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"People who don't like me, or like me" – Nathan MacKinnon speaks about his Hart Trophy chances after impressive season
Colorado Avalanche captain Nathan MacKinnon is coming off an exceptionally memorable regular season campaign and is a top favorite for the league MVP, aka the Hart Trophy. Recently, while speaking of his chances of winning the award, the Canadian center did not seem too bothered about the voting process and is content regardless of whether he wins the MVP award or not.
MacKinnon set yet another franchise record in the Avalanche’s final regular season game against the Edmonton Oilers. He became the first player in franchise history to score 140 points in a single season, surpassing Peter Stastny’s 139. In the post-game interview, the 28-year-old was asked who the Hart trophy could go to and what his chances of being voted the MVP were.
MacKinnon was candid about the possible outcomes of the voting process and acknowledged that he can't control the opinions of those who vote for him:
“I think it could go to a lot of guys. I don’t think one guy is more deserving of another guy. Yeah, I don’t know. It's out of my hands. I can't control people that vote for me. People who don't like me, or like me. So, it's all good either way,” MacKinnon said.
The player has been incredible on the ice over the course of the entire season and will now be looking to deliver his best performance in the playoffs. The Avalanche will face the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the playoffs on Sunday.
Nathan MacKinnon’s case for the MVP
While stars like Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov all had remarkable seasons, Nathan MacKinnon's 2023-24 perhaps makes the best case for the Hart Trophy. The Colorado center finished the regular season with 51 goals, 89 assists and a plus-minus of +35 in 82 games.
The other names in the leaderboards also raked up impressive numbers, but MacKinnon was the one who kept delivering without coming across a slump. This season, he boasted the second-longest home point streak ever and achieved two 19-game streaks in the same season, unprecedented in NHL history.
MacKinnon also logged substantial ice time for the Avalanche – with an average of about 22.81 minutes per game – amounting to a total of 1,870 minutes and 46 seconds this entire season. While his consistency has been remarkable, his impact has been even more significant for the team.
He has come up clutch in crucial moments throughout the regular season and the 28-year-old has managed to make and break records at the same time. This might be the season Nathan MacKinnon takes home his first Hart Trophy and could do so in style by claiming a fourth Stanley Cup crown.
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