RADIO
UPDATE: Nathan MacKinnon will be out 6-8 weeks with a fractured foot.
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) March 6, 2015
The news broke on Friday, via the Colorado Avalanche's twitter account, that 2013-2014 Calder Memorial Trophy Winner Nathan MacKinnon will miss the remainder of the season with a fractured foot.
While the 19-year-old center will only miss 6-8 weeks with his injury, given the point in the season and Colorado's slim-to-none chances of making the playoffs, MacKinnon won't return this season.
MacKinnon, who was taken with the first overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, put up impressive stats in his rookie campaign, scoring 24 goals and tallying 63 points. The Avalanche, led under first-year coach Patrick Roy, rode the success of emerging goaltender Semyon Varlamov and MacKinnon all the way to the playoffs before losing to the Minnesota Wild in a seven-game thriller in the first round.
Now, almost a full year later, the Avalanche have imploded. MacKinnon has seen his production on the ice bottom out this season, totaling just 14 goals and 24 assists in 64 games. This season has been a massive letdown for the Avalanche, seeing the highs of last season and the hopes for this season crash down to reality.
Sandwiched in twelfth-place in the Western Conference between the Dallas Stars and the Arizona Coyotes, the 28-25-11 Avs almost have a better chance of winning the Connor McDavid sweepstakes as they do of clinching the second wildcard spot with 18 games remaining.
