Season Recap: Nathan MacKinnon

Nathan MacKinnon had one of the greatest regular seasons in league history in 2023-24. Earning career highs in goals (51) and assists (89), MacKinnon became one of 12 players in NHL history to post at least 140 points in a season. In the playoffs, he posted four goals and 10 assists in 14 games.

His 140 points were the most in a single season in franchise history and his 1.71 points-per-game was the second-highest rate in Avalanche/Nordiques history behind Peter Stastny’s 1.74 points-per-game in 1981-82.

MacKinnon, who played in his seventh NHL All-Star game in 2024, also became just the second player since 1996-97 to post at least 50 goals and 85 assists, joining Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (64 goals, 89 assists in 2022-23).

For the fourth time in his career, MacKinnon is a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s MVP. For the third time, he’s a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award as the league’s most outstanding player as voted by the NHLPA. The only other players in Avalanche/Nordiques history to win the Hart Memorial Trophy are Peter Forsberg (2002-03) and Joe Sakic (2000-01), while Sakic (2000-01) is the only player in franchise history to win the Ted Lindsay Award.

MacKinnon’s season got off to a sizzling start, as he recorded at least a point in the first 35 home games of the season, the second-longest such streak in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky’s 40-game home point streak in 1988-89.

Speaking of streaks, MacKinnon posted seven multi-game point streaks, including two streaks of 19 games a streak of 14 games. From Nov. 20, 2023, to Feb. 5, 2024, MacKinnon scored at least one point in 33 of 34 games and recorded 26 goals and 39 assists.

MacKinnon registered at least one point in 69 of the 82 games he played and recorded 44 multi-point games, including 17 games with at least three points. He posted three hat tricks including two five-point games where he scored four goals and an assist.

Entering the 2024-25 season, MacKinnon has seven years remaining on his contract. He’s one point shy of 900 for his career, 65 goals from 400, 36 assists from 600, and nine games from 800.