Avs’ MacKinnon becomes the latest NHL superstar to win first Stanley Cup.
Avs’ MacKinnon becomes the latest NHL superstar: Last year, Nathan MacKinnon’s postseason ended in a way that was frustrating. This year, however, was different. Nathan MacKinnon scored the most amazing goal of the NHL playoffs this year: an end-to-end rush to complete a hat trick and put his team ahead against the Blues late in the game. This goal showed off all of his excellent skill and speed. But, unfortunately, the Avalanche lost Game 5 of their second-round series in overtime, making what should have been the best part of a losing effort more of an afterthought.
In the finals, Colorado beat Tampa Bay in six games. This kept the two-time defending champions from making history by winning three straight titles. It is the third Stanley Cup win for the team and the first since 2001. Both during the regular season and in the playoffs, MacKinnon was a crucial part of the team’s success. After getting 88 points in just 65 games during the regular season, MacKinnon led the Avalanche in goals and points during the playoffs. MacKinnon, who was picked first overall in the 2013 draft and is from Nova Scotia, won the Calder Trophy as the best rookie in the league when he was only 18. He is now 26 years old and has been a finalist for the Hart Trophy three times. Twice, he came in second place in MVP voting.
Nathan MacKinnon and Avs’ towards the Stanley Cup
MacKinnon’s father made a hockey card of him when he was 8 or 9 years old. MacKinnon wrote on the back that he hoped to be picked up by the Avalanche and play with Joe Sakic one day. He even had a poster of Sakic on the wall of his room.
It’s been a long road for the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft and other key members of the Colorado team, like captain Gabriel Landeskog and veteran defenseman Erik Johnson. The Avs didn’t make the playoffs for the next three years after losing in the first round in MacKinnon’s first NHL season.
During the shortened 2020 season, it felt like the Avs finally took the step they needed to be Cup contenders. As the No. 2 seed in the West, the Avalanche easily beat the Coyotes but were shocked by the Stars in Game 7 of the second round, which went into overtime. In 15 playoff games in 2020, MacKinnon scored 25 points.
Avalanche in the Last Season
Last hockey season, the Avalanche had the best record in the league and won the Presidents’ Trophy. But they lost to the Golden Knights in six games and couldn’t get out of the second round again. That made MacKinnon say his famous line about never winning anything.
How Well MacKinnon Did
MacKinnon had also scored 28 goals and 69 points in 50 games over five previous trips to the playoffs. Even better, his 1.38 points per game in the playoffs were just a little bit more than the 1.35 points per game he scored in his best single season.
In addition to his success in sports, he has also had roles on TV shows. MacKinnon has played a fictionalized version of himself in a recurring role on the Canadian TV show Mr. D, along with his former teammate Cameron Critchlow, who also played for the Halifax Mooseheads.