![\"MacKinnon\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/AP26142116215927-1.jpg\")
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) during the second period in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/p>\nThe power play for the Avalanche last season was a painful experience.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no way it could be worse this year, right? It can\u2019t be.<\/p>\n
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The Avalanche last season made minor adjustments, at best, to the top unit. It was a rotating cast of characters beyond the big three of Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas and Cale Makar, who drive the power play. Systemically, the only change made was to flip-flop MacKinnon and Necas\u2019 positions on the power play.<\/p>\n
The Avalanche power play was awfully stationary and awfully predictable.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I think about what my problems are with (the power play), it\u2019s too slow,\u201d Jared Bednar said during training camp. \u201cPass it to player \u2018A,\u2019 who stickhandles it around for a little while. Pass it to player \u2018B,\u2019 who stickhandles it around for a little while. Pass it to player \u2018C,\u2019 who stickhandles it around for a little while. That\u2019s not going to work. That\u2019s my take on it. Everyone has an opinion on it from (Joe Sakic) all the way down to our players. If you polled 10 guys, you might get 10 different answers.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut for me, as the coach of this team, it\u2019s too slow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) during the second period in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/p>\n
For years, the Avalanche power play was excellent because it had superstars forming a triangle up top in Makar, MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Since Rantanen left town, the Avalanche have tried a number of players in his old spot. Whether it was Jonathan Drouin, Gabriel Landeskog, Brock Nelson or Nazem Kadri, it hasn\u2019t worked. My past suggestion had been to move Makar into Rantanen\u2019s old spot, giving the Avalanche a new look and putting one of their best shooters in a better position to shoot.<\/p>\n
The Avalanche took my advice \u2026 kind of. One of their stars will be setting up in Mikko\u2019s old office. It just won\u2019t be Makar.<\/p>\n
It\u2019ll be MacKinnon.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to start that way,\u201d Bednar said. \u201cNate tends to have the puck a lot on the power play, so having a righty, the handedness, is important to us with what we\u2019re trying to do. I think it gives you better options, shooting and passing and using guys. \u2026 We\u2019ll take a look at it and use it for a while and see how it looks.\u201d<\/p>\n
It will be an adjustment for MacKinnon, who has played on the left wall the majority of his career. He likes the options he\u2019ll have in his new home.<\/p>\n