This marks the third consecutive All-Star Game that MacKinnon will serve as the Central Division's captain, as he also wore the 'C' in 2018-19 and 2019-20 (there was no event last year). He and Joe Sakic (2003-04) are the only Avalanche players to captain an All-Star team.
MacKinnon will be making his fifth consecutive All-Star Game appearance, the first Avalanche player to be selected to five consecutive All-Star Games since Peter Forsberg was chosen for six straight from 1995-96 to 2000-01. In fact, MacKinnon's run of five straight selections is the fourth-longest streak in franchise history behind Sakic (eight, 1989-90 to 1997-98), Michel Goulet (six, 1982-83 to 1987-88) and Forsberg (six, 1995-96 to 2000-01).
MacKinnon has recorded 35 points (6g/29a) in 23 games this season, ranking him fourth in the NHL in points-per-game (1.52). He ranks sixth in the league in assists. MacKinnon registered a 13-game point streak from Dec. 1 to Jan. 8, tied for the third-longest streak in the NHL this season.
The first overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, MacKinnon has been named a finalist for the Hart Trophy in three of the last four seasons (2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21). He won the 2020 Lady Byng Award and 2014 Calder Trophy and was named to the NHL's Second All-Star Team in both 2017-18 and 2019-20.
Now in his ninth NHL season, MacKinnon has tallied 595 points (216g/379a) in 596 career regular season games, ranking seventh on the franchise's all-time scoring list. He ranks fifth in points/game (0.998), seventh in assists, sixth in power-play tallies (66), fifth in game-winning goals (42) and second in overtime goals (8). He sits eighth in goals, one behind Forsberg (217) for seventh.
The Halifax, Nova Scotia, native has 69 points (28g/41a) in 50 career postseason games. His 1.38 career points/game average in the postseason is the fourth highest in Stanley Cup Playoff history (min 25 GP), behind Wayne Gretzky (1.84), Mario Lemieux (1.61) and Barry Pederson (1.53).
