Scheifele leads 3 Stars of the Week

NEW YORK – Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, Colorado Avalanche center Martin Necas and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” presented by GEICO for the week ending March 8.

FIRST STAR – MARK SCHEIFELE, C, WINNIPEG JETS

Scheifele compiled 3-5—8 and a pair of game-winning goals across three appearances to propel the Jets (26-26-10, 62 points) to a perfect week as they moved within five points of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. He notched 1-2—3, capped by his franchise-record 18th career overtime goal (also tied for seventh place in NHL history), in a 3-2 comeback victory against the Chicago Blackhawks March 3. Scheifele then posted 1-1—2, including his sixth game-winning goal of the season (tied for fifth place in the League), in a 4-1 triumph versus the Tampa Bay Lightning March 5. He finished the week with 1-2—3, highlighted by his 30th goal of the campaign as well as the primary assists on both the tying and winning goals, in a 3-2 overtime victory against the Vancouver Canucks March 7. The 32-year-old Scheifele, who leads Winnipeg in goals, assists and points this season, ranks sixth in the entire NHL with 30-48—78 through 62 total contests in 2025-26.

SECOND STAR – MARTIN NECAS, C, COLORADO AVALANCHE

Necas recorded 3-5—8 in four games to help the League-leading Avalanche (43-10-9, 95 points) extend their winning streak to five contests (dating to Feb. 28) en route to opening a seven-point cushion in the Presidents’ Trophy race. He collected 1-2—3 in a 4-2 triumph over the Los Angeles Kings March 2, followed by his 29th career game-winning goal in a 5-1 victory against the Anaheim Ducks March 3. Necas then produced 1-3—4, his sixth career four-point performance, as well as the clinching shootout goal in a 5-4 win versus the Dallas Stars March 6 before being held off the scoresheet in a 3-2 shootout triumph against the Minnesota Wild March 8. The 27-year-old Necas, in his first full season with Colorado after registering a career-high 27-56—83 in 2024-25 (79 GP w/ CAR and COL), sits eighth in the NHL with 28-48—76 through 59 total appearances in 2025-26.

THIRD STAR – TAGE THOMPSON, C, BUFFALO SABRES

Thompson notched 2-5—7 in four contests to lift the Sabres (39-19-6, 84 points) into first place in the Atlantic Division on the strength of a seven-game winning streak dating to Feb. 25. He potted his 24th career game-winning goal in a 3-2 triumph over the Vegas Golden Knights March 3. Thompson then tallied one assist in a 5-1 win versus the Pittsburgh Penguins March 5 before scoring his 34th goal of the campaign in a 3-2 victory against the Nashville Predators March 7. He closed the week with his first career four-assist game (and eighth career four-point performance) in an 8-7 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Lightning March 8. The 28-year-old Thompson, who has points in a career-high 11 straight games dating to Jan. 31 (6-9—15), tops Buffalo and ranks 16th in the entire NHL with 34-36—70 across 64 total contests this season.

As the presenting partner of the NHL’s “Three Stars,” GEICO also is proud to celebrate the League’s “Fourth Star” – the fans whose dedication defines the sport. In the latest episode of the “Fourth Star” series we follow Seth and Krew Champagne, a father and son who traveled to Tampa to watch the Boston Bruins play in the 2026 NHL Stadium Series, turning their shared love of hockey into a once-in-a-lifetime memory.