Every Great Hockey Team Needs An Enforcer Like Nathan MacKinnon, Who Is Just Looking To Beat The Shit Out Of Everybody
Andrew Maclean. Getty Images.Obviously you want to fill your roster with a bunch of skilled guys who can score the puck at any given moment. At the end of the day, hockey is about scoring more goals than the other team. You want some great defensemen who can skate like the wind, shut down the other team in their own zone, but also move the puck with precision to generate offense going the other way. You obviously want a great goaltender who you can always count on between the pipes to bail your team out if they make a mistake here and there.
But let's not forget that this is still hockey we are talking about it. It's the most physical sport on the planet. And if you don't have anyone on your roster who can cave your opponent's skulls in with his fist, well then your team is going to be taken advantage of all night. You need an enforcer out there who will make sure guys have to pay if they deliver any shitty hits. You need a guy like Nathan MacKinnon on your roster.
Nathan MacKinnon won the Lady Byng Award in 2020. Something tells me he's not going to win it again this year. He's currently 14th all time in NHL history in points per game. The guy knows a thing or two about using his hands to completely dissect another team. But usually that is when he's wearing his gloves and filling the back of the net. It's not often the gloves come off, but he wanted this one badly.
Brandt Clarke realized there was just no way he was getting out of there without getting his face rearranged by MacKinnon's fist. Once the Nate Dogg has you cornered like that, there is nowhere to hide. And what is Brandt Clarke going to do? Take Cale Makar into the boards earlier in the game, refuse to fight Nathan MacKinnon, and make sure he pisses away any opportunity he ever has to play for Team Canada in his career? Not a chance. So good on the kid for obliging here, but he got his lunch fed to him. And then MacKinnon pulled off his signature move.
Where have we seen that one before? Oh yeah, that's right.
Can't wait to listen to his podcast whenever he retires. Chuckin' Buckets with the Nate Dogg.
And by the way, 2 goals on the night for MacKinnon. Not a bad season opener. Just crazy he wasn't able to end up with an assist at all considering the Avs put 8 goals up on the scoreboard.
Pretty good hockey player.