Nathan MacKinnon dropped the gloves with Brandt Clarke last night, and the Avalanche superstar left no doubt about who won the exchange.
It happened in Colorado's home opener against the Kings. Not the kind of night you expect a 1,142-point player to settle something himself.
The numbers say this isn't MacKinnon's usual game. He finished last season with 39 penalty minutes in 80 games.
Clarke didn't back down either. The Kings defenceman is 23 and coming off a 40-point season.
In the clip, the two drop the gloves and square up, and the Avalanche star gets the better of the exchange as the scrum around them watches.
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Jared Bednar can't afford this kind of risk from his superstar
MacKinnon carries a $12,604,000 cap hit, ninth-highest in the league. Every second he spends with his gloves off is a second Jared Bednar holds his breath.
The Avalanche need him on the ice. He finished +57 last season and owns 140 career playoff points.
Respect the message, hate the risk. Dropping the gloves sends a statement, but one awkward fall on a hand and Colorado's season looks very different.
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It's like a concert pianist moving furniture on tour. Impressive, sure. Terrifying for everyone who depends on those hands.
Peter Laviolette's Kings visit San Jose on Saturday. The Avalanche host St. Louis the same night, then later head out on a Winnipeg and Calgary back-to-back.
Chris MacFarland built this team around its superstar's skill. Nobody in Denver wants that skill tested in a tilt again anytime soon.
The Kings will remember it. The next time these teams meet, Clarke might not be the only one looking for MacKinnon.
Should Nathan MacKinnon be dropping the gloves at all?
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