Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon answers a fellow elite athlete’s brash bragging with just the right tone.
Colorado Avalanche star center Nathan MacKinnon would like to take a crack at being an NFL star.
Thank goodness for all of us in Avs Nation, he’s just responding in kind to Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back Jalen Ramsey’s characteristic mouthing off. Last week, Ramsey remarked to Mina Kimes of ESPN that, if he trained for six months, he could “probably crack” the NHL.
Now, this comes after he was cataloging all the sports he’s tried and how he excelled at every sport he’s ever tried — except for baseball, which he says he “lacks the coordination for.”
By the way, Ramsey has never even tried skating.
And that’s where Ramsey’s boast goes awry. No matter how good you are with puck handling or body checking, you can’t make it in the NHL without being an elite skater. And you’re not going to become an elite skater in six months.
Don’t take my word for it. Here’s what Detroit Red wings center Dylan Larkin had to say:
"“He’s said he’s never skated before. So there’s no chance.”"
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones was equally dismissive:
"“You can’t even learn to skate in six months.”"
An elite athlete like Ramsey, working with a skating coach like the Avs’ Tracey Tutton, for hours a day for six months, could learn how to skate. He could probably learn how to skate and hold a stick. He’s a defensive back, so he could skate, hold a stick, and deliver a body check.
But Ramsey admitted he’s not coordinated enough for baseball. If he can’t hit a ball with a big stick while standing still, how’s he going to hit a puck with a narrow stick while trying out his brand-new skill of skating?
It’s been suggested Ramsey could be a stay-at-home defenseman, someone who lurks in the corners waiting to deliver big hits. That way he wouldn’t have to skate or puck handle as much.
Well, that position has been almost entirely phased out of the NHL. If you’re not a puck-moving defenseman, or at least a two-way defenseman, you’re going to have tremendous difficulty getting an NHL contract. Like it or not, the current NHL is less about hitting (and fighting) than it was in the 1990s.
Now, given six months to learn how to skate and stick handle, Ramsey could get in a time machine and make a 1990s NHL roster, especially if he was willing to drop the gloves. But he’d be lucky to be given an ECHL tryout in today’s hockey world.
Some fans and even NHLers think he should be given a shot. Washington Capitals — and current Stanley Cup champion — Evgeny Kuznetsov was very welcoming:
"“I would like to see that, for sure. He can come; we can help him. It’s cool if an athlete wants to try something new.”"
I agree completely. In fact, right here on the Colorado Avalanche we have a player who has done what Ramsey proposes he can do. Defenseman Mark Alt was a two-sport star all his life. He’s the son of NFL Pro Bowler John Alt.
As a football player himself, Mark played quarterback for the 2009 Minnesota state high school football championship. He was offered football scholarships to three universities: University of Kansas, University of Akron and University of Iowa.
Instead, Mark Alt decided to pursue a career in hockey, starting by playing at the prestigious hockey school, the University of Minnesota (where Erik Johnson spent a year).
Alt started playing hockey when he was five years old. Arguably a gifted athlete himself, he’s currently on a two-way contract with the Avalanche. He’s barely cracked an NHL roster, though he does have 16 NHL games to his name.
And he started playing when he was five years old.
Why would Jalen Ramsey be able to do better in six months than Alt has been able to do in 21 years? He wouldn’t.
San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane had a scathing response to Ramsey’s boast:
"“I think I’d be about 1,000 percent times better at his position in six months than he’ll be at mine.”"
I’m not a big fan of old Kaner, but I think he’s spot on. I’m assuming like all NHLers running is part of his training, so mobility wouldn’t be an issue. He’s obviously got great hand-eye coordination and is highly conditioned. He’d just have to learn some plays — Kane’s tendency might be more often to wing it. (Pun intended. 😂)
But I digress. While other NHLers, including the very intense Jack Eichel and very snippy Vladimir Tarasenko also had responses to Ramsey’s boast, Nathan MacKinnon’s was the best. He was amused:
"“I think it’s awesome, I mean, I’d like to see him skate. I think it would be pretty funny. He wouldn’t be able to stand up.”"
Now, after 6 months of training with Avs skating trainer Tracey Tutton, he probably could skate some. And very, very few will ever skate like MacKinnon.
Nathan really was light-hearted about the idea. He acknowledged that Ramsey “just likes to talk,” which is a diplomatic way of putting it. MacKinnon continued:
"“It’s good for the NFL, for someone to go out and talk like that. It brings a lot of attention. If it happened in hockey, it would make the sport a little more popular, too, and we’d take it.”"
In fact, Nathan decided to put his money where his mouth is — or his mouth where his mouth is. He remarked that he “might be able” to take a crack at playing professional football. He observed:
"“You can start football at like 23 and make it.”"
MacK, of course, just turned 23. He also remarked that he’d play strong safety so he could “deliver big hits.”
Oh, lord, Nate, we don’t want you risking your body like that just to prove a point. You’re far too valuable to the Colorado Avalanche.
And that’s the point. Football star Jalen Ramsey will not be playing for the Colorado Avalanche — or any other NHL team. He’s going to continue to play football for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 23-year-old will make a guaranteed $22.9 million over four years after a lovely $15.18 million signing bonus.
The skilled NFL defensive back would never risk his football career just to back up an offhand comment he made among a whole slew of deliberately provocative statements.
But we all wish he would.
Jalen Ramsey is a gifted athlete — and I’d go so far as to say entertainer. In fact, once he hangs up the football cleats, I don’t think he’d need even six weeks of training to take up as a football commentator. He’s certainly got the mouth for it.