FIRST STAR - NIKITA KUCHEROV, RW, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Kucherov topped the NHL with 21 assists and 30 points in 14 outings (9-21-30), averaging 2.14 points per game to power the League-leading Lightning (31-7-2, 64 points) to a 13-0-1 December - franchise records for wins and points in any calendar month. Kucherov, who also set Tampa Bay records for assists and points in a single month, became the first NHL player to register 30-plus points in any calendar month since Jaromir Jagr achieved the feat with the Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2001 (15-16-31 in 15 GP). Kucherov did so by finding the scoresheet in all but one of his 14 December appearances, including 11 straight to close the month (7-16-23). That was highlighted by 1-4-5 Dec. 22 at EDM, career highs for assists and points in a game as well as the 12th five-point performance in Lightning history. The 25-year-old Maykop, Russia, native paces the NHL with 46 assists and 65 points in 40 total games this season. He also sits second in the League with 23 power-play points (8-15-23), 10 of which came in December (4-6-10).

SECOND STAR - JOHNNY GAUDREAU, LW, CALGARY FLAMES

Gaudreau ranked second in the NHL with 11 goals and 26 points in 14 contests

(11 15-26) to propel the Pacific Division-leading Flames (24-12-4, 52 points) to a 9-3-2 December. Gaudreau collected points in 10 of his 14 appearances, including nine multi-point efforts. Among them were two four-point performances (Dec. 4 at CBJ: 2-2-4 and Dec. 31 vs. SJS: 2-2-4); four multi-goal outings, including his fourth career hat trick (Dec. 27 at WPG); and two additional three-point games (Dec. 12 vs. PHI: 1-2-3 and Dec. 16 at STL: 2-1-3). The 25-year-old Salem, N.J., native - who also shared third place in December with a +15 rating - places fifth in the NHL this season with 21-34-55 in 40 total appearances. He is the first member of the Flames with 55 or more points through the team's opening 40 games of a season since 1992-93, when Gary Roberts achieved the feat (26-29-55 in 40 GP).

THIRD STAR - CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS

McDavid ranked third in the NHL with 8-16-24 in 13 outings to guide the Oilers (18-18-3, 39 points) to points in half of their December games (6-7-1). McDavid found the scoresheet in all but one of his 13 appearances, including four straight multi-point games to close the month (2-7-9) and his sixth career four-point performance Dec. 7 vs. MIN (1-3-4). He also hit a pair of career milestones, becoming the ninth player in League history to reach the 300-point mark (Dec. 13 at WPG) and the sixth player in NHL history to hit the 200-assist plateau (Dec. 22 vs. TBL) prior to his 22nd birthday. The 21-year-old Richmond Hill, Ont., native places fourth in the League with 21-37-58 in 38 total contests this season. McDavid, the No. 1 overall selection from the 2015 NHL Draft, also leads the League with 1.27 points per game since making his debut in 2015-16 (108-206-314 in 247 GP).