The Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers are set to square off in the Western Conference Finals, a playoff matchup that will pit two of the NHL's biggest superstars head-to-head. Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon and Oilers' superstar Connor McDavid are largely considered among the NHL's most elite players, and now they're set to face off in the playoff battle. Ahead of the clash, MacKinnon gave his honest opinion on McDavid, boldly declaring him the best player in hockey, via Peter Baugh.

MacKinnon didn't hide his admiration for McDavid, who he claims is the best in the business. In fact, MacKinnon admitted to thinking McDavid has been the top dog in the NHL for some time now, despite having his own case for that title.

In addition to his praise of McDavid, MacKinnon said that the Oilers were a lot deeper than most people give them credit for. It's clear he's not underestimating Edmonton in their Western Conference Finals matchup, despite Colorado being considerable favorites in the series.

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It's certainly interesting to see MacKinnon offer such significant praise to his upcoming opponent ahead of Tuesday's series opener, but it's impossible to deny how dominant McDavid has been, especially during the Oilers' playoff run, during which he's logged 26 points in 12 games, doubling MacKinnon's 13 points which he's racked up over 10 games.

While McDavid is Edmonton's clear-cut superstar, MacKinnon's well-aware of the other threats the team has offensively, including the likes of Evander Kane, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman, among others. Still, Colorado has a star-studded lineup of their own, setting fans up for a highly-entertaining Western Conference Finals clash.