NHL DECEMBER 21, 2025 – Crosby leapfrogs Lemieux for most points in franchise history

Sidney Crosby Becomes Pittsburgh Penguins’ All-Time Points Leader

Sidney Crosby collected Pittsburgh’s first goal and assisted on the Penguins’ second to reach 1,724 career points and pass Mario Lemieux (1,723) as the franchise’s all-time scoring leader, a title Lemieux had held for nearly 37 years. Crosby also leapfrogged Lemieux for eighth place on the NHL’s all-time points list and for the third most with one franchise in League history.

Other Olympic-bound players produce in wins Sunday

Nathan MacKinnon (Team Canada), Connor McDavid (Team Canada) and Moritz Seider (Team Germany) also shone in addition to Sidney Crosby (Team Canada):

• MacKinnon tallied twice to become the NHL’s first 30-goal scorer this season and help League-leading Colorado (26-2-7, 59 points) extend its winning streak to five games. MacKinnon (35 GP) became the second-fastest player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to reach the 30-goal mark behind Quebec’s Michel Goulet (34 GP in 1985-86).
• McDavid (1-2—3) factored on three goals and moved into first place in the League scoring race, eclipsing MacKinnon, as the Oilers (18-13-6, 42 points) fended off a Golden Knights (16-8-10, 42 points) rally to gain ground on them in the Pacific Division standings. McDavid boosted his 2025 totals to 41-100—141 (including playoffs), marking his fifth career 140-point season – tied with Mario Lemieux and Phil Esposito for the second most in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky (13).
• Seider scored the overtime winner to help the Atlantic Division-leading Red Wings (21-13-3, 45 points) win their eighth game of December, which is tied with the Wild for the most among all teams. Seider scored his third career overtime goal and tied Danny DeKeyser and Jake Walman for the third most by a defenseman in Detroit Red Wings history. The most is four – a record held by Nicklas Lidstrom and Niklas Kronwall. Seider moved up the list of most overtime goals by a German player – the only defenseman above him is Christian Ehrhoff.

CANUCKS, FLYERS MEET ON FOUR-GAME MONDAY

The Canucks will make their lone visit to Philadelphia to meet the Flyers on Prime Monday Night Hockey as part of a four-game Monday – the second-last slate of games before the NHL takes a three-day holiday break. The contest will feature Vancouver put a four-game win streak on the line and Rick Tocchet will face his former team for the first time.

• The Canucks can extend their winning streak to five games for the first time since 2023-24 – Vancouver’s run started after their blockbuster trade which saw the club acquire Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and Marco Rossi. Those three players have combined for 3-3—6 over their first four games with Vancouver, led by Ohgren who has 2-1—3 after having gone without a point through his first 18 games of 2025-26.
• Tocchet spent the past three seasons with the Canucks, where he won the Jack Adams Award in 2023-24 and helped lead the franchise to the second round of the playoffs for only the second time since 2011-12. Under Tocchet, the Flyers currently hold the first Wild Card seed in the Eastern Conference and will aim to return to the postseason for the first time since 2020.

NATIONAL GAMES ON THE RADAR THIS WEEK

Storylines you need to know about other national broadcasts this week:

1. NHL on TNT tripleheader (Tuesday): Patrick Kane could return to the lineup and continue his pursuit of Mike Modano’s U.S.-born points record when Detroit hosts Modano’s former team. The Red Wings-Stars game is flanked by the Penguins-Maple Leafs and Flyers-Blackhawks during the nearly eight-hour telecast.
2. Predators at Wild on ESPN+ and Hulu (Tuesday): The Predators have notched nearly half of their wins this season since Dec. 1 and can head into the three-day holiday break with an 8-3-0 record in the month when they play their first game against the Wild since Minnesota acquired decorated defenseman Quinn Hughes.
3. Hockey Night in Canada on Sportsnet (Saturday): The four-game schedule features the “Battle of Ontario” and “Battle of Alberta” as well as Macklin Celebrini playing in his hometown of Vancouver for the third time in his career. Celebrini found the score sheet in each of his first two games at Rogers Arena.

McDavid, Ullmark and Werenski Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Dec. 21.

FIRST STAR – CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS

McDavid, who scored in all four of his appearances and posted a trio of multi-point performances, registered a League-leading 5-5—10 to earn his second straight “First Star” honor, overtake Nathan MacKinnon in the Art Ross Trophy race and lift the Oilers (18-13-6, 42 points) into third place in the Pacific Division via a 3-1-0 week. He notched 2-2—4, his third four-point effort of the season (also Dec. 4 vs. SEA: 3-1—4 and Dec. 11 vs. DET: 0-4—4), in a 6‑4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins Dec. 16. McDavid followed that with 1-1—2, including his 19th career shorthanded goal, in a 3-1 victory over the Boston Bruins Dec. 18 before potting one of Edmonton’s two goals in a 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild Dec. 20. He finished the week with 1-2—3, his 20th multi-point outing of the campaign, in a 4-3 triumph against the Vegas Golden Knights Dec. 21. The 28-year-old McDavid, spurred by a 10-game point streak dating to Dec. 4 (12-14—26), paces the NHL with 23-39—62 through 37 total contests this season. He also ranks among the 2025-26 leaders in assists (1st; 39), power-play assists (1st; 20), power-play points (1st; 27), goals (t-3rd; 23) and shots on goal (10th; 122).

SECOND STAR – LINUS ULLMARK, G, OTTAWA SENATORS

Ullmark went 3-0-0 with a 1.32 goals-against average, .943 save percentage and one shutout to guide the Senators (18-13-4, 40 points) to a perfect week as they climbed within one point of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. He denied 23 shots as Ottawa rallied for a 3-2 overtime victory against the Winnipeg Jets Dec. 15. Ullmark then earned his 13th career shutout with 25 saves in a 4-0 triumph over the Pittsburgh Penguins Dec. 18. He ended the week with 18 stops in a 6-2 win versus his former team, the Boston Bruins, Dec. 21. The 32-year-old Ullmark, aided by an 8-3-0 record in his last 11 starts dating to Nov. 20 (2.54 GAA, .899 SV%, 1 SO), shares sixth place in the NHL with 14 wins through 26 total appearances this season (14-8-4, 2.85 GAA, .884 SV%, 1 SO).

THIRD STAR – ZACH WERENSKI, D, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Werenski tied for the League lead with five goals in three contests (5-2—7) to help the Blue Jackets (14-15-6, 34 points) complete a 1-2-0 week. He registered 2-1—3, including an assist on Adam Fantilli’s overtime winner, in a 4-3 victory against the Anaheim Ducks Dec. 16. Werenski then scored twice in a 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild Dec. 18 to become the first defenseman in franchise history with back-to-back multi-goal games. He added his third straight multi-point performance, and 14th of 2025-26, with 1-1—2 in a 4-3 loss to the Ducks Dec. 20. The 28-year-old Werenski, who owns 5-5—10 during a five-game point streak dating to Dec. 11, places among the top NHL blueliners in goals (t-1st; 14), points (2nd; 40) and assists (t-4th; 26) through 35 total contests this season.