ST. PAUL, Minn. — Not much different than sommeliers and their cabernets, when it comes to greatness, sports fans are connoisseurs on couches. But “greatness” in our games these days is casually labeled, so to identify the real thing, I went to The Great One himself.

“We always talk about the game and when different guys retire, we wonder who’s going to come in, step up and be the next guy?” Wayne Gretzky said on the phone Monday afternoon. “You see a guy like Nathan MacKinnon come along, play at the level he’s playing, carry himself the way he carries himself, it says a lot of good things about the game. The NHL is in good shape.”

Before we headed into Game 6 on Monday, with MacKinnon’s Avalanche leading Minnesota 3-2, I wanted to pause and appreciate what we’re seeing before our eyes, the greatness Gretzky is seeing.

OK — right away, I’m not saying MacKinnon is Gretzky. When Wayne was a rookie, he was the league’s MVP and he tied for the league lead in points. But what I’m saying is, MacKinnon is separating himself as an inordinate talent with just stupid speed.

Yes, the 18-year-old MacKinnon was a nonfactor in Games 3 and 4 in St. Paul — I critically wrote that he needed to find himself in Game 5 — but in the three Avalanche home wins, the only word that comes to mind rhymes with fate. The rookie scored the overtime winner in Game 5 — he was the youngest player to score an overtime winner in the playoffs since 1943 — and he had a total of seven points in Games 1-2.

“Well, listen,” Gretzky said. “One thing we always forget about elite athletes, whether it’s Mario Lemieux, Mike Bossy or Joe Sakic. They do something really special and the good Lord gave them some extra-special gifts, but what makes them so special is their work ethic, and when you watch (MacKinnon) play, he’s extremely talented, but more important he plays the game properly. He works hard every shift, he doesn’t cheat the game. There’s no question he’s deserving of the accolades he’s getting.

“First and foremost, it’s been everything that everyone in Colorado anticipated he’d be. There were two, three exceptionally good players to choose from (in the NHL draft last summer), but he’s lived up to everything Colorado thought he’d be — and probably plays at an even higher level that Colorado thought he’d be. He’s been exceptional. He’s nothing but great for the game, and he’s fun to watch.”

Benjamin Hochman: bhochman@denverpost.com or twitter.com/hochman