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 18. He finished the week with 18 stops in a 6–2 win over his former team, the Boston Bruins, on December 21. The 32-year-old Ullmark, aided by an 8-3-0 record in his last 11 starts as of Nov. 20 (2.54 GAA, .899 SV%, 1 SO), is tied for sixth in the NHL with 14 wins in 26 total appearances this season (14-8-4, 2.85 GAA, .884 SV%, 1 SO).
THIRD STAR – ZACH WERENSKI, D, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
Werenski tied for the league lead with five goals in three games (5-2-7) to help the team Blue jackets (14-15-6, 34 points) complete a 1-2-0 week. He registered 2-1-3, including an assist Adam Fantilli‘s overtime winner, in a 4–3 victory against the Anaheim Ducks on December 16. Werenski then scored twice in a 5–2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on December 18, becoming the first defenseman in franchise history with back-to-back multi-goal games. He added his third straight multi-point performance, and 14th of 2025-26, going 1-1-2 in a 4-3 loss to the Ducks on December 20. The 28-year-old Werenski, who owns 5-5-10 during a five-game stretch dating back to Dec. 11, is among the top NHL blueliners in goals (t-1st; 14), points (2nd; 40) and assists (t-4th; 26) through 35 games this season.
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