ST. PAUL, Minn. — Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon‘s second-period goal against Dallas on Thursday night was only his third of the season, putting him on a 15-goal pace for 2016-17.
Given that the speedy MacKinnon was the NHL’s top overall draft choice in 2013, won the Calder Trophy as the league’s rookie of the year in 2013-14, signed a seven-year $44.1 million contract extension last summer and drew plaudits as an up-and-coming star as recently as when he played for Team North America in the World Cup this fall, that won’t cut it.
He knows it.