MacKinnon is pseudo leader of four Blues players at All-Star Game
Nathan MacKinnon is off to St. Louis for NHL All-Star Game weekend at Enterprise Center, home of reigning Stanley Cupchampion St. Louis Blues. The Avalanche’s only all-star will captain the Central Division — serving as the pseudo leader over 10 players, including four Blues.
St. Louis (68 points) and Colorado (62) stand first and second in the Western Conference standings and have split their four games against each other, with both winning twice at home.
At this rate, the Central Division title could come down to the April 4 regular-season finale between the two at the Pepsi Center.
This weekend, however, it’s all fun and games between respected rivals.
“They won the Cup,” MacKinnon said of the Blues’ four allstars. “Me being captain doesn’t hold any bragging rights over those guys, that’s for sure.”
MacKinnon, 24, played his first two seasons with the Avs as a teammate of now-Blues center Ryan O’Reilly. When O’Reilly was traded to Buffalo in 2016, MacKinnon took over O’Reilly’s lease at a downtown Denver condominium. They remain close friends.
“I spent a lot of time with him,” MacKinnon said of O’Reilly, the 2019 Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP. “It’s always catching up with Factor; such a great guy. He’s really the only guy I know really well on their team. It’ll be great to see him. All the Western guys (Central and Pacific division) are in one room so I’m excited to get to know more of them.”
MacKinnon is making his fourth All-Star Game appearance and second straight as the Central’s captain. But he didn’t play a year ago in San Jose because of a leg injury.
“Me not playing last year doesn’t dictate my hunger for the All-Star Game. It’s a fun event. I had fun last year, not playing,” he said. “I really didn’t miss much. You play for like 10 minutes 3-on-3 and do a hard lap in the fastest skater. But it’s a fun event, for sure.”
MacKinnon is expecting to participate in Friday’s skills competition. He doesn’t have any vacation plans after this weekend. The Avs don’t have to report for practice until Jan. 30.
“Just hang out and get my body ready for another 33 games,” MacKinnon said.
Footnotes. Two Coloradoraised 25-year-old defensemen will compete in All-Star weekend. Seth Jones and Jaccob
Slavin will represent the Metropolitan Division. Jones is the lone all-star from the Columbus Blue Jackets and Slavin is the only representative of the Carolina Hurricanes. Jones and Slavin grew up playing for the triple-A Colorado Thunderbirds. … Among the four divisions, the Central is the only one that didn’t have original members decline to play or back out because of injury.