It’s looking to be an interesting season for the Avalanche’s history books this year. Nathan MacKinnon, the Avalanche’s best player on a team that seems to be loaded with superstars up and down the lineup, is the first to reach the 60 point mark this season and it isn’t even Christmas. 

MacKinnon, in his age 30 season, potted his 29th goal of the season against the Minnesota Wild off a feed from Brock Nelson during a power play in the second period. MacKinnon would get another before the end of the game for his 30th, and is leading the NHL in both goals (30)  and player +/- rating at an eye popping +43. He and the Avalanche also led the league with a collective goal differential of +61 before their game against the Wild. 

At the moment, MacKinnon has that same number after his two-point effort against the Wild.

MacKinnon’s current pace would put him at 68 goals and 75 assists for the season to total out to 143 points in an 82 game season. That would break the record he set in the 2023-24 season when he had 140 points, finishing just behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov’s 144 that year. It would also supplant Adam Oates’ 1992-93 season with the Boston Bruins for 24th all-time. 

Last year the Canadian center was one of the finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, alongside Avalanche teammate Cale Makar and the Lightning’s Kucherov. The Avalanche, with a loaded roster and their top line center MacKinnon, look to be in contention for than a few awards this season.