Three stars (ice hockey)

[1] After the sponsorship ended in 1976, the tradition remained on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's flagship hockey show.

The National Hockey League awards three stars during every game, in both the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs, and not just limited to those shown on HNIC.

NHL teams may use these standings; for example, the Vancouver Canucks award a sum to a charity chosen by its player who earned the highest number of points that month.

Despite its popularity in North America, three stars are generally not awarded during international play, such as at the Winter Olympic Games.

As such, there have been instances in which the three stars have been awarded in an unexpected way, often to recognize a single player's accomplishments.