Evan’s NHL Daily: MacKinnon’s 2023, Golden Knights Look Human

They were the hottest team in the NHL to start the season, but the Vegas Golden Knights have cooled off a bit, and are showing that there might not really be an “elite” team in the Western Conference.

Meanwhile, we took a look back at the numbers that show just how good Nathan MacKinnon was during the calendar year of 2023.

All that and more in this Tuesday edition of Evan’s Daily.

Colorado Hockey Now

It wasn’t very pretty against the San Jose Sharks, but the Avalanche stuck with it and were eventually rewarded late in the game for their efforts.

Nobody scored more points in 2023 than Nathan MacKinnon, and he finished off the year with a historic December. Just how good was he?

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Vegas Looks Human

It looked like they might steamroll their way through the NHL after winning the Stanley Cup last season, but since their hot start, the Vegas Golden Knights have been human. And yes, the Avalanche have been a better team than them since Nov. 1.

They’re not alone.

Every team with more points than Vegas since November 1st:

— Winnipeg Jets
— New York Rangers
— Florida Panthers
— Dallas Stars
— Colorado Avalanche
— Vancouver Canucks
— Philadelphia Flyers
— Pittsburgh Penguins
— Nashville Predators
— Los Angeles Kings
— Boston Bruins
— New… pic.twitter.com/r73V6GgTbb

— Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) January 2, 2024

Really, the turn came after they crushed the Avalanche 7-0 at home. Since then, their record is 11-11-4. Those overtime losses have really helped them. On Monday, they were shutout in the Winter Classic, and didn’t have much of an answer offensively.

They’re still one of the teams to beat in the West, but they look a lot more human now than they did in October.

National Hockey Now

The Pittsburgh Penguins are learning to play ugly hockey, and their coach finds it “beautiful.”

Could there be a reunion between Phil Kessel and the Boston Bruins?

The opponent for the Avalanche tonight, the New York Islanders, are hoping to bring a Winter Classic to Belmont.

Are the Philadelphia Flyers in trouble to start 2024?

It looked like the Devils might be willing to part with Michael McLeod, but now, the organization is denying it.