Oilers’ Bouchard named NHL’s third star of the month

By Canadian Press on February 1, 2026.

NEW YORK — Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard has been named the NHL’s third star of the month.

Bouchard topped all defencemen and ranked fourth among all skaters with 23 (eight goals, 15 assists) in 15 games to guide the Oilers to an 8-5-2 January.

Only two blueliners in the past 33 years have compiled more points in a single calendar month: Nashville’s Roman Josi with 28 points in March 2022 and Colorado’s Cale Makar with 25 points in November 2023.

Tampa Bay Lightning right-wing Nikita Kucherov and Boston Bruins right-wing David Pastrnak were named the first and second stars.

Kucherov paced the league with 22 assists and 31 points in 13 games to lift the Lightning into first place in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference on the strength of an 11-1-1 January. January marked Kucherov’s third career 30-point month, making him the eighth player in NHL history to achieve the feat at least three times. He found the scoresheet in 12 of his 13 appearances, highlighted by a league-best 10 multi-point performances.

Pastrnak tied for second in the NHL with 20 assists and 25 points in 14 contests as Boston had an 11-2-1 January to climb into the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. His 25 points were the most by a Bruins player in a single calendar month since March 2018, when Brad Marchand totalled 26 points.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2026.

The Canadian Press