MacKinnon leads 3 Stars of the Month for December

NEW YORK -- Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of December.

FIRST STAR – NATHAN MacKINNON, C, COLORADO AVALANCHE

MacKinnon paced the NHL with 18 assists and 29 points in 15 games (11-18—29) to propel the Avalanche (23-11-3, 49 points) to an 8-5-2 December. His 29 points set a franchise record for a single calendar month, besting Peter Stastny’s 28 in February 1981 (12-16—28 in 12 GP w/ QUE). MacKinnon, who found the scoresheet in all but one of his appearances (Dec. 29 at STL), also ranked among the December leaders in power-play assists (1st; 9), power-play points (t-1st; 12), goals (t-2nd; 11), shots on goal (6th; 59) and power-play goals (t-7th; 3). He ran his overall point streak to 19 games from Nov. 20 – Dec. 27 (13-23—36), tied for the third-longest in Avalanche/Nordiques history, and also extended his active, season-opening home point streak to 19 contests (15-25—40), a length last surpassed by Wayne Gretzky’s record 40-game home point streak to begin 1988-89 (33-70—103 w/ LAK). MacKinnon produced nine multi-point performances during the month, highlighted by 2-2—4 Dec. 17 vs. SJS and 4-1—5 Dec. 21 vs. OTT, the first four-goal effort in Avalanche team history and the sixth five-point outing of his career. The 28-year-old MacKinnon, who sat 13th in League scoring through November (8-21—29 in 22 GP), now ranks second overall with 19-39—58 in 37 total contests. He also places among the 2023-24 leaders in assists (1st; 39), power-play assists (1st; 19), power-play points (t-2nd; 23), shots on goal (3rd; 162) and goals (9th; 19).

SECOND STAR – AUSTON MATTHEWS, C, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Matthews led the NHL with 15 goals in 12 games (15-6—21), four more than any other player, to guide the Maple Leafs (17-10-7, 41 points) to a 5-4-4 December. Only three players in franchise history have scored as many goals in a single calendar month: Rick Vaive (17 in January 1983, 16 GP), Babe Dye (15 in February 1921, 9 GP) and Frank Mahovlich (15 in December 1960, 13 GP). Matthews hit the back of the net in nine of his 12 December contests, including a run of seven consecutive personal appearances from Dec. 9-23 (12-4—16). That stretch included five multi-goal performances – highlighted by a streak of three straight from Dec. 12-19 (6-3—9) – as well as 2-2—4 Dec. 12 at NYR, his 13th career four-point outing and first of 2023-24. The 26-year-old Matthews, who claimed the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in 2021-22 and 2020-21, tops the NHL with 29 goals through 33 total games this season (29-15—44). He also sits among the top 10 in power-play goals (t-6th; 8), shots on goal (9th; 143) and points (t-10th; 44).

THIRD STAR – CONNOR HELLEBUYCK, G, WINNIPEG JETS

Hellebuyck went 7-0-2 with a 1.88 goals-against average and .934 save percentage in nine starts to lift the Jets (22-9-4, 48 points) to an NHL-best 10-1-2 December. He shared the League lead in wins, while his goals-against average and save percentage placed second only to the Seattle Kraken’s Joey Daccord (1.80 GAA, .939 SV%) among goaltenders with a minimum of five appearances. Hellebuyck, who is one game shy of matching his longest personal point streak (10, achieved 2x), allowed two or fewer goals in all but one his December outings. He made at least 30 saves four times, capped by a month-high 34 stops Dec. 30 vs. MIN. The 30-year-old Hellebuyck, who captured the Vezina Trophy in 2019-20, shares second place in NHL with 17 wins through 26 total appearances this season (17-6-3). He also ranks among the League leaders (minimum: 12 GP) in goals-against average (5th; 2.34) and save percentage (7th; .919).