It’s an incredible, deep field of candidates, but Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon is going to be an NHL MVP for the first time in his career after a consistent, extraordinary season.
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Toronto Maple Leafs centrer Auston Matthews face off during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Nathan MacKinnon did not become one of five players to ever record 100 assists in an NHL season. He did not score the most goals in the league in nearly 30 years.
There are four candidates — MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov — who had extraordinary seasons, and all would be worthy winners. There’s a second tier of players that goes at least four deep who would have a great case to finish in the top three of a normal year.
MacKinnon’s raw statistics are certainly MVP-worthy. He has 51 goals and 140 points, which only 10 players have accomplished in a season. He didn’t score the most goals or the most points . But among the top MVP contenders, MacKinnon is second in both. The biggest knock against McDavid’s case is his slow start. MacKinnon was the most consistently great player all year.
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