DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon is so quick and so forceful on the ice that sometimes there’s a crunching noise that follows him into the offensive end.

It’s a sound that alerts Colorado Avalanche teammate and childhood friend Jonathan Drouin to one thing — a goalie’s in for big trouble. Because there’s no scarier sight than MacKinnon at full speed and crunching up ice.

“That’s what’s unique about his skating, it’s so powerful you can hear it,” Drouin explained. “His playmaking is so elite.”

Like Hart Trophy-worthy elite.

MacKinnon is a favorite to take home the league’s MVP award along with Nikita Kucherov, Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid. MacKinnon — nickname: “Nate Dogg” — has a ferocity that has turned him into a 50-goal scorer this season for the first time in his career. The team follows his lead-by-example approach as the Avalanche pursue a second Stanley Cup championship in three seasons.