NHL names three stars of November
via NHL.com
Another month of the 2022-2023 NHL season has come and gone, and we have been continuing to be treated to some great hockey. With the great hockey we had already seen only getting better, the player performances have continued to get better as well. Three of those performances have stood out among the rest of the performances in November to claim the honors of NHL’s “Three Stars” of the month for November. The three players who earned that honor were Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars, Vitek Vanecek of the New Jersey Devils, and Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
NHL’s Third Star of the Month – Mitch Marner
The 25-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs forward had an amazing month that saw him help lead the Leafs to an 11-1-3 record, which broke the record for total points in Maple Leafs’ history in a single month with a total of 25 points. Marner and the Leafs played 15 games in November and Marner put up at least a point in each of them. In those 15 games, Marner put up six goals and 14 assists for a total of 20 points. He also tied the Toronto record for the longest point streak with an 18-game point streak that dates back to October 27. The Maple Leafs selected Marner with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft and he has since formed one of the league’s best duos with Auston Matthews. His 21 assists put him in a tie for fifth in the league and his 29 points are good enough for eleventh in the league.
NHL’s Second Star of the Month – Vitek Vanecek
The New Jersey Devils were probably the best team in the NHL as they finished the month with the league’s best record of 13-1-0 and made it to first place in the NHL. They went on a 13-game winning streak that dated back to October 25 and tied their franchise record for the longest winning streak overall and on the road. Vanecek’s play as New Jersey’s top goaltender was a huge part of that run as he played in 10 games, finishing with a record of 8-1-0. He finished with a 2.13 goals-against average and a save percentage of .930. The 26-year-old goalie has been having one of the best starts among goalies in the NHL as he is currently tied for fourth in the league in wins, eighth in save percentage with .923, and his 2.12 goals-against average is good enough for third.
NHL’s First Star of the Month – Jason Robertson
The Dallas Stars forward became the first player in NHL history to lead the league in goals and points during a calendar month. He finished November with 15 goals and 11 assists for a total of 26 points in 14 games. He helped lead the Stars to a record of 8-3-3 in November and first place in the Central Division. He scored in each of the Stars’ 14 games in the month to extend his point streak to 16 games, which dates back to October 27. He scored multiple points in nine of the 14 games and even had three games in a row where he did it. The Stars selected the 23-year-old forward in the second round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and he has quickly become one of the best players in the league. He is currently second in the NHL in points with 39 and is the first player this season to score 20 goals, he currently leads the league in goals with 22.
