from Mike Chambers of the Denver Post,

Suddenly, the NHL’s worst team last season has put together the league’s longest winning streak this season; center Nathan MacKinnon has become a Hart Trophy candidate, and coach Jared Bednar is being mentioned as a Jack Adams Award nominee.

A year ago at this time, MacKinnon was having the worst season of his career and somewhat embarrassed to represent the Avalanche at the All-Star Game. And fans were calling for Bednar’s firing just five months after he was hired. Colorado was 13-30-2 at the time.

The league’s Hart (MVP) and Jack Adams (coach of the year) awards are side stories to what has become one of the NHL’s biggest stories — the Avalanche and its winning ways. Next to the expansion Vegas Golden Knights being in President’s Trophy contention as the regular-season’s top point producer, Colorado is eyeing the playoffs and grabbing hockey headlines throughout North America.

Behind MacKinnon and goalie Jonathan Bernier — again — on Saturday, the Avs won their ninth consecutive game, defeating the New York Rangers 3-1 before a sellout crowd of 18,056 at the Pepsi Center.

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