Nathan MacKinnon Leading Avalanche to Dynasty Category

The NHL is one of the best sports leagues in the world, not just because the athletes are probably the most fine-tuned athletes out of all the other sports, but also because of the disparity every year in champions. Yes, the Tampa Bay Lightning have won the last two Stanely Cups, but it has been done in sensational fashion, unlike in the NBA and NFL when a team repeats.

It is harder and harder every year to create a dynasty in the NHL, and it seems as if we have a new one on the rise in Denver. The Colorado Avalanche have torn through the NHL playoffs thus far, and it doesn’t look like they’re planning to stop anytime soon. The Avalanche are currently playing the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference NHL finals, and they have jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the series, severely dominating a team with the best two players in the world on their roster.

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are players that are out of this world, and even though they’ve been pretty great in this series, they are no match for a Colorado team that is firing on all cylinders. Even with wonky goaltending on a nightly basis, the Avalanche are finding ways to completely dominate, and that’s evident in their 3-0 series lead against the NHL’s best stars.

I can’t say I’m surprised, however, as a couple of years ago there was a culture shift in Colorado, and they went from being one of the worst teams in the NHL to be the absolute best. They are led by their consummate leader Nathan MacKinnon, who looks more and more like Superman when he’s out there on the ice every night. His desire to win has been largely documented in the media, as teammates have expressed how serious he is about winning.

From changing the team’s dietary habits to changing mindsets, there is no telling how far Nathan MacKinnon will go to ensure his teammate’s buy-in to the sole purpose of being an NHL player; winning a Stanley Cup. This burning desire to win is something all great athletes hold, and it is no different with McKinnon. Obviously, his teammates have bought in, as they are showing on a nightly basis that they are the best team in hockey at the moment.

With superstars such as Gabriel Landeskog, Cale Makar, Bowen Byram, and Nazem Kadri all on the team as well, it’s easy to see why this team will dominate for years to come. Could they start a dynasty similar to the current Tampa Bay Lightning, or early 2010’s Chicago Blackhawks? If Nathan MacKinnon, I definitely think so.