At some point you have to take a guy for granted when it’s this obvious (like with Mackinnon)...or well, if you want, really, just wait 2-3 years to realize there was nothing to wait for.
He broke out. It’s done. I don’t think this is some sort of fluke. He was outright dominant, in a Crosby-Malkin category almost, last season. He was really really good. Guys like Giroux and Kucherov are not that dominant, although Kucherov has had some such stretches, especially how he played in the latter half of 16-17.
Sometimes a player’s ability to sustain elite play depends on the player’s skillset. That’s why I think it’s more probable to see regression offensively from Hall or Kopitar than it is for Mackinnon. Hall’s style is much less...idk, polyvalent? It’s really north-south type stuff. Kopitar is an elite 2 way player, but offensively his lack of top speed can slow him down. Those guys don’t have a shot as good as Mackinnon’s, nor do they have as good and soft hands. And while Hall is super fast, I find he isn’t as shifty.
With so much skill and talent, Mackinnon will undoubtely sustain that type of performance in my opinion. He’s just too skilled overall. There really isn’t an area where he is lacking. Slowly work on the defensive game...just like Crosby did.
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