Mackinnon at full speed on the ice? “Terrifying”

In a search for the defining image of the current era of Avalanche hockey, the options begin and end with the franchise’s big three.

There’s Cale Makar changing directions and leaving a foe in his wake along the blue line. Mikko Rantanen redirecting the puck from the side of the net at nearimpossible angles.

Then, of course, Nathan Mackinnon with the puck on his stick and open ice in front of him.

Siriusxm radio host Jim Gordon recently said the Avs’ superstar center skates like he is angry at the ice. And there’s no denying the speed and fury with which Mackinnon charges toward an opponent’s net.

No other sequence of events brings Colorado fans to the edge of their seats more often. But for those tasked with trying to defend it, the sight of Mackinnon gaining speed and moving toward them invokes a different set of emotions.

“Terrifying,” Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger said. “Yeah, it’s terrifying — him and (Connor) Mcdavid. They are like — do you know those things at the airport that you can walk on but they’re moving? It looks like those two are skating on one of them. They just have that extra gear, and he’s on a different planet right now.”

Mackinnon is in the midst of the best offensive season of his already Hockey Hall of Fame-worthy career. He has 32 goals and 89 points in 55 games. This pace (47 goals and 132 points) would easily be new career-bests for a player who has finished in the top three of the Hart Trophy voting three times and looks like a strong bet to be a finalist for a fourth time.

The discourse about Mackinnon versus Nikita Kucherov (with Mcdavid and maybe Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughes also in the conversation) could rage on for the next three months. What’s not up for debate is how other players around the league feel about Mackinnon, and specifically when he puts his unique blend of speed, skill and power together.

“When he’s coming at you a billion miles an hour and you see the ‘D’ backing up and panicking a little bit, you know, it’s not a fun feeling for anybody,” Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cam Talbot said. “I can’t even imagine what the D-men are thinking, coming back and trying to accept that much speed.

“Nathan is definitely one of the premier goal scorers. He skates like the wind. He’s got an unbelievable snapshot. He can rifle the slap shot from the flank as well. He can beat you in so many different ways.”

Mackinnon’s ability to knife through multiple waves of