The Colorado Avalanche got some bad news on Thursday when the injury to star centre Nathan MacKinnon was revealed to be more significant than was originally reported. The team is now saying that he will be out for two-to-four weeks with his shoulder injury. In MacKinnon’s absence, Alex Kerfoot will centre the top line.
After further evaluation, Nathan MacKinnon will be out 2-4 weeks. pic.twitter.com/ftGuHDqgdt
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 1, 2018
Nathan MacKinnon Injured
The injury occurred when MacKinnon ran into Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler with just over six minutes left in the second period of Colorado’s 4-3 overtime loss to Vancouver. Edler braced himself for the hit and MacKinnon was instantly in discomfort after it.
So far this season, MacKinnon has scored 24 goals and 37 assists for 61 points. He is second in NHL scoring behind only Nikita Kucherov. MacKinnon has also added 38 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 51.7 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of +5.3.
MacKinnon has spent his entire five–year NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche. He has put up 99 goals and 168 assists for 267 career points in 349 career games. He was originally drafted in the 1st round, 1st overall of the 2013 NHL draft by Colorado.
What It Means
The Avalanche will have to hope to tread water until their best player comes back. In the midst of a tight playoff race, they will need MacKinnon healthy and be putting up points to continue their Cinderella season. He’s a bonafide Hart Trophy contender and one of the main reasons that Colorado has been one of the surprise teams in the league.
MacKinnon leads the team and is second the NHL in points. He has already tied his season-high for goals, which he achieved in his rookie season. The Halifax, Nova Scotia native totalled 19 points in the Avalanche’s recent 10-game winning streak. Many picked Colorado to be one of the bottom teams in the league, but sit only one point out of the second wildcard spot behind the Minnesota Wild.
Main Photo: DENVER, CO – OCTOBER 11: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) waits for a face-off during a regular season game between the Colorado Avalanche and the visiting Boston Bruins on October 11, 2017, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO. (Photo by Russell Lansford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
