MacKinnon is only the second player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to have 700 career assists. Jan 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) carries the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon records 700th assist of NHL career

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Ryan Cuneo | Last updated Feb 5, 2026 12:19 AM ET

Colorado Avalanche superstar center Nathan MacKinnon reached another milestone on Wednesday.

He recorded the 700th assist of his NHL career during Colorado’s 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks.

MacKinnon, 30, is now only the second player in the history of the Avalanche, including the franchise’s stint as the Quebec Nordiques, to have 700 career assists.

Hall of Famer Joe Sakic is the franchise’s all-time assist leader with 1,016.

Nathan MacKinnon recorded his 700th assist and became the second player in @Avalanche / Nordiques history to reach the milestone, alongside Joe Sakic (1,016). #NHLStats

Tune in : https://t.co/dT34F4MhkC pic.twitter.com/TdwNErHUop
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) February 5, 2026

The milestone assist came late in the second period on Wednesday when the Avalanche broke out on an odd-man rush. Valeri Nichushkin entered the offensive zone and found MacKinnon breaking towards the net. MacKinnon, finding himself too close to the goal for a scoring chance, curled back and hit the trailing Artturi Lehkonen for his second goal of the game.

Two goals in the second period for Artturi Lehkonen ✌️
700th career assist for Nathan MacKinnon pic.twitter.com/9n1tN8SAEh
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 5, 2026

On Jan. 19, MacKinnon became just the 70th player in NHL history to record 1,100 career points.

The Halifax, Nova Scotia native is having yet another Hart Trophy caliber season. Coming into Wednesday, MacKinnon had 40 goals and 51 assists for 91 points in just 54 games. He leads the NHL in goals, and trails only Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid in total points.

MacKinnon is one of the defining players of his era. He won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player in 2024, and won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022.

He was a key member of the Canadian team that won the 4 Nations Face-Off championship last February, as he scored four goals in four games en route to being named the tournament’s most valuable player.

MacKinnon figures to play a prominent role on the Canadian men’s national team at the upcoming Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

The next major milestone to hit for MacKinnon is 500 goals. He currently has 407 career goals, so he should reach 500 in a couple of seasons if maintains his current form.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: