Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
As we look forward to another hockey season, can we take a moment and revel in what was a once-in-a-generation year for the NHL?
Where to begin?
There was Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews becoming the first NHL player in almost 30 years to score 69 goals. There were Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Tampa Bay Lightning right winger Nikita Kucherov, who became the fourth and fifth players, respectively, in NHL history to record 100 assists. And there were nine players, including Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon, who finished with 100 or more points.
It was an offensive display of production for the ages. While there is every reason to believe this upcoming season will be better, Avalanche center MacKinnon warned that what we witnessed a year ago might not be so easily topped.
“We’ll see,” MacKinnon, who finished second in league scoring with a career-best 140 points, said at the NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour earlier this month.
“If I could force a Hart every year, I would. I’ve said it before, but that could be my career high. You only have one career high and that could be it. It’s good for sure. I’m just trying to see how good I can be.”
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MacKinnon might be tempering expectations in a year when the Avalanche will begin the season without the services of Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen and captain Gabriel Landeskog. But there is every reason to believe that next year could be better. After all, we’re in what some players have described as a Golden Age in the NHL.
On one end of the spectrum, you have all-time greats, such as Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, still playing top-end hockey at the tail-end of their careers. At the other end, you have youngsters, such as Connor Bedard and Matty Beniers. Sandwiched in between them all are McDavid, Matthews and a group of all future Hall of Famers who are in their prime and could go down as the best to have ever played the game.
For MacKinnon, who won his first Hart Trophy last season, the constant competition is part of why he’s been able to raise his game to new heights.
“I can’t speak for them, but I think Auston will be the best (all-time scorer) — he might be 1,000 goals,” said MacKinnon, who skated with Crosby, Mitch Marner and many other superstars this summer. “And Connor is top-three, top-five — ever. And obviously Kuch does his thing every year.
“I definitely find it motivating in a good way. I’m not trying to be them or compare myself to them, but I definitely feel like I have to do so much away from the rink and at the rink just to be close to them.”
Who knows, maybe there’s a chance we’ll get to see another historic season. After all, with Macklin Celebrini entering the year after going first overall in the draft, it’s not like the NHL is getting any less talented.
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News Summary:
- Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon Isn't Sure Next Year Will Be Better Than MVP Campaign
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