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Nathan MacKinnon would get P.K. Subban’s MVP vote

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Nathan MacKinnon scored twice to help the Avalanche get back in the series and the Predators better make adjustments to slow him down or they could be in trouble.

Norris Trophy finalist P.K. Subban just got a good, in-depth look at Nathan MacKinnon, after they went head-to-head during a six-game series in the opening round of the playoffs.

Subban’s Nashville Predators got the better of MacKinnon’s Colorado Avlanche, but that doesn’t take away from how Subban views the Avs forward and his chances of winning the Hart Trophy this year.
[NBC’s Stanley Cup Playoff Hub]

“You guys know I’m biased about [Pekka Rinne], but in my opinion, he was the best player in the league this year,” Subban said of MacKinnon, per Tracey Myers of NHL.com. “That’s not to take away anything from other guys like Taylor Hall who have had great years. But I think for him and what he’s done with this team, a team that’s been up and down...he’s just come into his own and he’s a phenomenal hockey player. He’s so tough to handle, so fast, strong and shifty. My expectations for him as a player as a player is to be a hall of famer by the end of his career. He understands that. Just tremendous respect for him. I just told him I hope he takes home that trophy that he deserves as the MVP. He deserves it.”

MacKinnon’s 97 points during the regular season was the fifth-highest in the league this season. It’s important to note that he played between four and six games less than the four guys who finished ahead of him.

In the postseason, The 22-year-old had three goals and three assists in six games against the Predators.

There’s many reasons for Colorado’s turnaround in 2017-18, but there’s no denying that MacKinnon’s play was the biggest factor. His points-per-game jumped from 0.65 last year to 1.31 this year. The Avalanche went from being the worst team in the NHL by a mile to finishing in a Wild Card spot.

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Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri.