MacKinnon enjoying time at Scouting Combine

Nathan Mackinnon completed his second season with the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this year. The 6-foot, 182-pound forward had 32 goals, 75 points and a plus-40 rating in 44 regular-season games for the Mooseheads in 2012-13. In 17 playoff games, MacKinnon finished with 11 goals and 33 points to help lead his team to the QMJHL championship. He was then awarded with the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as Memorial Cup MVP after finishing with tournament highs of seven goals and 13 points in four games as Halifax won its first Cup crown. MacKinnon, who served as captain for Team Cherry at the 2013 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and represented Canada at the 2013 World Junior Championship in Russia, has offered to provide NHL.com with a monthly blog leading up to the 2013 NHL Draft in Newark, N.J.

Hi everyone!

First of all, I want to say it was an honor to be named Memorial Cup most valuable player. It was a very special feeling. I know there have been some very special players who have won that over the years and I'm just so proud to be a part of those names. It's really cool.

It was a long couple of days, but a lot of fun at the same time. We had a parade in Halifax on Tuesday and that was something else. We flew in to Toronto on Wednesday morning, so it was an awesome experience and I'm really happy to be here [at the Combine] … it's been a lot of fun.

One of the most common questions asked in the interviews was what I felt was the biggest thing I needed to do to remain at the next level. I thought about each answer and gave an honest response. Everybody asked some similar stuff, but with a different approach, and I thought it went really well.

My meeting with the Colorado Avalanche went well on Thursday. Most of the coaching staff was there and I felt it went well. I've been asked a lot about whether or not I'm taking the fitness test on Friday but I'm still not sure. My agent [Pat Brisson] will make a decision tomorrow morning.

Thanks for reading!

Follow Nathan MacKinnon on Twitter at: @Mackinnon9