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NHL players vote 2 Colorado Avalanche players as some of the best in the league

Maddie Rhodes
·3 min read
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DENVER (KDVR) — The Colorado Avalanche are heading to the NHL playoffs. While the Mile High City is lucky to have some of the top players in the league, other hockey players aren’t as happy to face two Avs players in particular, according to a new survey.

The National Hockey League Players’ Association surveyed over 600 NHL players about the 2023-2024 league’s best players. When it comes to the Avs, there are two players that the league doesn’t want to play – but would love to have on their team.

Colorado Avalanche playoff tickets on sale starting Wednesday

Avs rank among top NHL players

Avs players Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar were named in half the prompts in the 15-question survey, which isn’t too surprising.

Here’s where the duo places in the league, according to NHL hockey players.

If you need to win one game, who is the forward you want on your team?

  1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers: 48.71%

  2. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins: 11.58%

  3. Nathan MacKinnon: 6.59%

  4. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning: 5.31%

  5. Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers: 2.57%

If you need to win one game, who is the defenseman you want on your team?

  1. Cale Makar: 56.38%

  2. Victor Hedman, Lightning: 10.5%

  3. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators: 4.52%

  4. Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks: 4.04%

  5. Adam Fox, Rangers: 2.42%

Who is the best stick handler?

  1. Connor McDavid: 35.53%

  2. Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings: 20.89%

  3. Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils: 8.06%

  4. Nikita Kucherov: 7.89%

  5. Nathan MacKinnon: 3.95%

  6. Artemi Panarin: 3.95%

Who is the most complete player?

  1. Sidney Crosby: 38.37%

  2. Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers: 14.6%

  3. Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings: 8.15%

  4. Connor McDavid: 7.81%

  5. Nathan MacKinnon: 6.62%

Which player do you least enjoy playing against but would like to have on your team?

  1. Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins: 29.19%

  2. Connor McDavid: 17.48%

  3. Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers: 7.57%

  4. Tom Wilson, Washington Capitals: 6.67%

  5. Nathan MacKinnon: 5.23%

MacKinnon’s 7th career hat trick lifts Avalanche over the Wild

Who is the best breakout passer in the game?

  1. Cale Makar: 26.56%

  2. Quinn Hughes: 10.62%

  3. Adam Fox: 10.44%

  4. Victor Hedman: 8.79%

  5. Erik Karlsson, Penguins: 8.06%

Which player is the most difficult player to face in their own end?

  1. Victor Hedman: 20.32%

  2. Connor McDavid: 9.48%

  3. Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes: 7.9%

  4. Anze Kopitar: 6.09%

  5. Cale Makar: 4.97%

It’s no secret that these two Avs players are some of the best in the league.

This season, MacKinnon scored three goals in seven minutes, causing fans to throw their hats – and undergarments – on the ice. Cale Makar scored his first career hat trick this season as well.

With the help of two of the top centers and defensemen in the league, the Avs are currently in second in the Central Division, just behind the Dallas Stars, and heading to the playoffs.

While NHL players voted that they didn’t want to play against MacKinnon, participants also voted for Ball Arena as one of the hardest rinks to play at.

If you want to watch some of the NHL players’ favorites hit the rink on one of the least favorite arenas, the Avs have already put out tickets for playoff games at home.

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