‘There’s So Many Great Players Up There’: Scoring Race Takes Centre Stage Between Oilers And Avalanche

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Only two points separate Leon Draisaitl and Nathan MacKinnon atop the NHL scoring leaderboard.

Edmonton Oilers – ‘There’s So Many Great Players Up There’: Scoring Race Takes Centre Stage Between Oilers And Avalanche

There are bragging rights on the line tonight as the Oilers and Avalanche head into the break.

Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl sit first and second in the NHL in points with just one game left before the NHL takes a two-week break for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Though MacKinnon is just ahead of Draisaitl with 83 points to his 81, Draisaitl has the reigning MVP beat in goals (38 to 20) and points per game (1.50 to 1.48).

Though there are more important things than scoring titles, that doesn’t mean the players don’t pay attention.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t aware where I’m at,” Draisaitl told reporters with a laugh after practice today.

Though he’s been producing all season, Draisaitl’s come on strong of late, jumping ahead of MacKinnon for the first time earlier this week with back-to-back two-point nights in St. Louis and Chicago.

MacKinnon, not to be deterred, answered with three assists in a 4-2 win over Calgary last night to retake the lead.

MacKinnon’s Art Ross chase has an unexpected twist. When Colorado traded Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes two weeks ago, MacKinnon lost his longtime wingman and a top-ten scorer in his own right. Of course, he hasn’t missed a beat with new linemate Martin Necas, who’s scored eight points in his first seven games with the Avs.

“[It was] a pretty shocking deal,” said Connor McDavid, fourth in the scoring race with 71 points in 48 games. “But they obviously got a great player back in Necas and they’re still super dangerous.”

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Though MacKinnon and Draisaitl are the focus, they’re not alone atop the scoring race. Lurking in the wings is two-time Art Ross winner Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Though Kucherov is two points behind Draisaitl with 79, his 1.55 points per game is the best in the league.

Unlike McDavid, who has the same PPG as MacKinnon but has missed six games this year, Kucherov has only missed two of his team’s games and could easily wind up on top at the end of the season. He’ll have two more opportunities to pass MacKinnon and Draisaitl before the break, on Saturday and Sunday.

“There’s so many great players up there, it’s so tight,” Draisaitl said. “This is a one, two-game swing that can go in any direction, and I’m aware of that.”

“This is not the time right now to throw every egg in the basket and try to be the leader.”

That’s a statement echoed by his captain Connor McDavid, who knows a thing or two about the Art Ross Trophy.

“We’ve had lots of scoring titles and MVPs and stuff like that,” McDavid told reporters. “It would obviously be great to see him do that, but he’d be the first to tell you, that’s not what we’re after.”

The Oilers and Avalanche get underway at 7:00 tonight, on Sportsnet.

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