Nathan MacKinnon could miss significant time after fighting Matt Dumba

It's unclear exactly when during Sunday's game against the Wild that the injury had occurred, but there is heavy speculation that MacKinnon suffered the injury during a fight with Wild defenseman Matt Dumba following a massive hit by the blueliner on Avs forward Mikko Rantanen.

Earlier this season, MacKinnon had suffered a concussion and a facial fracture after taking a hit from Bruins winger Taylor Hall, so naturally, there are some concerns there. The other concern is that MacKinnon may have broken his hand in the fight.

Coach Bednar has confirmed that MacKinnon has returned to Denver, where he'll undergo further evaluation to determine the severity of the problem. At this point, Bednar says that the concern for MacKinnon is "high". If MacKinnon misses significant time, it could be catastrophic for the Avs, who are already without Gabriel Landeskog after the captain underwent surgery to repair a knee injury.

With the playoffs just a little over a month away, the Avs are hopeful to have both MacKinnon and Landeskog back in time for the postseason. Landeskog is expected to be back in time for the playoffs, but the Avs will have to wait for the results of the tests on MacKinnon before they know the extent of his injury.

This is why star players should avoid fighting at all costs. These guys are paid to put up points, not to break their hands or faces in the pursuit of justice for a teammate who was rocked in open ice. Obviously, props to MacKinnon for standing up or his line mate, but I can't imagine that his head coach or GM is too pleased to see him potentially miss significant time.

When it comes to the Leafs and a guy like Auston Matthews, I'd much rather him cross check a guy who is giving him the business and getting suspended for a couple of games than watch him break his hand trying to stand up for himself and miss a couple of months.