Nathan MacKinnon's career season just turned into one that fans all over the NHL landscape will remember for decades. He has 51 points, 24 goals, and a plus-35 in 30 games. And to think that he could be doing even better shows that he's leaving points and goals on the table, having only found the net in 16 of those contests.
Still, that doesn't take away from the latest milestone MacKinnon has reached, and one that includes a trio of names the NHL universe is familiar with. Robby Stanley of NHL.com reported "MacKinnon leads the NHL with 24 goals and 51 points. The forward joined Connor McDavid( 2019-20 to 2022-23), Sidney Crosby (2012-13 and 2013-14) and Mario Lemieux (1995-96 and 1996-97) as the fourth player in the past 30 years to be the NHL’s first 50-point scorer in consecutive seasons."
Those are some legendary names. They include a Hockey Hall of Famer in Lemieux and two future Hall of Famers in McDavid and Crosby. Joining those three players alone is a Hall of Fame-worthy milestone, but when you look at MacKinnon's career so far, how would he not be in Hall of Fame consideration years from today?
Nathan MacKinnon first to 50 points in back-to-back seasons
MacKinnon surpassed the 50-point mark on the same night he played in his 900th NHL game. And being the first in the league to cross 50 points should be a good omen for MacKinnon, who ended the 2024-25 season with 116 points and 32 goals. He also led the league with 84 assists and took fourth for the Hart Trophy.
This season, MacKinnon is on pace to lead the NHL in goals. If he keeps scoring the way he has, MacKinnon would end the year with between 65 and 66, topping the 51 times he found the net in 2023-24.
While MacKinnon put up solid but unspectacular numbers early in his career, he's averaged well over a point per game starting in 2017-18 and has never looked back. He's now approaching a decade of elite play, and to do something that only Sidney Crosby, Mario Lemieux, and Connor McDavid have done since 1995-96 speaks volumes for MacKinnon's Hall of Fame resume.
What else does Nathan MacKinnon have to prove?
Nathan MacKinnon is right up there with Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby as one of the best players of his generation. He has one Stanley Cup, a Hart Trophy, a Calder Trophy, and the Ted Lindsay Award to his name. MacKinnon is also a four-time NHL All-Star and has appeared in seven All-Star Games.
That's already quite a career, but adding one more Stanley Cup, another Hart Trophy, and snagging a Conn Smythe Trophy in the process would make MacKinnon an absolute lock for induction into the Hall once he hangs his skates up for good. Still, 1,066 points and 391 goals in 900 games, plus the accolades listed above, could be enough.
MacKinnon is going to be fun to watch for the rest of the 2025-26 season, and who knows what kind of rare club he'll be joining next? It may not be long until we find out.