Nathan MacKinnon is on the verge of catching a Joe Sakic streak
Jan 9, 2024, 10:46 AM
Colorado Avalanche superstar center Nathan MacKinnon is on fire this season.
We’ve outlined his December NHL Player of the Month award and seventh consecutive All-Star selection, but MacKinnon is also now on the verge of some Avs history.
On Monday night against the Bruins, he tallied an assist, extending his home point streak to start a season to 22 games. That’s the fifth longest to open a year in NHL history, according to Avalanche PR ace Brendan McNicholas. The record holder is the best player ever, Wayne Gretzky, who did it for an absurd 40 straight games in the 1988-1989 season.
But, not only has MacKinnon tallied a point in every game at Ball Arena this season, he’s now on the verge of catching Avalanche legend Joe Sakic for the all-time streak. And not just to start a year, but at any point in the season. Per McNicholas, Sakic had a point in 23 straight home games in the 2000-01 season.
It’s one shy of Joe Sakic’s @Avalanche franchise record for the longest home scoring streak at any point of a season (23 in 2000-01) https://t.co/aGXqgAOpms
— Brendan McNicholas (@bmcnich) January 9, 2024
Sakic won the Hart Trophy that season as the NHL’s MVP and the Avs won their second Stanley Cup. That’s pretty good company for MacKinnon to be in, as he’s seeking his first Hart and second dance with Lord Stanley’s.
All this is to say MacKinnon is on a ridiculous tear. He never has an off night, as the stats show, and is currently second in the NHL with 66 points. Only Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov has more, and he’s just one ahead with 67.
MacKinnon’s chance to tie Sakic’s home point streak will be on Wednesday night when the Avs host the Vegas Golden Knights. After that, he wouldn’t be able to break it until Jan. 24, as Colorado embarks on a five-game road trip between now and then.
But good things are worth waiting for. And right now MacKinnon has all patiently observing in awe.
