Sure, it’s not really a surprise that one of Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon’s teammates thinks he’s the best player in the world. You’d expect there to be some bias towards their guy. Nonetheless, it’s always fun to hear teammates talk about MacKinnon and what makes him so great.
On the Empty Netters podcast, Ross Colton discussed a variety of topics with hosts Dan and Chris Powers. Among them were growing up in New Jersey, what it’s like to play with someone you used to look up to in Zach Parise, and, of course, Nathan MacKinnon.
First of all, great podcast. I met 1/2 of the Empty Netters crew at Family Sports and I love listening to them, as they make the interviews fun. If you’re looking for a hockey podcast, highly recommend this one.
Now let’s get to the good stuff. Colton discussed the trade to the Avalanche and how the culture is similar to what he had in Tampa Bay.
“We’re here to win. Again, I’m sure every team is like that, but the guys in that room hold us to a certain standard that some stuff is unacceptable. I kind of like that,” Colton said.
Then, the talk quickly turned to his teammate, Nathan MacKinnon.
“I’m not being biased, but Nate is just, he’s the best in the world…by a lot,” Colton said. “He is (intense), but he’s the man. I love it. Nobody is better than him. I don’t see McDavid enough, but it’s unbelievable what he does out there. It’s insane…Nate is very intense, and when he does raise his voice or says something, it might come across as angry, but it’s just that he wants to win so bad that it’s like, ‘alright, I’m ready to run through a wall’ type of thing.”
He also briefly discussed Gabriel Landeskog and the impact he sees when he enters the Avalanche locker room.
“I haven’t around Landy enough to kind of comment on here. Obviously, he’s been hurt, but when he’s around the room, guys lift up a bit and listen when he does say stuff. It’s been nice to have him back around the team these last couple months,” Colton said.
Again, I’d highly recommend listening/watching the entire podcast. I’ve included the YouTube link below, but you can listen on podcast platforms everywhere as well. It’s a great interview.
More must-reads: