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2. Nathan MacKinnon

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One of the great young stars of the game, Nathan MacKinnon came into the National Hockey League as the first overall Draft Pick in 2013.  As a rookie, the Nova Scotian Center would win the Calder Trophy with 63 Points.  MacKinnon did not hit that mark over the next three years, but in 2017-18, he would have a 97 Point year with a league-leading 12 Game Winning Goals.  He would also be named a Second Team All-Star and was second in Hart Trophy voting.

In 2018-19, MacKinnon would exceed his career-high in Goals (41) and Points (99) and finished sixth in Hart Trophy voting.  MacKinnon built on that with his third consecutive 90-Point plus season, earning a second Second Team All-Star, and winning his First Lady Byng.  MacKinnon was also the runner-up for the Hart that year.  MacKinnon was third for the Hart, in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season with his 65 Point year.

It can be argued that MacKinnon took a step back in 2021-22, with "only" 88 Points in 65 Games, but the Avs were loaded top to bottom, and the forward was part of one of the most complete squads in Hockey over the last 20 years.  Colorado won the Stanley Cup, giving MacKinnon some well-earned finger jewelry.  In 2022-23, MacKinnon had another huge year, scoring 111 Points and finishing fifth for the Hart.   As good as he had become, MacKinnon took it to another level in 2023-24, where he won the Hart Trophy, scored a whopping 140 Points, and was a First Team All-Star.  He also won the Ted Lindsay Award and had his first 50 Goal year (51).

Last season, he remained an upper echelon skater with his second straight First Team All-Star selection, a fourth-place Hart finish, and winning his first Assists Title.  He enters this year with 1,015 Points and is only 30.

Could MacKinnon make a run for the top spot on this list?  We would not bet against him.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Center
  • Acquired: Selected in the 1st Round, 1st Overall in the NHL Draft 6/30/13.
  • Games Played: 870
  • Notable Statistics: 367 Goals
    648 Assists
    1,015 Points
    389 PIM
    1.17 PPG 
    +172 Plus/Minus
    474 Blocked Shots
    597 Hits
    458 Takeaways
    643 Giveaways
    116.1 Point Shares

    95 Playoff Games
    55 Goals
    70 Assists
    125 Points
    42 PIM
    1.32 PPG 
    58 Blocked Shots
    112 Hits
    52 Takeaways
    79 Giveaways
    +38 Plus/Minus
  • Non-NHL Teams: Top Ten Hart Trophy Finishes: 
    2nd in 2018, 6th in 2019, 2nd in 2020, 3rd in 2021, 5th in 2022, 1st in 2023 & 4th in 2024
    Top Ten Lady Byng Trophy Finishes:
    1st in 2020
  • Major Accolades and Awards: Stanley Cup Champion (2022)
    Hart Trophy (2024)
    Ted Lindsay Award (2024)
    First Team All-Star (2024 & 2025)

    Second Team All-Star (2018 & 2020)
    All-Star (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 & 2023)
    Calder Trophy (2014)
    Lady Byng Trophy (2020)
    First Team All-Rookie (2014)
    Most Assists (2024-25_
    Most Game-Winning Goals (2017-18)
    Most Shots (2018-19, 2019-20, 2023-24 & 2024-25)
    Most Point Shares (2023-24)
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