Colorado Avalanche 2025-26 Player Grades: Nathan MacKinnon

The Colorado Avalanche are still reeling from their untimely sweep at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights. Though head coach Jared Bednar is sticking around, there will be changes in the front office with general manager Chris MacFarland moving on to Nashville.

While there will be plenty of time to look ahead to what the Avalanche should do, it is time to look at the season that just ended and start doling out grades. One of the easiest players to grade every season starts this series off, so let’s give Nathan MacKinnon his honor roll badge.

Production

MacKinnon is the kind of player that you don’t really compare to anyone else. That’s what happens when you are consistently among the two or three highest-scoring players in the league every single year. After a ridiculous three-season run, MacKinnon showed he is just getting started.

He was outrageous once again. He registered 74 assists and 127 points (his second-highest ever) while leading the NHL in goals for the very first time with 53. He’s already grabbed the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for his case and may yet still add his second Hart Trophy. His 42 even-strength goals also showed that you don’t have to be a power play merchant to be a top scorer.

Intangibles

MacKinnon is a good defensive player if not necessarily an elite one. His scoring is the best defense for the Avalanche, something that keeps the opposing team on their heels as they could be staring down one of those choppy MacKinnon rushes up the ice.

What he really brings to the team aside from his offense is presence. MacKinnon is as intense as they come, someone who demands excellence not only of himself, but of everyone around him. He refuses to settle for less than the best and the Avalanche feed on that more often than not.

Overall Grade: A+

Other than finally beating his rivals Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov for his first Art Ross Trophy, there is nothing more MacKinnon could possibly do. His outrageous 127 points is one of the best totals of the post-cap era and he’s delivered at this level for four straight seasons.

Even when things got tougher in the playoffs, he delivered with 15 points (and seven goals) in 13 games. MacKinnon is the kind of player that would be impossible to replace, and when he was hurt in Game 4 against the Golden Knights, it was evident that the Avalanche just weren’t as dangerous.

Run it Back

Though they suffered one of their most devastating losses, the Avalanche are going to be contenders once again in 2026-27. With the Central Division possibly being even tougher, MacKinnon will have to be at his best once again.

The Avalanche are going to have a tough time filling out the bottom of the lineup, but they will be a threat to win the Central Division again because MacKinnon is going to be one of the very best players in the league again.