Dater: MacKinnon Hits New Level

4 point game against Flyers gives him league lead

I’ve seen most every game Nathan MacKinnon has ever played, and today’s against Philadelphia might be No. 1 on the list of the best.

Four points against the Flyers in a 7-4 Avs victory. Nathan MacKinnon is now your NHL points leader, with 77 - two ahead of Nikita Kucherov. The win temporarily put the Avs back on top in the Western Conference, one ahead of Winnipeg (though the Jets have four games in hand).

MacKinnon has had games with more points, but I don’t know. I just thought he was otherwordly today. He’s taken his game to an even higher level, way ahead of his all-time career points high.

He has to be the leader in the clubhouse right now for the Hart Trophy. The Hart vote is done at the end of the regular season, by the way. It doesn’t count the playoffs.

He’d have my vote, that’s for sure.

AVS-FLYERS TAKEAWAYS