MacKinnon’s Latest Awards Help Seal His Place in the Hall of Fame – Hockey Writers – Colorado Avalanche

Colorado Avalanche fans have been believing, and on Thursday night, it was confirmed that Nathan MacKinnon won the Hart Trophy for the 2023-24 NHL season. It doesn’t stop there; he also received the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by members of the NHLPA.

The 28-year-old center scored 51 goals and added 89 assists, amassing 140 points over the course of the season. This surpassed the previous franchise record of 139 points set by Peter Stastny in the 1981-82 season. With numerous awards and nominations to his name, MacKinnon has amassed an impressive collection of honors. When we think about his career in the NHL, let’s look back so far and how this should be enough to secure his place as a future Hall of Famer.

Pre-Career Awards Set MacKinnon on Right Path

Drafted first in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, MacKinnon joined a rebuilding Avalanche team with now-captain Gabriel Landeskog. He finished his rookie season with 24 goals and 39 assists for 63 points, playing in all 82 games. Leading the rookie class in goals, assists, and points, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy and was named to the NHL All-Rookie First Team. He finished fourth in goals, third in assists, and fourth on the team in points, averaging 15 minutes of ice time. He helped lead the team to the playoffs, finishing first in the Central Division but losing to the Minnesota Wild in seven games. He finished with two goals and eight assists for ten points in his first playoff series. This will set a precedent for MacKinnon in the future as to what is to come as he grows his game.

That’s what he did in the years that followed as he continued to play and began to flash even more important signs of what he could be as an adult, with a promising team around him as they rebuilt those early years. . He struggled in the 2014-15 season due to injuries and ended up playing only 64 games and finishing with 38 points but bounced back in the following years with consecutive 52 point seasons. However, it feels like there could be a lot more to MacKinnon’s game and what he could do on the ice. With Landeskog slowly getting into his head and newly signed Mikko Rantanen finishing his second season after 2016-17, there was this feeling that something else was on the way.

The Beginning of Something Big

MacKinnon exploded in the 2017-18 season, setting career highs across the board and finishing with 39 goals (career-high) and 58 assists (career-high) for 97 points. He also added 12 game-winning goals to go along with that record. However, the Avalanche finished fourth in the division and lost to the Nashville Predators in six games. MacKinnon finished 33rd in the Lady Byng voting, was named to the NHL All-Star second team, and, most notably and easily argued to this day (I tried, Devils fans), finished second in the Hart Trophy Voting, losing to New Jersey Devils. forward Taylor Hall. He was tied on goals and had four more points, both teams finished fourth in their division and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

This new side of MacKinnon was here to stay, and he would continue at this level of success for the next two seasons. He finished with over 90 points and saw his game grow to a new level. Both seasons saw the Avalanche reach the second round, but more was needed to advance. MacKinnon continued to dominate and show new levels of his game, but it wasn’t enough, and players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl began to take the league and break many records. With a selection to the All-Star Team, finishing in the top three in Hart Trophy voting twice, and earning a Selke Trophy nomination, MacKinnon won her first Lady Byng Award in the 2019-20 season.

However, it wasn’t enough for MacKinnon, who said yes. After a disappointing loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 2 of the 2021 NHL Playoffs, MacKinnon knows one reason he’s playing in the NHL, and it’s not for personal awards; for the Stanley Cup. “I’m going into my 9th year, and I haven’t won sh**,” MacKinnon said after the game. He knows he was close but not close enough, and after a long summer break, his career has finally shown.

Adding the final touch to the Resume

The 2021-22 season was a special one, as the Avalanche won their third Stanley Cup. MacKinnon played in all 20 games, scoring 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points en route to winning the championship. He finished with solid regular season production: 32 goals and 56 assists for 88 points in 65 games. It was a memorable moment for MacKinnon. He strives to excel on the ice, and all his hard work is finally paying off. Now you can enjoy it with fellow Nova Scotian Sidney Crosby, where we learned that “Sid The Kid” didn’t hold back on celebrating with a good friend.

Related: Nathan MacKinnon Deserves First Hart Trophy

Skipping to today, MacKinnon finished the 2023-24 season with a career-high 51 goals and 89 assists for 140 points, breaking multiple Avalanche season and franchise records, as well as multiple NHL records. During the 2024 NHL Awards on June 27, 2024, he was awarded the Ted Lindsay Award and the Hart Memorial Trophy for the first time, joining Joe Sakic in 2001 to win both awards at once and joining Peter Forsberg in 2003 as the only Avalanche to win the award. The Hart Trophy.

Still Hungry For All That Has Been Gained

As mentioned earlier, MacKinnon plays the game to win championships, not personal accolades. When asked about his achievements and how he sees the future after winning awards, he shows no signs of slowing down. Being able to be accompanied by some of the greatest of all time is something every NHL player strives to do, and MacKinnon was no different. “Like I said in my speech, every player that I grew up watching has their name on these things, so to be a part of that company is fun,” MacKinnon said.

Still, just 28 years old and under contract not scheduled to expire until the 2030-31 season, MacKinnon and the Avalanche franchise know the time to win is now. But whatever he decides to come next, it’s safe to say that if you look at his current resume with the Calder Trophy, Lady Byng Trophy, Ted Lindsay, Hart Trophy, and Stanley Cup included, it’s all set to be his name. not only is it posted up on the boards of the Ball Arena but on the wall of the Hockey Hall Of Fame.