The Colorado Avalanche played 13 games in December for a record of 10-3-0, ending the month on a five-game win streak, outscoring their opponents 22-9. They are third in the Central Division with 46 points, nine points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the top spot. Who stood out in the final month of 2024? In the second edition of the “Three Stars of the Month” series at The Hockey Writers, here’s a look at the three Avalanche players who deserve recognition.
3 Stars for December
Third Star: Mikko Rantanen
Mikko Rantanen, who earned the first star in November, had a better start in December. While he might not have had the same goal-scoring touch, he had a major impact on the ice.
In 13 games, he scored six goals and 14 assists, ranked sixth in points in the NHL for the month. Five of his six goals came at even strength – one on the power play, including a game-winning goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 10 when he scored a hat trick and two assists for a five-point night. Eleven of his 14 assists were at even strength, while the other three were on the power play. He had 31 shots on goal for a 19.4 shooting percentage. He also ranked seventh in ice time for the month, averaging 21:32 minutes per game.
Outside of his five-point performance against the Penguins, Rantanen was consistent in December. His playmaking skills took the spotlight, notably with multiple two-assist nights and one three-assist night against the Nashville Predators on Dec. 14. He is on an 11-game point streak – 19 of his 20 points were scored during this streak, as the team found its groove.
Second Star: MacKenzie Blackwood
MacKenzie Blackwood has taken over the starting goaltending duties for the Avalanche, becoming the key piece the team needed this season. Blackwood was traded from the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 9 for Alexandar Georgiev. After a couple of games, he signed a substantial contract that raised eyebrows because of his age, injury history, and limited experience with the team.
Blackwood played nine games and finished the month with a 6-2 record, ranked fourth in the NHL in wins in December. He faced 278 shots, saved 260 (ranked fifth for the month), and allowed 18. He finished the month with a .935 save percentage (SV%), ranked third among goaltenders who started nine or more games in December. He also finished with a 2.10 goals-against average (GAA), ranked fourth among goaltenders who started nine or more games.
Related: Avalanche Needed To Extend Blackwood Sooner Than Later
Goaltending was a significant concern heading into the season and showed it was not up to par among the league’s best teams early on. While the offence produced, Georgiev and Justus Annunen struggled in net, forcing general manager Chris MacFarland’s hand to revamp his tandem. Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood have impressed early into their tenures with the organization and will look to continue their impressive play in the second half.
First Star: Nathan MacKinnon
After a strong November of 18 points, Nathan MacKinnon continues to showcase his elite talent. He outdid himself in December, delivering a performance that earned him the month’s first star. In 13 games, he scored seven goals and 25 points, the most by a player that month. All his goals were scored at even strength, while five of his assists came on the power play. Six of his 18 assists were game-winners, the most by a player that month. He took 52 shots on goal to finish with a 13.5 shooting percentage.
MacKinnon’s December was highlighted by seven multi-point nights. He joined Rantanen to finish the Penguins game with five points; he had three three-point nights and two two-point nights. He is on a five-game point streak with 11 points in that span. MacKinnon also passed Michel Goulet for third in points in Avalanche history to wrap up an impressive month for the league leader in points (61).
In November, the Avalanche had a power play success rate of 20.5%, ranked 19th in the NHL – their 35.1% success rate in October impacted the team’s offense significantly and their record. In December, the power play sat at 14.7%. Of the eight players who scored 20 points in December, only MacKinnon and Rantanen scored fewer than five power-play points. Imagine their point total if the team’s power play was not in the bottom ten for the month. Those “missing” points could have helped the team win more games.
The Avalanche’s first game in 2025 will be against the Buffalo Sabres at home on Thursday, Jan. 2. They have 15 games scheduled this month, including six against division rivals.
