Opinion: Nathan MacKinnon Needs to Pick His Spots When It Comes to Fighting

DENVER — Nathan MacKinnon has never been one to back down from a challenge, but there comes a point when you have to wonder whether the risk is worth the reward.

In less than two weeks, the Colorado Avalanche superstar has dropped the gloves twice after going 642 days between fights. The first was a treat. The second? It was a reminder that as much as fans might love seeing MacKinnon stand up for himself, there is a bigger picture to consider.

MacKinnon is the best player on the Avalanche.

As a reigning 'Rocket' Richard Trophy winners, he's the engine that drives their offense, the guy who can take over a game with his speed, skill, and sheer determination. He can score, create opportunities for his teammates, and dominate shifts in ways that few players in the NHL can.

As he showed against Los Angeles' Brandt Clarke and Dallas' Roope Hintz, he can also hold his own in a fight.

But that doesn't mean he should have to. Or that he should.

Opening night delivered a memorable moment when MacKinnon went after Clarke, a player who has gotten under the Avalanche's skin on more than one occasion.

According to MacKinnon, the Los Angeles Kings defenseman said something that MacKinnon did not appreciate, prompting the Colorado star to make it abundantly clear that he wasn't going to tolerate it. MacKinnon dropped the gloves and made Clarke pay for crossing the line.

Was it justified? Absolutely.

Though we don't know what was said, there was still something oddly satisfying about seeing one of the league's best players refuse to let an opponent get away with running his mouth. MacKinnon sent a message, and he did so in emphatic fashion, dropping Clarke in a one-sided bout.

But Tuesday night's 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars presented a different situation.

MacKinnon fought Roope Hintz, who suffered a lower-body injury last season following an incident involving MacKinnon. Hintz had never fought at the NHL level before, but he connected with a series of right hands, breaking MacKinnon's visor and reopening an old cut on his nose.

MacKinnon has shown that he is more than willing to get his hands dirty. This time, however, the consequences served a reminder of what is at stake every time he decides to drop the gloves.

Fighting will always be part of hockey. Sometimes emotions boil over, players need to answer for their actions, and a teammate needs someone to stand up for him. Nobody is suggesting MacKinnon should never fight again.

But there is a difference between standing your ground when the situation demands it and putting yourself at unnecessary risk.

And with MacKinnon, the stakes are simply too high to ignore.

The Avalanche cannot afford to lose their engine — not for a week, a game or even a five-minute major.

MacKinnon isn't just another player on Colorado's roster. He's the player who makes everything go. His impact is impossible to replace. When he's on the ice, the Avalanche can turn a routine possession into a scoring chance in the blink of an eye. When he's absent — even for a shift — the entire dynamic of the team changes.

We've already seen what happens when Colorado has to play without him.

In December 2022, MacKinnon missed 11 games because of an upper-body injury. The Avalanche lost five of those 11 games. If you include the game against the Philadelphia Flyers in which MacKinnon suffered the injury, that number climbs to six losses in 12 games.

It's a stark reminder of how much MacKinnon means to this team. And it is why seeing him take unnecessary risks should give Avalanche fans pause.

A fight can change in an instant. One misplaced punch, one awkward fall, or one unfortunate collision can leave a player dealing with an injury that keeps him out of the lineup for weeks. When bare-knuckle punches are involved, there is no guarantee that even the toughest player will come away unscathed.

MacKinnon can handle himself. That has never really been the question.

The question is whether Colorado can afford to have its most important player putting himself in those situations when he doesn't have to.

Even his teammates know what's at stake.

"I don't want him to fight much because you don't want him to get hurt, but I don't know, the guy's got big balls," said goalie Mackenzie Blackwood.

Indeed, Colorado has other options when it comes to fighting. 

Let captain Gabriel Landeskog drop the gloves. Or defenseman Josh Manson or winger Zachary L'Heureux. Anybody but MacKinnon.

They don't need him risking his hands, face, or health in a fight that someone else could handle. What they need is for him to stay on the ice and inflict damage with his stick by scoring goals and putting up points.

That's where he's at his most dangerous.

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