One particularly revealing answer from Nathan MacKinnon on media day was technically about the long offseason, and his excitement for the coming season with the Avalanche.
The interesting part was really a diagnosis of last season, and a look at the evolution of a franchise firmly within a window to compete for championships.
“I just don’t think we had the team to win last year,” MacKinnon said. “When you’re in it, you always believe. But yeah, (the longer offseason) has been great. I think we’re very motivated. It just felt like we never really had it last year all season.