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Colorado Avalanche: Top 9 Questions the Team Must Answer this Year

By Nadia Archuleta

DENVER, CO - APRIL 07: Patrik Nemeth #12, Mikko Rantanen #96, Tyson Jost #17 and J.T. Compher #37 of the Colorado Avalanche wave to the crowd after a win against the St. Louis Blues at the Pepsi Center on April, 7, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Blues 5-2. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 07: Patrik Nemeth #12, Mikko Rantanen #96, Tyson Jost #17 and J.T. Compher #37 of the Colorado Avalanche wave to the crowd after a win against the St. Louis Blues at the Pepsi Center on April, 7, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Blues 5-2. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – APRIL 18: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) during a first round playoff game between the Colorado Avalanche and the visiting Nashville Predators on April 18, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO. (Photo by Russell Lansford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2. Is Nathan MacKinnon an Elite Player?

Speaking of Nathan MacKinnon, now we start getting to the big questions facing the Colorado Avalanche. Because if MacKinnon didn’t have his breakout season last year, no way the Avs make the playoffs. Or get much more than, say, 70-something points.

That 97-point MacK was not a player we’ve ever seen, not since major juniors anyway. He came close his rookie season. However, prior to that God-Mode season last year, here’s how the progression of MacKinnon’s career has been:

  • 2013-14: 63 points (24 goals, 39 assists) in 82 games
  • 2014-15: 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 64 games
  • 2015-16: 52 points (21 goals, 31 assists) in 72 games
  • 2016-17: 53 points (16 goals, 37 assists) in 82 games

So, as Eminem would say, would the real Nate Dawg please stand up. Is it the player who earned .59 points per game in 2014-15? Or is it the player who earned 1.31 points per game last season?

Needless to say, we need it to be the latter. When we traded Matt Duchene, we bet the farm on Nathan MacKinnon. If he’s not at least a point-a-game player, we’re screwed.

That’s just what you expect from your first-overall franchise player.

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