The NHL’s young stars are coming for the old guard — but Nathan MacKinnon isn’t stepping aside for anyone
The league’s next generation may be rising fast, but Nathan MacKinnon just reminded everyone that the old guard isn’t done yet.
The fiercely competitive 30-year-old centre exploded over the weekend, putting up nine points across two games to reclaim the top spot in the NHL scoring race. After racking up four points against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, the Colorado Avalanche superstar went one better Sunday, delivering a five-point performance against the Vancouver Canucks.
“It’s unreal,” said Colorado defenseman Cale Makar after Sunday’s win. “He’s finding ways to put the puck in the back of the net, going to the right areas and driving the play, too. It’s definitely amazing to play with that guy every night.”
MacKinnon’s surge comes amid chatter that young talents like Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, and Macklin Celebrini are ready to overtake the league’s veterans. Heading into the weekend, MacKinnon trailed all three in the scoring race—but now sits four points ahead, with 29 points through 16 games.
Not by coincidence, the Avalanche sit atop the NHL standings with a 10-1-5 record.
“I don’t want to jinx it but we’ve been playing really well,” MacKinnon told reporters. “We have one regulation loss in (16) games. Solid hockey. Five-on-five has been great and our penalty kill has been great. Our power play has been tough but we haven’t needed it yet so hopefully we can get that going.”
MacKinnon’s second goal against Vancouver also moved him into third on the Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques all-time goals list with 381, surpassing Peter Stastny. Only Michel Goulet (456) and Joe Sakic (625) remain ahead. He’s also closing in on Stastny for second in franchise points — sitting at 1,044, just four behind — while Sakic leads comfortably with 1,641.
Sidney Crosby also fending off the youth movement
It’s worth noting that Cole Harbour’s other superstar isn’t fading either. Sidney Crosby, now 38 and in his 21st NHL season, remains among the league’s elite. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain is tied for third in goals with 11 and continues to chase Mario Lemieux for the franchise’s all-time points record. He also recently became just the ninth player in league history to reach 1,700 career points.
Ahead of him are Wayne Gretzky (2,857), Jaromir Jagr (1,921), Mark Messier (1,887), Gordie Howe (1,850), Ron Francis (1,798), Marcel Dionne (1,771), Steve Yzerman (1,755), and Lemieux (1,723).
“Joining that company, those are players I grew up idolizing, I didn’t ever think I’d be with them or near them,” Crosby said. “It’s something I’m grateful for, that I’ve been able to play this long and be part of that group.”
Still, even with veterans like MacKinnon and Crosby proving they’re far from done, the youth wave continues to build momentum — and Crosby welcomes it.
Bedard, hailed as a generational prospect in 2023, is tied with Carlsson for second in scoring, putting the Chicago Blackhawks rookie firmly in the mix for Canada’s Olympic roster. Crosby, meanwhile, played alongside Celebrini at the 2025 World Championships and has seen firsthand the 19-year-old San Jose Sharks phenom’s elite potential.
“He came to a camp in Halifax,” Crosby recalled. “That was a camp that my trainer put on so he happened to come. I played worlds with him before that so I think it’s just his hunger and his passion for the game and how hard he works. I thought even last season he got better and better, which is pretty normal for a rookie and a young player to gain confidence. But I felt like the worlds even was another step and he started off the season pretty incredible. He’s just continuing to build his game.”