Nathan MacKinnon broke a three-game goal drought with a power-play one-timer and added two assists for a three-point night, leading the Colorado Avalanche to a 4-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday evening.
- MacKinnon’s current output places him fifth in the Art Ross Trophy race, maintaining elite value in fantasy formats alongside high-volume assists.
Through 18 games this season, the 31-year-old center has accumulated 10 goals, 20 asistencias, and 30 points. That early output projects to 47 goals, 93 asistencias, and 140 points across an 84-game schedule.
That exact total matches what MacKinnon achieved during the 2023-24 campaign, when he finished with 51 goals and 89 asistencias. Only a handful of players this century have reached the 140-point threshold in a single season, a milestone MacKinnon joined in 2023-24 before Thanksgiving.
While Connor McDavid paces the NHL with 47 points through 18 games on 10 goals and 37 asistencias, MacKinnon sits fifth in the scoring race. Leon Draisaitl with 34, Evan Bouchard with 31, and Kirill Kaprizov with 31 occupy the intermediate positions behind McDavid.
MacKinnon’s production profile has shifted compared to last year. He secured the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in 2025-26 by leading the league with 53 goals as part of a 127-point campaign, whereas this season his assists are far ahead of the goals, 20 to 10.
Nathan MacKinnon showing off his star power ⭐️ , scoring a goal and collecting two assists in the Colorado Avalanche's 4-0 shutout victory against the Detroit Red Wings. The Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native moves into 60th on the all-time NHL points list passing Bobby Hull.…
The Saturday matchup marked MacKinnon’s 968th career NHL appearance, allowing him to surpass Adam Foote for third place on the Avalanche’s all-time games played list behind Joe Sakic and Milan Hejduk. Head coach Jared Bednar praised the overall team structure following the shutout victory over Detroit. “Esta noche no hubo pasajeros en el banquillo. Me gustó el partido de todos,” Bednar said.
| Player | Team | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | 18 | 10 | 37 | 47 |
| Leon Draisaitl | Edmonton Oilers | 18 | — | — | 34 |
| Kirill Kaprizov | Minnesota Wild | 18 | — | — | 31 |
| Evan Bouchard | Edmonton Oilers | 18 | — | — | 31 |
| Nathan MacKinnon | Colorado Avalanche | 18 | 10 | 20 | 30 |
Martin Necas opened the scoring in the second period during a Colorado power play, finishing the night with four points. MacKinnon capitalized on another power-play opportunity at 12:30 of the middle frame, burying a one-timer off a feed from Cale Makar from behind the left circle to end his brief scoring drought.
Colorado turns its attention north for its next fixture, visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday night with puck drop scheduled for 19:00 local time.
Disclaimer: The fantasy and market insights provided are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial or betting advice.
