NEW YORK – Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson and Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” presented by GEICO for the week ending Dec. 14.
FIRST STAR – CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS
McDavid led the NHL with 4-6—10 in four appearances to propel the Oilers (15-12-6, 36 points) to a 2-1-1 week. He scored twice, including the tying goal with two seconds remaining in regulation, as Edmonton overcame a three-goal third-period deficit in an eventual 4-3 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres Dec. 9. McDavid then recorded his 12th career four-assist performance – tied for the eighth-most in League history – in a 4-1 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings Dec. 11. He followed that with 2-1—3, including a highlight-reel goal 3:25 after the opening face-off, in a 6-3 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs Dec. 13 before closing the week with an assist on the Oilers’ lone goal in a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens Dec. 14. The 28-year-old McDavid, a three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner and five-time Art Ross Trophy recipient, sits second in the NHL with 18-34—52 through 33 total contests this season – aided by 7-9—16 during a six-game point streak dating to Dec. 4. McDavid also tops the League in assists (34) while ranking third in both power-play assists (15) and power-play points (20).
SECOND STAR – JOHN GIBSON, G, DETROIT RED WINGS
Gibson posted a pair of shutouts in his three starts, going 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and .971 save percentage to lift the Red Wings (18-12-3, 39 points) into second place in the Atlantic Division. He earned his first clean sheet with Detroit by making 39 saves in a 4-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks Dec. 8. Gibson then turned aside 34 of 37 shots, including each of the first 28 he faced, in a 4-3 triumph versus the Calgary Flames Dec. 10. He capped the week with 26 saves for his 26th career shutout in a 4-0 win against the Chicago Blackhawks Dec. 13. The 32-year-old Gibson owns a 9-7-1 record, 3.13 goals-against average, .890 save percentage and two shutouts through 18 total appearances this season – his first with the Red Wings after spending his first 12 NHL campaigns with the Anaheim Ducks.
THIRD STAR – JOEL ERIKSSON EK, C, MINNESOTA WILD
Eriksson Ek collected 3-4—7 in four contests to help the Wild (19-9-5, 43 points) register a perfect week as they moved into fourth place in the overall League standings. He notched multiple points in each of his first two outings, picking up 1-2—3 in a 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken Dec. 8 and 1-1—2 in a 5-2 triumph against the Dallas Stars Dec. 11. Eriksson Ek then scored the tiebreaking goal with 24 seconds remaining in regulation for a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators Dec. 13 before posting one assist in a 6-2 win versus the Boston Bruins Dec. 14. The 28-year-old Eriksson Ek, who has played all 10 of his NHL seasons with Minnesota, has compiled 7-16—23 through 33 total games in 2025-26.
