McDavid, Draisaitl lead Stars of the Month for March

NEW YORK -- Edmonton Oilers teammates Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller have been named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the month of March.

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FIRST STAR - CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS

McDavid, the League's "First Star" for the second straight month and third time overall in 2022-23 (also October), topped the NHL with 11-18-29 in 15 contests to lift the Oilers (44-23-9, 97 points) into second place in the Pacific Division on the strength of a League-best 12-2-1 March, setting and matching franchise records for wins and points in a calendar month, respectively. McDavid, who also ranked among the top March performers in power-play points (t-1st; 13), assists (2nd; 18), power-play assists (t 2nd; 9), goals (t-3rd; 11) and power-play goals (t-4th; 4), registered 10 multi-point performances while finding the scoresheet in 14 of his 15 outings. That included a 10-game point streak to close the month (March 11-30: 7-13-20), his unprecedented fifth double-digit run of the season. Among his March achievements, McDavid became the 22nd player in NHL history (and fastest since 1995-96) to reach the 60-goal milestone (72 GP), the 10th player (and first since 1995-96) to accumulate 140 points in a season, and the seventh player (and first since 1995-96) to compile both 60 goals and 80 assists within a single campaign. The 26-year-old McDavid, who capped the month by becoming the 11th-youngest player in League history to reach the 300-goal milestone, paces the NHL in goals (61), assists (83) and points (144), as well as power-play assists (46), power-play points (67) and game-winning goals (t-10), through 76 total games in 2022-23. He is seeking to become the first player since Wayne Gretzky in 1986-87 to outright lead the League in goals, assists and points in a single season.

SECOND STAR - LEON DRAISAITL, C, EDMONTON OILERS

Draisaitl ranked second in the NHL with 11-17-28 in 15 appearances as he and McDavid finished as the top two scorers in a calendar month for the third time (also January 2021 and May 2021). Draisaitl, who also hit the 300-goal milestone (March 27 at ARI), placed among the March leaders in power-play goals (1st; 6), power-play points (t-1st; 13), goals (t-3rd; 11), assists (t-3rd; 17) and power-play assists (t-5th; 7). He collected points in all but one of his 15 March outings, recording his seventh career hat trick (March 4 at WPG), producing nine multi-point performances (including six straight from March 18-28: 3-12-15) and finishing the month on an 11-game point streak (March 9-30: 6-15-21). Draisaitl also followed McDavid by becoming the second player to reach the 100-point mark in 2022-23 (March 14 vs. OTT). The duo became the second set of teammates in NHL history to be the first two players to hit the milestone in consecutive seasons, following the Boston Bruins' tandem of Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr in 1973-74 and 1974-75. The 27-year-old Draisaitl, who claimed the Hart Memorial Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award and Art Ross Trophy in 2019-20, already has compiled career highs in assists and points this season while nearing his third 50-goal campaign. He has played in 74 total contests, sitting among the League leaders in power-play goals (1st; 29), game-winning goals (t-1st; 10), points (2nd; 117), power-play points (2nd; 57), assists (3rd; 70), shooting percentage (4th; 20.5%), goals (t-4th; 47) and power-play assists (5th; 28).

THIRD STAR - CLAYTON KELLER, RW, ARIZONA COYOTES

Keller shared the League lead with 12 goals and placed third in the NHL with 12-12-24 across 16 outings to guide Arizona (27-36-13, 67 points) to a 6-6-4 March. He found the scoresheet in each of his final 14 games of the month (March 5-31: 11-12-23), tied for the League's longest active point streak (w/ Elias Pettersson, VAN) as well as the longest by a Coyotes/Jets player since 1995-96 (Teemu Selanne: 5-18-23 in 15 GP w/ WIN). Keller also scored in nine of his 16 contests, including three multi-goal efforts, and produced six multi-point performances. He reached the 30-goal milestone for the first time (March 14 vs. CGY), topped his career high in assists (March 18 vs. CHI) and became the first Coyotes/Jets player with 80 points in a season (March 26 vs. COL) since Keith Tkachuk in 1996-97 (52 34-86 in 81 GP). The 24-year-old Keller has played in 76 total games this season, pacing Arizona in goals (36; 14 more than the next-closest player), assists (46; 13 more than the next-closest player) and points (82; 28 more than the next-closest player). He has registered points in 24 of his 26 outings since the All-Star break (18-23-41); only one NHL player has accumulated more points in that timeframe (McDavid: 20-32-52 in 26 GP).