NHL fans engaged in a heated debate on X over Nathan MacKinnon being just as good or better than Connor McDavid. The intense exchange between fans pitted the Colorado Avalanche superstar head-to-head with the Edmonton Oilers captain. The debate led to some fans picking the Avalanche star over the Oilers captain.Here’s a look at what some of these fans had to say:“True. Better player and has a ring,” a fan said.“True. McDavid might be slightly more skilled, but he doesn’t have that dogg in him. And you need that to win a cup,” another fan said.“MacK scored as many goals in 7 games as McDavid did in 22 games of the 2025 playoffs. True,” one fan said.Meanwhile, other fans defended Connor McDavid as being better than Nathan MacKinnon. These fans voiced their opinions on X. “Just as good, maybe. Better than, no,” a fan said.“Maybe just as good most nights but not a better overall player. IMHO,” another fan said.“In stretches of a season he’s better, collectively McDavid is in a league of his own,” one fan said.The debate seems divided among fans, with the tiebreaker seemingly being Nathan MacKinnon’s 2022 Stanley Cup championship compared to Connor McDavid’s lack of one despite two trips to the Final.Comparison of Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid’s career numbersMacKinnon took home the 2022 Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche (Credits: IMAGN)Nathan MacKinnon was the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft. At 29, he’s slightly older than Connor McDavid and has played over 150 games more than his Oilers counterpart.MacKinnon has hit the ice for 870 games, scoring 367 goals and adding 648 assists for 1,015. MacKinnon reached the 1,000-point plateau this season, joining McDavid in reaching that vaunted milestone this past season.In 95 playoff games, MacKinnon has racked up 55 goals and 70 assists for 125 points. He won the 2022 Stanley Cup with the Avalanche, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in a tough six-game series.As for McDavid, he’s played in 712 regular-season contests, scoring 361 goals and 721 assists for 1,082. McDavid has more points than MacKinnon in far fewer games. There is also a noticeable difference in the postseason.McDavid has played in 96 Stanley Cup playoff games, scoring 44 goals and 106 assists for 150 points. McDavid also earned the 2024 Conn Smyth Trophy despite being on the losing side.Like MacKinnon, McDavid was a first-overall selection. The Oilers took McDavid in 2014, two years after the Avalanche selected MacKinnon.Both stars have the requisite hardware for greatness: Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, and Ted Lindsay Award. While McDavid has earned those awards multiple times, MacKinnon notched the Calder Trophy, one that McDavid did not get in his rookie season.MacKinnon did not get the Conn Smythe in 2022, as that award went to fellow superstar teammate Cale Makar.Determining whether Connor McDavid or Nathan MacKinnon is better is like choosing between Pepsi and Coca-Cola. It largely depends on the criteria and perception of each fan. However, the consensus seems to be that McDavid gets the nod due to his impressive career numbers and accolades.