There shouldn’t be much of a competition for the NHL’s Calder trophy this season, which is handed out to the year’s top rookie. The award should be won hands-down by 18-year-old Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, who was selected with the first overall pick in last summer’s NHL Entry Draft.
MacKinnon has been a major factor in the resurgence of the club this season as they sit in third place in the Western Conference in mid-March with a record of 43-18-5 record.
The Avalanche failed to make the playoffs last season as they finished 29th in the 30-team league, but unless they completely fall apart, they will be guaranteed a postseason spot this campaign. It would be the squad’s first appearance in the playoffs since the 2009-10 season.
MacKinnon led all rookies in scoring in mid-March with 22 goals and 29 assists for 51 points. He led in all three of those scoring categories and also posted a 13-game point-scoring streak earlier in the season to break the great Wayne Gretzky’s record for an 18-year-old.
Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy said he loves to watch the teenager play and he deserves all of the ice time he gets, but he’s not really surprised at how well MacKinnon has adapted to the pro game.
This is because Roy was the coach and general manager and part owner of the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League), where MacKinnon played for two years with the Halifax Mooseheads in his hometown.
Even though MacKinnon was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, he did his growing up in nearby Cole Harbour, which just happens to be the hometown of Pittsburgh Penguins captain and star player Sidney Crosby. A
lso like Crosby, he left home at a young age to enroll at Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep School, which is located in Faribault, Minnesota. He spent two years there before being drafted into the QMJHL by the Mooseheads.
At that point in time MacKinnon had the option of playing in the United States Hockey League for the Omaha Lancers for two years and then attending college or to enter the QMJHL draft. He opted for the draft and was selected by the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.
However, the young player asked to be traded to Halifax and his wish was granted. MacKinnon racked up 153 points in 102 regular-season games on 63 goals and 90 assists, and added 24 goals and 37 assists for 61 points in 34 playoff contests.
MacKinnon helped Halifax win the Memorial Cup in May of 2013, and was named the tournament’s MVP for scoring seven goals and six assists in just four games. Three of those goals and a pair of assists came in the championship game, a 6-4 victory over the Portland Winterhawks.
MacKinnon said he didn’t want to set any goals for himself for his rookie NHL season as he didn’t want to get down on himself if he failed to reach them.
However, he’s proven to be the league’s best rookie even though he’s played a lot of the year as a right-winger instead of at center ice, which is his natural position.
