MacKinnon proving hard to catch in Art Ross race
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Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist in Tuesday’s 6-2 win over the Calgary Flames, extending his point streak to 13 games.
The 28-year-old centre has already reached a career-high 113 points (41 goals, 72 assists) and is just two goals away from setting a career best in that category for the second consecutive season. He is just the fourth player in franchise (Avalanche/Nordiques) history to record three or more 40-goal seasons, joining Michel Goulet (seven), Joe Sakic (five) and Peter Stastny (five).
"It's just who he is," said Avalanche coach Jared Bednar, following Tuesday’s win. "The drive to be the best player he can be, keep improving his game in little areas, and whether it's just a fraction in one area that helps him get better and a fraction in another one, he's constantly looking to improve. He’s getting better and better every year.”
The Halifax native is the current National Hockey League points leader, six ahead of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov and 10 points ahead of Edmonton Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid.
MacKinnon’s point streak began on Feb. 13. Since that date, he has registered nine goals and 28 points, taking over the point lead from Kucherov (18 points). His torrid pace has also helped MacKinnon keep pace with a hard-charging McDavid, who has tallied 32 points in 15 games since MacKinnon started his streak back in February.
The first-overall pick in the 2013 draft has never won a Hart or Art Ross trophy but his career season has him atop the betting odds for the league’s most valuable player award and in a comfortable position on top of the points leaderboard.
“He seems to keep getting better and better, which is hard to do when he’s playing at his level every single year,” former teammate Nazem Kadri said prior to Tuesday’s game. “That’s something I’ve always respected him for. Nate is a great friend of mine, so I always knew he had it in him, to always want to be better and always want to improve. Certainly, for the Hart Trophy, he’s been a nominee a couple of times. I’m really, really rooting for him to get it done this year.”
MacKinnon was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week, leading the Avs on a four-game winning streak while extending his home point streak to 32 games. He is currently on pace for 138 points this season, one off of Statsny’s franchise record of 139 set in 1981-82.