Bold Prediction: Who will lead the 2017-18 Colorado Avalanche in Scoring?

Last season, Nathan Mackinnon finally broke through and led the Colorado Avalanche in scoring for the first time in his NHL career. Though it’s not an overly impressive feat, MacKinnon’s 53 points were enough to lead the team - even with his career low 6.4% shooting%.

This season, the hope is that a number of players either bounce back or take the next step in their development. For the sake of the team - and their fans - 53 points better not be enough to lead the team in scoring this season.

The Candidates

Nathan MacKinnon - He’s the odds on favorite. He’s the team’s best player and should be able to produce at nearly a point per game if he's’ given any sort of help. Traditionally, his shooting percentage is below league average, but last season it was very low - even for him. With a little luck and further development in his game, there’s no reason to think MacKinnon won’t surpass his career high 63 points.

Mikko Rantanen - Mikko is going to lead the Avs in scoring at some point in the not too distant future - it might even be this season. Coming off a 20-goal rookie campaign, Rantanen will likely start the season with top line duties next to MacKinnon. As a teenager, Rantanen produced at a record pace in his one season in the AHL. He’s got all the offensive talent in the world and barring some sort of sophomore slump, Rantanen should be right up at the top of the Avs scoring race.

Tyson Jost - Is it too much to think the rookie could lead the team in scoring? I don’t think so - Tyson Jost is that good. Given the way the lineup is constructed, it’s not hard to see a way that Bednar can shelter Jost with a high percentage of offensive zone starts and keep him away from the opposition’s top-4 defenders. Depending on how he is used in the system, Jost has a definite chance at being a contender for the Calder trophy this season and 50-60 points isn’t out of the question. If the team struggles offensively as much as they did last year, that might be enough to lead the Avs in scoring.

Matt Duchene - Oh yeah that guy. If he’s on the team all season, Duchene should be at the top of the Avs scoring list. unfortunately, the likelihood of Duchene being in Colorado all season are slim to none. Trade talks have picked up over the past week and it’s looking once again like the 26-year old might not even start training camp with the Avs. That said, it Sakic can’t work out a trade, Duchene should be up there with MacKinnon as the team’s offensive leaders.

Do you think anyone else has a chance of leading the team in scoring this season?