Evan Bouchard Earns NHL Third Star Honors After Red-Hot January
The Edmonton Oilers have found a serious spark on the blue line, and his name is Evan Bouchard. The 24-year-old defenceman just wrapped up a blistering January, earning himself the NHL’s third star of the month after putting up numbers that would make even elite forwards take notice.
Bouchard racked up 23 points - eight goals and 15 assists - across 15 games, leading all defencemen and ranking fourth among all NHL skaters for the month. That kind of production from the back end doesn’t just happen every day - in fact, it barely happens every decade.
Over the past 33 years, only two defencemen have posted more points in a single month: Roman Josi (28 in March 2022) and Cale Makar (25 in November 2023). That’s the kind of company Bouchard is keeping right now.
And it’s not just about the numbers. Bouchard's play was a driving force behind Edmonton’s 8-5-2 record in January.
His ability to jump into the rush, command the power play, and still handle his defensive responsibilities has turned him into one of the most impactful two-way players in the league this season. He’s not just padding stats - he’s helping the Oilers win hockey games.
But Bouchard wasn’t the only one lighting it up in January.
Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov claimed the NHL’s first star of the month, and honestly, it’s hard to argue. Kucherov was on another level, leading the league with 31 points - including 22 assists - in just 13 games.
He helped the Lightning surge to an 11-1-1 record, vaulting them to the top of both the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. Kucherov recorded points in 12 of those 13 games and had a staggering 10 multi-point performances.
That’s his third career 30-point month, making him just the eighth player in NHL history to hit that mark at least three times. We’re witnessing a generational playmaker at the height of his powers.
Boston’s David Pastrnak rounded out the top three as the NHL’s second star. Pastrnak tied for second in the league with 25 points (20 assists) over 14 games, helping the Bruins to an 11-2-1 month - good enough to push them into the final playoff spot in the East.
His 25-point outburst was the most by a Bruins player in a single month since Brad Marchand tallied 26 in March 2018. Pastrnak’s blend of vision, speed, and creativity continues to be the heartbeat of Boston’s offense.
So while Kucherov and Pastrnak were doing their thing up front, Bouchard was making waves from the blue line - and doing it in historic fashion. If this is a sign of things to come, the Oilers might have found the kind of defensive weapon that can tilt a playoff series.