On This Date In Sports History, Nathan MacKinnon Selected By The Colorado Avalanche With The 1st Pick In the 2013 NHL Draft

By Jordan Long

On this date in 2013, the NHL Entry Draft was held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.  The Colorado Avalanche won the NHL Draft Lottery.  They ended 2013 with a record of 16-27-7 for a total of 39 points in the lockout shortened season.  The only team worse was the Florida Panthers with 36 points.  The Panthers ended up with the 2^nd pick in the Lottery.

                Colorado had many options with the 1^st overall selection.  The top defenseman was Seth Jones.  Jones’ father, Ronald Jones, played basketball with the Denver Nuggets for the 1999-2000 season.  Jones learned to skate in Colorado.  If the Avalanche selected him, it would be a homecoming.

                Colorado could also upgrade the offense with a forward.  Those available included Jonathan Drouin, Elias Lindholm, Max Domi, and Nathan MacKinnon.  Colorado knew there was so much talent it was going to be difficult to screw-up the pick.  In the end, Colorado decided to select Nathan MacKinnon.

                MacKinnon has turned into a superstar with the Avalanche.  In his rookie year, he scored 24 goals and added 39 assists for a total of 63 points.  Colorado made the playoffs that season but were upset by the Minnesota Wild in 7 games.  For his production, MacKinnon won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year.

                His production slipped in 2015.  MacKinnon lit the lamp a career low 14 times while adding 24 assists for 38 points.  It is the only time in his career to this point MacKinnon has failed to total 50 points in a season.

                This year MacKinnon was going through one of his best seasons in the NHL.  Before the NHL shut down due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, he was on his way to the first 100 point total in his career.  MacKinnon played on the top line with Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen.  He set them up for scoring chances.  If they didn’t score, they would find MacKinnon open in front of the net for rebounds or tip-ins for goals.  MacKinnon totaled 35 goals and 58 assists for 93 points this season.  It is possible he may have won his first Hart Trophy as leagues’ MVP.

                MacKinnon has turned into one of the top Avalanche players on the roster today.   He is only going to improve his game which is scary for the NHL since he is one of the fastest skaters in the league.  Colorado wouldn’t be where they are today if they hadn’t chosen MacKinnon with the 1^st overall pick in the NHL Draft on this date in 2013.