It was a carryover from how he felt in the 2016-17 season, when he finished with 53 points (16 goals, 37 assists), five more than the Avalanche had as a team in what was their worst season since relocating to Colorado in 1996.
MacKinnon's confidence and drive bottomed out too.
"I have a hard time playing hockey when you know you're out," he said. "Unless you're just trying to get yourself up for your personal accolades, it's tough. I mean, you don't want to forfeit, but it's kind of like what's the point of playing if you're not going to make the playoffs."
It was a challenge to get his swagger back early last season.
"I was still in the same state I was the year before, just not super confident," MacKinnon said. "I'd just get down on myself. I was really negative with myself."
He started to change, to stop fighting himself and to start believing instead, about a month into last season, right around the time he was thrust into a bigger leadership role because the Avalanche traded former alternate captain Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 5.
MacKinnon took off with 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 12 games in November and 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 15 games in December. He continued to build his game and his name in the second half with 51 points (23 goals, 28 assists) in 36 games from Jan. 2 to the end of the season, a tear that propelled the Avalanche into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"There were games where it almost felt like you were back in minor hockey," Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie said. "Some nights he seemed unstoppable, and he was."
The same thing is happening this season, with the difference being that MacKinnon and his linemates, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen, doing it more at 5-on-5 instead of on the power play.
MacKinnon had 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) on the power play last season; he has zero this season. Rantanen and Landeskog each have one point on the power play after having 35 and 17, respectively, last season.
