NHL Three Stars: Canadiens’ Monahan and Sabres’ Luukkonen Raise Value as Bruins’ Pastrnak Impresses.

We’re back with the three stars of the week, a regular THN.com feature in which we select three NHL players who have had the most positive impact on their team in the previous seven days. Let’s get into it:

3. SEAN MONAHAN, MONTREAL CANADIENS

With an NHL-high seven assists in four games this week, Monahan has increased his value to the Canadiens as a competitor and prospective trade chip.

Monahan, 29, now has 11 goals and 31 points after 46 games this season. Monahan, a veteran getting only $1.95 million this season, would be an excellent addition to a squad with serious postseason ambitions. And that is not who the Habs are this season.

Keeping him in Montreal would be a mistake, as they’d surely get a solid draft pick or prospect for the long term in exchange for Monahan’s services.

Monahan may never again be the 30-goal scorer he was in Calgary many years ago, but in the right situation, he’d be a very helpful contributor. In his most recent playoff appearance in 2020, Monahan produced at nearly a point-per-game pace. Even if he comes up with half of that amount of offense this post-season, the team that acquires him will be satisfied he was right to pick up.

2. DAVID PASTRNAK, BOSTON BRUINS

Pastrnak had a league-high five goals and seven points in only three games for the Bruins this week. The 27-year-old winger currently has 30 goals and 66 points in 45 games this season; his goal and point totals are the third-best of any NHLer this season, and Pastrnak is proving to be well worth the $11.25-million-per-season contract in his first year.

Pastrnak is currently on pace to put up 65 assists and 120 points, both of which would be new career highs for him. And his projected 55 goals this year wouldn’t be that far off of the career-best 61 goals he scored for Boston last season.

Pastrnak has some of the softest hands in the sport, and anytime he’s around his opponent’s net, he’s a legitimate threat to score. He’s going to be the Bruins’ best player for the foreseeable future, and he looks like he’s more than ready to take on that role.

1. UKKO-PEKKA LUUKKONEN, BUFFALO SABRES

Luukkonen posted a 0.67 goals-against average, .968 save percentage and two shutouts – back-to-back blankings against the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks – in three games this week.

The 24-year-old has amassed a .908 SP and 2.61 GAA. The Finland native has had issues with consistency this season, but of late, he’s starting to put together longer stretches of above-average performance.

Luukkonen is a steal this season at $837,500, and when he becomes an RFA this summer, he’ll still be worth a lot for his team-controllable contract. Before the season began, many Sabres fans expected Buffalo to entrust the goaltender reins to teenager Devon Levi, but that has not happened. Instead, Luukkonen has gradually established himself as the Sabres’ starting goalie.

Buffalo must get on a roll to re-enter the Eastern Conference playoff race, but if Luukkonen continues to improve, this should not be an issue.

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