In a search for the defining image of the current era of Avalanche hockey, the options begin and end with the franchise’s big three.
There’s Cale Makar changing directions and leaving a foe in his wake along the blue line. Mikko Rantanen redirecting the puck from the side of the net at near-impossible angles.
Then, of course, Nathan MacKinnon with the puck on his stick and open ice in front of him.
SiriusXM radio host Jim Gordon recently said the Avs’ superstar center skates like he is angry at the ice. And there’s no denying the speed and fury with which MacKinnon charges toward an opponent’s net.
No other sequence of events brings Colorado fans to the edge of their seats more often. But for those tasked with trying to defend it, the sight of MacKinnon gaining speed and moving toward them invokes a different set of emotions.
“Terrifying,” Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger said. “Yeah, it’s terrifying – him and (Connor) McDavid. They are like – do you know those things at the airport that you can walk on but they’re moving? It looks like those two are skating on one of them. They just have that extra gear, and he’s on a different planet right now.”
MacKinnon is in the midst of the best offensive season of his already Hockey Hall of Fame-worthy career. He has 32 goals and 89 points in 55 games. This pace (47 goals and 132 points) would easily be new career-bests for a player who has finished in the top three of the Hart Trophy voting three times and looks like a strong bet to be a finalist for a fourth time.
The discourse about MacKinnon versus Nikita Kucherov (with McDavid and maybe Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughes also in the conversation) could rage on for the next three months. What’s not up for debate is how other players around the league feel about MacKinnon, and specifically when he puts his unique blend of speed, skill and power together.
“When he’s coming at you a billion miles an hour and you see the ‘D’ backing up and panicking a little bit, you know, it’s not a fun feeling for anybody,” Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cam Talbot said. “I can’t even imagine what the D-men are thinking, coming back and trying to accept that much speed.
“Nathan is definitely one of the premier goal scorers. He skates like the wind. He’s got an unbelievable snapshot. He can rifle the slap shot from the flank as well. He can beat you in so many different ways.”
MacKinnon’s ability to knife through multiple waves of defenders who are ostensibly set up specifically with a plan to contain him was on display earlier this month at Madison Square Garden. He collected a short pass from Makar just inside the Colorado blue line as the Rangers set their 1-3-1 defense against a breakout.
This happens dozens of times per game. The idea for the defending team is to make the attacking side either turn the puck over or dump it into offensive end from the neutral zone.
MacKinnon dismantled it with ease. He slipped between K’Andre Miller and Barclay Goodrow in the neutral zone with one quick deke and then used Braden Schneider as a screen to beat Jonathan Quick.
MacKinnon is now tied for the League lead in points ???? pic.twitter.com/ekI37WtdR2
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 6, 2024
“Speed kills in any sport. He’s got such great speed,” veteran Avs defenseman Jack Johnson said. “You have to be aware of where he is at all times. There’s lots of guys with great speed, but I don’t know how many guys other than him and McDavid that can handle the puck at that speed. That’s usually the difference. You have to know where they are and you have to see them winding up so you have a chance to start backing up.”
That goal against the Rangers came at even strength, after New York had time to get its defensive structure in place. It is the type of coast-to-coast tally that is rare in the NHL because well-coached professional defenses are so good at preventing exactly what MacKinnon pulled off.
McDavid has been the gold standard as a one-man zone entry for years, and he’s the consensus fastest player in the league — both with and without the puck. MacKinnon has found a way to close the gap and make that a two-person club.
The NHL has a new collection of advanced stats that help measure things like speed and shot velocity. MacKinnon has reached a sustained speed of 20-plus miles per hour 486 times this season, per the NHL Edge data. That is 170 more than Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point. McDavid is third at 292, albeit in seven fewer games.
MacKinnon has also reached a sustained speed of 22-plus miles per hour 77 times. McDavid is next with 45.
“Fast, man. Just … fast,” Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman said. “That’s a great example of a player that works on his game tirelessly. I’ve heard such great stories. (Brad Marchand) is always telling me what he trains like and how seriously he treats his body before games, after games. And obviously you see how he performs. That’s a player I’ve always looked up to, with how I carry myself and treat my body and lead the team.”
MacKinnon brushed aside a question about the NHL Edge data earlier this season with a logical response — it’s because he’s the drop guy on the power play. There is some truth here.
Because of how the Avs design their zone-entry strategy with the man advantage, with someone sending a drop pass to MacKinnon in the defensive zone, it allows him to “wind it up” and attack the four penalty killers at high speeds.
The drop pass has become an integral strategy for most NHL teams over the past half-decade. It’s a direct response to teams becoming so proficient at stopping zone entries despite having one less player on the ice.
Avs assistant coach Ray Bennett noted earlier this month that Colorado has the No. 1 success rate with power-play zone entries in the NHL.
“I look really smart, and it has zero to do with me,” Bennett said. “We run a single drop a lot with Nate for that reason, because of his speed and his ability to make players miss. I have to believe that if you’re a defender — forward or defenseman — in that situation on the penalty kill, it’s gotta be awfully intimidating to have him coming at you. So our success is often predicated just simply based on his ability, his speed, his puck control and his vision up the ice.
“We do some things tactically to try to help him, but it is very singular in his abilities to get us in the zone. And not just get in the zone but get into a situation where either we have a rush shot opportunity or get into our set. It’s primarily his abilities.”
There are other players who are great at helping their clubs get set up on the power play. McDavid is an obvious one, and the Oilers’ strategy looks a lot like the Avs. Some teams use two players coming up the ice together. Other clubs use multiple passes.
The Avs do have a couple of other ideas to try if needed, but most of the time Plan A — give the puck to MacKinnon and he’ll break into the zone before finding a teammate — is the best plan.
MacKinnon’s ability to make plays at that speed is one of the sport’s ultimate cheat codes.
“Really, there’s not much you can do at the end of the day,” veteran forward and long-time penalty killer Andrew Cogliano said. “Hopefully, you can make him pick a side and then hopefully get another guy that can help us make a stand to maybe create some pressure and maybe get a turnover.
“You try to gain as much ice as you can and just try not to get embarrassed at that point. Two special players (MacKinnon and McDavid) who come at you with so much speed and intensity. You have no choice but to get ready and do everything you can to try and angle them in some sort of way. It is what it is and those are just the facts. They’re too fast and too strong.”
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