NEW YORK – Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson and Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of March presented by GEICO.
FIRST STAR – NIKITA KUCHEROV, RW, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Kucherov, despite missing two games, led the NHL with 9-17—26 in 14 contests to power the Lightning (46-22-6, 98 points) to an 8-6-2 month as they neared their second straight 100-point season and third in the past five years (also 2021-22). He found the scoresheet in 11 of his 14 appearances to additionally rank among the top March performers in assists (1st; 17), even-strength points (t-2nd; 18), even-strength assists (t-3rd; 11), goals (t-8th; 9), even-strength goals (t-8th; 7) and plus/minus (t-8th; +10). The two-time defending Art Ross Trophy winner registered four assists on March 7 at TOR to hit the 100-point milestone for the fourth straight season and sixth time overall – tied for the seventh-most in League history. He finished the month with six total multi-point performances, including a trio of games with at least four points (also March 17 at SEA: 3-2—5 and March 21 at EDM: 2-2—4), while ultimately reaching the 120-point mark for the third consecutive year and fourth time overall – a total achieved by just eight other players in NHL history: Wayne Gretzky (14), Mario Lemieux (8), Marcel Dionne (6), Phil Esposito (6), Guy Lafleur (5), Jaromir Jagr (4), Connor McDavid (4) and Bobby Orr (4). The 32-year-old Kucherov sits second in the League with 40-81—121 through 68 overall games this season, also placing among the leaders in points per game (1st; 1.78), assists (2nd; 81), power-play assists (t-3rd; 29), plus/minus (4th; +42), goals (t-5th; 40), game-winning goals (t-5th; 7) and power-play points (6th; 36).
SECOND STAR – ERIK KARLSSON, D, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Karlsson topped defensemen and placed second in the entire NHL with 9-15—24 in 17 games to propel the Penguins (38-21-16, 92 points) to an 8-6-3 March as they maintained their hold on second place in the Metropolitan Division. His nine goals were the most in a calendar month by a Pittsburgh blueliner, ahead of the eight scored by Paul Coffey in December 1990 (17 GP), while his 24 points ranked second only to Coffey’s 28 in February 1990 (6-22—28 in 14 GP). Karlsson also became the third defenseman this century to score at least nine goals in a single month (for any team), joining Sergei Gonchar (10 in January 2000 w/ WSH) and Mike Green (9 in February 2009 w/ WSH). At 35 years, 304 days on the final day of March, Karlsson became the oldest blueliner in League history to record at least 24 points in a single month – ahead of Roman Josi, who was 31 years, 303 days when he concluded March 2022 with 4-24—28 (w/ NSH). Karlsson, a three-time James Norris Memorial Trophy winner, sits ninth among defensemen with 13-47—60 through 70 total appearances this season – his eighth career 60-point campaign and first since producing a career-high 25-76—101 in 2022-23 (w/ SJS).
THIRD STAR – PAVEL ZACHA, C, BOSTON BRUINS
Zacha paced the NHL with 13 goals in 16 games (13-9—22) to lift the Bruins (43-24-8, 94 points) into the first Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference on the strength of a 23-point March (10-3-3) – the second-most standings points in the League behind the Buffalo Sabres (11-2-2, 24 points). Zacha became the fifth Boston player in the last 42 years (since 1983-84) to score at least 13 goals in a single month, following Brad Marchand (14 in April 2021), David Pastrnak (13 in January 2023), Jarome Iginla (13 in March 2014) and Cam Neely (13 in January 1994). Zacha scored in half of his 16 March outings, highlighted by his second career hat trick March 8 at PIT. He also picked up points in 13 of his 16 appearances, including seven multi-point efforts. The 28-year-old Zacha, playing in his 11th NHL season, ranks third on the Bruins with career highs in both goals (28) and points (60) through 72 total contests in 2025-26 (28-32—60).
