Now that everyone has had time to decompress from this past weekend's All-Star festivities in Columbus, Ohio, it's time to get back to business, and the National Hockey League is ready to resume its 2014-15 schedule.
There are plenty of enticing options to draw fans back to the real action, including Tuesday night's match between the Colorado Avalanche and the Nashville Predators in Nashville at 8 p.m. ET.
Though Patrick Roy's squad has regressed significantly since their stunning 2013-14 season, the Avs are not completely cooked yet, sitting just three points back on the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference heading into Tuesday's match. And let's not forget that the Avs boast a bevy of offensive talent, including last year's Calder Trophy winner, Nathan MacKinnon.
Mackinnon will square off Tuesday night against Nashville's Filip Forsberg, one of the front-runners for this year's rookie hardware, in a battle between two of the game's most promising youngsters. Here's a breakdown of MacKinnon vs. Forsberg.
This season: Without going so far as to say that MacKinnon is experiencing a sophomore slump, the 19-year-old has cooled off from the torrid clip of last season, during which he led all rookies with 24 goals and 63 points. The former first overall pick has seen both his production (9 goals, 18 assists, 27 points) and his ice time dip, not to mention his shooting percentage (6.1 percent, down from 10 percent last season). This shouldn't be too worrisome, however, considering the Avs have also struggled mightily this season, especially on the offensive side of the puck, averaging just 2.48 goals per game (23rd in the league) compared to last season's output of 2.99 goals per game (4th in the league).
"There's gonna be bumps along the road," said Bobby Smith, who watched MacKinnon as a teenager while playing for the junior team -- the Halifax Mooseheads -- which Smith presides over as both owner and team president. Smith -- himself a former first overall pick, Calder Trophy winner (1979), Stanley Cup Champion and NHL general manager -- said it's not altogether surprising to see a "very good, young team" like Colorado encounter some turbulence, but that MacKinnon is like so many of the greats -- Sidney Crosby, Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky -- in his ability to thrive on the biggest stage.
"What has always struck me about him -- and perhaps it's unfair to put him in the same sentence as guys like that yet -- is he has that big-game ability, and we saw that in the playoffs a bit last year," Smith told ESPN.com.
Meanwhile, Forsberg has flourished with the Central Division-leading Predators, a team that has surged in the standings as one of the league's many surprises this season. The 20-year-old Swede leads all rookies with 15 goals and 40 points and is on pace to finish with 27 goals and 73 points. Forsberg is playing in front of one of the league's best netminders in Pekka Rinne -- who is currently sidelined with a knee injury but delivered a Vezina Trophy-caliber first half -- and one of the sturdiest defensive corps in the league. He also appears to be a benefactor from a change in scenery following his trade from the Washington Capitals during the lockout-shortened 2013 season.
Path to the NHL: In a deal most Caps fans now rue, Washington gave up Forsberg -- the 11th overall pick in 2012 -- for Martin Erat and Michael Latta in anticipation of a playoff run that season. Forsberg has become a tremendous asset for the Predators, who count on the kid for his team-leading production. Many believe Washington cut bait on him too soon, with one NHL scout noting he's seen a marked improvement over the past few years, especially in his skating. Forsberg may not skate like MacKinnon, but he's proved he can be better than originally anticipated.
"He's a good skater," the scout said. "People say: 'Well, he's too slow, that's why Washington [traded] him,' but he's always catching guys from behind and lifting their sticks. He's a good pickup [for Nashville]."
Unlike MacKinnon, who jumped straight into the NHL after being selected first overall by Colorado in 2013, Forsberg hasn't had the same direct path. Though he played as a teenager in the elite Swedish Hockey League, he didn't immediately carve out a roster spot after his transition to North America. Forsberg spent 47 games with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League last season, where he seemed to grow into his body and refine his game.
"He's maturing physically and coming into his own," said one AHL coach. "You could certainly tell he had the skill last year, but it's different playing against men when you are young."
Conversely, MacKinnon has had to endure his growing pains exclusively with the big boys at the NHL level, but he has managed to do just fine even though teams now focus more attention on him and game plan against him every night.
"I don't care who you are," Smith said. "That's tough for a 19-year-old."
Future potential: Both players are considered top talents and are expected to be key contributors for years to come with their respective clubs. In terms of the long-term expectations, MacKinnon has already set a high bar for himself and projects to be the more promising of the two players, at least at the moment.
"They're both potential high-end players, but MacKinnon could be a top 10-15 player in the league," said ESPN scouting expert Corey Pronman. "I think his skating separates him from Forsberg in a large way, even if you could argue the latter is slightly better with the puck."
But Forsberg has been a fantastic addition for the Preds this season, and his offensive abilities have been vital to Nashville's strong first half, especially considering their offensive acumen compared to last season. Nashville was downright anemic at times last season, finishing with just 2.61 goals per game. This season, the Predators have improved to the league's ninth-rated offense with 2.99 goals per game. And though Predators GM David Poile made some shrewd offseason additions to that effect -- adding veteran center Mike Ribeiro and trading for winger James Neal -- Forsberg's continued development has been one of the team's strengths.
Prediction: Forsberg, fresh off a two-goal performance at the All-Star Game, will help propel the high-flying Predators past an Avalanche team that is still struggling to stay in the playoff hunt. Last season was MacKinnon's time to shine, but it will be Forsberg who garners the attention this season.