NEW YORK — Colorado Avalanche right-wing Mikko Rantanen, Pittsburgh Penguins centre Evgeni Malkin and Chicago Blackhawks right-wing Patrick Kane have been named the NHL three stars of October, while Vancouver Canucks centre Elias Pettersson is the rookie of the month.

Rantanen paced the NHL with 16 assists and 21 points in 12 games to propel the Avalanche to a 7-3-2 opening month. Rantanen registered five multi-point performances, including two four-point outings.

Malkin had six goals and 13 assists in 10 outings to guide the Penguins to a 6-2-2 October record and into first place in the Metropolitan Division. He had six multiple-point games.

Kane shared the league lead with 11 goals and placed fourth overall with 18 points in 12 games to power the Blackhawks to a 6-4-3 record over the first month of the season. He accumulated five multi-point performances and a pair of three-point efforts.

Pettersson led all rookies with seven goals and 10 points in eight games, putting up big numbers despite missing six games with a concussion. Pettersson had five points over his first two games, becoming only the second Canucks player to perform that feat and first since Thomas Gradin in the 1978-78 season.

He also became the 21st player in League history — and eighth in the modern era — to score seven goals through his first seven games.