The NHL announced its Three Stars of the Week for the period ending March 1, 2026, honoring New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer as the first star for his four-goal performance in three games. Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs earned second star honors with a 2-0-0 record and a shutout, while Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy took third for seven points in three contests. These accolades come as teams return from the Olympic break and gear up for the March 6 trade deadline.
The NHL's weekly honors recognize standout performers amid a busy schedule following the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Matthew Schaefer, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, led all players with four goals during the week, contributing to the Islanders' three consecutive multi-goal comeback victories. In a 4-3 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens on February 26, Schaefer scored twice in 55 seconds late in the second period to erase a 2-0 deficit, surpassing Phil Housley's record for the most goals by an 18-year-old defenseman with 18 tallies this season. He added three points in a 5-4 victory over the Florida Panthers on March 1, becoming the first rookie defenseman to reach 20 goals in a season. Schaefer leads rookies in total ice time at 1,471:35 minutes and power-play production, with seven power-play goals and 15 points.
Arturs Silovs, a 24-year-old rookie goaltender for the Penguins, posted a 2-0-0 record with a 0.50 goals-against average and .981 save percentage. Returning from representing Latvia at the Olympics—where he secured their first win since 2014—Silovs made 29 saves in a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on February 26 and earned his second career shutout with 22 stops in a 2-0 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 1. He has allowed two or fewer goals in seven of his last nine starts, helping Pittsburgh earn points in 20 of 23 games since the holiday break.
Matt Boldy, fresh off a gold medal with Team USA at the Olympics, topped the league with seven points (3-4—7) in three games for the Wild. He recorded four points in a 5-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on February 26, including two empty-net goals, and added two more points across losses to the Utah Mammoth and St. Louis Blues. Boldy shares second in the NHL with 35 goals and has points in nine straight games, totaling 69 points through 57 games. These performances highlight emerging talents as the league approaches the trade deadline on March 6.
