Nathan MacKinnon’s hot streak shows no signs of slowing, as the Colorado Avalanche star was named the NHL’s second star of the month for December, following his first-star honor in November. Last month, MacKinnon, playing alongside two other Team Canada centers, recorded 26 points in 14 games, including 14 goals. With 34 goals in 39 games and 43 games remaining, MacKinnon is on pace to challenge the Avalanche franchise record of 57 goals. If he maintains his current scoring pace, breaking that mark is well within reach. MACKINNON’S GOAL SURGE CONTINUES The 30-year-old center is on pace for a staggering 72 goals and 76 assists, which would give him 147 points for the season. If he reaches those numbers, he would join an exclusive club—no player has scored 70 or more goals in a season in over 30 years. The last to hit the mark were Hockey Hall of Famers Alexander Mogilny and Teemu Selänne, who each netted 76 goals for the Buffalo Sabres and the original Winnipeg Jets, respectively, during the 1992–93 season. Nathan MacKinnon reveals to The Hockey News the key people in his life who have helped him reach the top level of hockey. MCDAVID EARNS TOP HONORS, CELEBRINI THIRD Connor McDavid dominated December, racking up 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in 15 games—the most by any NHL player in a single calendar month since Mario Lemieux notched 34 points in 14 games in December 1995. His remarkable run helped lift the Edmonton Oilers from sixth to first in the Pacific Division, as the team went 9-5-1 over the month to reach 46 points. It was enough to net him the First Star for the month of December. After a scoreless start on Dec. 2 against Minnesota, McDavid scored in each of his next 14 games, marking his seventh career streak of at least 14 games with a point and his first since March 11–April 13, 2023. During that stretch, he recorded nine multi-point games, including five consecutive contests from Dec. 4–13, highlighted by his 13th career hat trick against Seattle on Dec. 4 and a five-assist performance against Calgary on Dec. 23. McDavid also excelled on the power play, leading the league in power-play assists (12) and power-play points (16) for the month, while ranking among the top December performers in overall assists, goals, shots on goal, and even-strength production. The 28-year-old now shares the NHL scoring lead with MacKinnon at 70 points through 41 games, despite starting November eight points behind the Avalanche star. This season, McDavid leads the league in assists (46), power-play assists (23), and power-play points (30), while ranking fourth in goals (24) and among the top in even-strength points and shots on goal—continuing his dominance as one of the game’s premier offensive talents. On the other side of the world, there's Macklin Celebrini. The 19-year-old continued his breakout season in December, finishing fourth in the NHL with 25 points (8 goals, 17 assists) in 14 games. His strong play helped the San Jose Sharks climb into the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, as the team went 8-6-0 over the month. That earned him Third Star honors for December. Celebrini scored in 11 of 14 games, including a nine-game point streak to close out December, and recorded eight multi-point efforts, highlighted by two three-game hot stretches. He also had five games with at least three points, showcasing his ability to take over contests. Celebrini has been a dominant force at even strength, ranking among the league leaders in even-strength points (24), assists (17), and goals (8). Through 40 games this season, he sits third in NHL scoring with 62 points (22 goals, 40 assists), a mark only surpassed by Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby in their first 40 games as teenagers. He has factored in more than half of San Jose’s goals this season, underscoring his importance to the Sharks’ offense and his emergence as one of the league’s top young stars. AVALANCHE VS. HURRICANES As for the NHL-leading Avalanche (30-2-7), they take on the Carolina Hurricanes (24-13-3) on Saturday at Lenovo Center. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/f7b8eef1-ea9a-4d48-be6a-5a42f6f268c4.jpeg]
