LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A whole lot can happen in two years, eh?
Back in the hellscape that was the 2016-17 Avalanche season, Nathan MacKinnon represented the organization at the All-Star Game but wasn’t shy about his embarrassment at being there simply because each team is required to send a player.
“It’s funny,” MacKinnon said with a wry smile. “They had to send somebody that year and I don’t think I should have gone at all. I think Scheifele from Winnipeg didn’t get to go that year but every team has to send somebody, which I don’t agree with at all. In basketball, they don’t do that. It’s more of an exclusive thing to go to the All-Star Game. It’s just different but I think every team shouldn’t get to send a guy. I think it should be tougher and in my case two years ago I don’t think I should’ve gone. I think somebody else was way more deserving but it’s funny how things have changed now.”
Given two years ago he was in the middle of a 53-point season across 82 games played, it’s certainly different now that he’s produced 56 points in 37 games to start the year. His success has definitely elevated him to a certain class of player in his eyes.
“I think I deserve to go for sure,” MacKinnon exclaimed. “I look back then and I didn’t really feel like I belong with that group of players. Some of the best players in the world and I didn’t feel like I belonged in that group and now I do.”
Now that he’s proven he belongs there, he’s looking forward to the experience as a whole as it takes place between January 25 and 26 in San Jose.
“It’s just a good time,” MacKinnon said. “It’s not too serious. Three on three is really fun. Five on five is kind of tight out there but three on three is a lot of fun. If you lose, it makes the weekend pretty short. It’s cool to see some people you normally wouldn’t see during the season.”
When asked if he was expecting to be joined by any teammates, he went straight to the obvious.
“Mikko Rantanen,” he said while giving Lauren Gardner a hard time for the question. “Hopefully, all three of us can go. Obviously, Mikko is going and Gabe is second or third in goals so he’s having a fantastic season and so hopefully the three of us can all go. I’m sure it hasn’t been done in a long time, having a full line playing together in an All-Star Game.”
MacKinnon heads to the All-Star Game as the first captain from the Avalanche since Joe Sakic in 2007. He is the first Colorado player selected to three straight All-Star Games since Rob Blake from 2001-02 to 2003-04.
But there’s work to do between now and then and Colorado entered the Christmas break on a sour note, losing two games in two nights to Chicago and Arizona. The loss against the Coyotes, in which they trailed 4-1 but came back to tie it only to lose late in regulation, was particularly painful for the group.
“It was a good game for us to realize the two opposite ways we can play,” MacKinnon said. We played so poorly in the first two periods. We can control our effort and mindset. Everyone can do that. How good you are, how much talent you have, everyone can work their hardest. Everyone did that in the third and I think we’ll do that tonight.”
