Nathan MacKinnon Reaches Another Tier of Avalanche Lore With 381st Career Goal

It’s a foregone conclusion that Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon is in a whole other stratosphere when it comes to the hockey world. Some argue that he is one of the best players in the NHL, alongside players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. When it comes to Avalanche history, he will put himself into the argument for being on the Mount Rushmore after it’s all said and done. Following a two-goal night against the Vancouver Canucks (Nov. 9), he adds another feat to his long list of accomplishments.

MacKinnon Rising Up the Avalanche Ranks

During the Avalanche’s 5-4 overtime win against the Canucks, MacKinnon tallied two goals and five points to add to an already insane month. Not only did his two goals put him third all-time on the Avalanche in goals, but it also secured him the NHL’s first star of the week. In three games, he scored four goals and tallied 10 points, and in the last two games alone, tallied four goals and nine points. The feat also puts him in the league lead in points (29) just for good measure.

Regarding his place in the Avalanche lore, MacKinnon has now scored 381 goals, surpassing Peter Šťastný in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history. While it took MacKinnon 886 games to reach 381 goals, compared to Šťastný’s 737 games to reach 380, it’s still a phenomenal feat for the Halifax, Nova Scotia product. The Avanalche’s first overall pick from 2013 is only behind Joe Sakic (625) and Michel Goulet (456) in team history for goals.

MacKinnon is only 244 goals away from tying Sakic, and the 30-year-old has a few more years of hockey left in him to potentially catch the Avalanche legend. Considering he is already in the top three in goals, assists (663), and points (1,044), there is no argument that he could cement himself in stone alongside Sakic, Patrick Roy, and Milan Hejduk/Peter Forsberg as one of the best Avalanche players of all-time.

This season, MacKinnon leads the team in goals (14) and points (29), while only being behind Cale Makar in assists by one. He’s at a staggering plus-13 after 16 games played, while also tallying five power-play goals over that span. For added measure, he is also on a nine-game point streak.

In terms of points, he is only behind Sakic (1,641) and Šťastný (1,048) for most in team history. While that is a 597-point difference, MacKinnon keeps cementing his Avalanche legacy and is not stopping anytime soon. He is currently on pace for a 138-point season, which would only be second behind his 140-point 2023-24. If he manages to keep putting up around those types of numbers, he has a legitimate shot to catch Sakic.

No matter how you slice it, MacKinnon’s start is something to appreciate and indicative how much he drives the Avalanche. They’re 10-1-5 (25 points) on the season and four points clear of the Dallas Stars for first place in the Central Division. Furthermore, they’re the best team in hockey, two points ahead the Anaheim Ducks for the Presidents’ Trophy. Can they keep this up? There is a good chance, especially with how MacKinnon, Makar, Martin Necas, Artturi Lehkonen, and others are playing.

If the Avalanche wants to capture their fourth Stanley Cup in team history, it’ll be on one of their core pillars in MacKinnon. As long as he keeps going at his current pace while continuing to rewrite the history books, who knows where the 2025-26 story will end. Regardless of how it concludes, MacKinnon continues to write his name in Avalanche lore and work toward securing his place in the Hockey Hall of Fame.