The three stars in the NHL this past week gave the Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders and Arizona Coyotes a boost they badly needed in their chase for the playoffs.

Welcome back to the latest THN.com’s NHL three stars of the week file. 

In this ongoing feature, we’ve examined the results of the past week in the NHL and picked the three NHLers with the most positive impact on their team’s bottom line. On to it, we go:

3. Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders

The Islanders have been in desperate need of scoring this season, and this week, Barzal supplied it. 

He posted two goals – including a game-winner – and seven points in just two games. The 26-year-old improved his individual numbers to 16 assists and 23 points in 22 games, putting him on pace to match his career-best totals of 63 assists and 85 points in 82 games of the 2017-18 campaign.

Barzal did not play in the Isles’ Saturday tilt against Florida, but he continues to lead his team in assists and points this year. If the Islanders are to continue their fight to carve out a playoff berth for themselves in the competitive Metropolitan Division, they’ll need him back as soon as possible.

At a cap hit of $9.15 million, he’s their top-paid player, and given that the rest of the roster isn’t exactly brimming with dynamic performers with the puck, Barzal’s success – or lack thereof – will go a long way in dictating how the Islanders look in the standings.

2. Connor Ingram, Arizona Coyotes

The Coyotes have won four consecutive games to vault up the Central Division ranks, and Ingram’s standout play has been a major part of their success. 

In three games this week, the 26-year-old put up a 1.63 goals-against average, .947 save percentage and a 3-0-0 record, bumping up his season totals to a 10-3-0 mark, 2.40 GAA and .926 SP in 14 appearances.

Heading into the season, veteran Karel Vejmelka was Arizona’s No. 1 netminder, but he hasn’t fared well, going 2-6-2 with a .892 SP and 3.45 GAA in 11 appearances. That opened the door for Ingram, and he’s marched through it, infusing his Coyotes teammates with confidence and earning the starter’s job. 

There’s still a sense Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong will explore trading Vejmelka. If he does so, it will be an easier pill to swallow for Arizona fans, who can look at Ingram as their goalie of the foreseeable future.

Ingram is signed through the 2025-26 season at the low rate of a $1.95-million salary, and that’s one of the better bargains in the game right now. The Coyotes still may not make it to the post-season this year, but the franchise is feeling good about where it is at the moment. Ingram is one of the players responsible for that good vibe.

1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

Surprise, surprise – the world’s best player looked in peak condition this week, with a league-best seven assists and nine points in only three games. 

McDavid now has 21 assists and 29 points in 20 games. His goal total is down significantly from the 64 he scored in 2022-23, but he’s almost on the same pace with his assists total of 89 from last year.

When McDavid is thriving, he takes the pressure off his Oilers teammates. That’s what we saw this week. Edmonton’s next-most productive player on offense in the past seven days was winger Zach Hyman, who amassed two goals and four points in two games. 

McDavid’s frustration with the team’s direction was palpable, but winning cures all ailments, and the dressing room in Edmonton is a much more fun place to be than it was a short time ago.

The entire Oilers lineup has played better hockey since former coach Jay Woodcroft was let go in favor of Kris Knoblauch, but don’t kid yourself – when McDavid looks like the straw that stirs the drink, just about any coach in the game is going to look smart.