Nathan MacKinnon’s explosive start briefly fueled rare Triple Crown conversations before he finished another dominant season with 52 goals, 74 assists, and a Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, reaffirming his place among the NHL’s most unstoppable forces.
For a remarkable stretch of the season, Nathan MacKinnon wasn't just leading the NHL's scoring race—he was threatening to accomplish something hockey hadn't witnessed since the 1990s.
A Start That Put the League on Notice
The Colorado Avalanche endured a disappointing finish after being swept by the Vegas Golden Knights, but the abrupt playoff exit shouldn't overshadow what MacKinnon accomplished over 82 games.
In the opening months of the season, there was legitimate belief that the Avalanche superstar could become the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1996 to capture the NHL's elusive Triple Crown by leading the league in goals, assists, and total points.
The numbers made the conversation impossible to ignore.
Across back-to-back games against the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks in early November, MacKinnon produced one of the most dominant offensive displays of the season, exploding for four goals and five assists for nine points.
Colorado steamrolled Edmonton 9-1 before escaping Vancouver with a 5-4 overtime victory, and MacKinnon was the driving force behind both performances, creating offense seemingly every shift.
At that point, he sat atop the NHL with 14 goals and 29 points. The only category separating him from a true Triple Crown pace was assists, where his 15 helpers ranked tied for sixth. Evgeni Malkin led the league with 18 assists, Connor McDavid had 17, while three players—including Cale Makar—were tied with 16.
His early production projected to an astonishing 72 goals, 77 assists, and 149 points, numbers rarely associated with the modern NHL.
Elite Production From Start to Finish
While MacKinnon's pace inevitably cooled after the Olympic break, his final résumé remained nothing short of spectacular.
He finished the season with 52 goals and 74 assists for 127 points, earning the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal scorer while posting the second-highest point total of his career.
His offensive brilliance is obvious, but MacKinnon's value extends far beyond the scoresheet.
He forces opposing defenses into uncomfortable situations with his speed and relentless attack mentality, often turning routine rushes into scoring chances. His competitiveness has become one of the defining characteristics of Colorado's identity, setting the standard for the rest of the roster every night.
Even during the Avalanche's disappointing playoff run, MacKinnon continued to deliver, recording 15 points and seven goals in 13 games. When he exited Game 4 against Vegas because of injury, Colorado's offense immediately lost much of its explosiveness, highlighting just how irreplaceable he has become.
The Dogg
There is little left for MacKinnon to prove on an individual level.
A Triple Crown ultimately slipped away, but the pursuit itself underscored just how dominant he was throughout the season, and he once again established himself among the NHL’s premier players.
Colorado enters another pivotal offseason with questions throughout the roster and changes in the front office, yet the franchise's outlook remains remarkably simple.
As long as Nathan MacKinnon is leading the charge, the Avalanche will continue to enter every season with legitimate Stanley Cup expectations—and few players in hockey give a team a better chance to chase them.
