It's been a great two months in the Rocky Mountains, as the Colorado Avalanche have dominated the NHL to start the season. Now, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar have become heavy favorites to win the Hart and Norris trophies, respectively, according to voters as reported by Greg Wyshynski of ESPN.
“It's Nathan MacKinnon, and by a commanding margin over anyone else, I'd consider No. 2 at the moment,” one voter lamented in the report.
MacKinnon won the Hart Trophy in 2024, but was unable to repeat the feat last season. This season, he has exploded out of the gate, tallying 22 goals and 24 assists over 26 games, leading the NHL. Also, he has converted six power-play goals. MacKinnon has been a significant factor in the Avalanche's success, as they have dominated numerous teams en route to a 19-1-6 start. Additionally, he also has a plus/minus of +32, being one of the reasons for this exceptional start for the Avs. Connor McDavid was the favorite to start the season, but voters have warmed to MacKinnon lately, giving him top billing.
But MacKinnon has not been the only force on the Avalanche. Amazingly, Makar has also come out of the gate scorching hot. So far, he has tallied nine goals and 23 assists over 26 contests. Makar leads all defensemen in points and is ahead of Zach Werenski and Adam Fox, who each have 26 points. When the Avalanche need a jolt, Makar is usually the player on the blue line setting things up. Currently, he is the unanimous leader in the polling for the Norris Trophy.
“The Avs are head and shoulders above the rest of the league right now with MacKinnon and Makar leading the way,” another voter added.
Both MacKinnon and Makar look to continue establishing their will and keep this recent string of success going. While the awards are a goal, both MacKinnon and Makar likely have greater aspirations, as they hope to lead the Avalanche back to the Stanley Cup, with a chance to win their second in the decade.
