**Update: it looks like Sunday is the likely return for MacKinnon. Sorry for getting your hopes up

It’s the moment Colorado Avalanche fans have been waiting for, we sre very quickly approaching the return of the MacK.

Mike Chambers of the Denver Post is reporting from Avalanche practice that both Nathan MacKinnon and Blake Comeau were skating with their teammates and neither was wearing the red non-contact jersey. We should get official word soon, but it looks as though the Avs are set to have their superstar back in the lineup over the weekend.

Nathan MacKinnon appears cleared to play Friday at WPG. That’s unofficial but he has a regular sweater this AM #Avs pic.twitter.com/pfM0LCAXRN — Mike Chambers (@MikeChambers) February 15, 2018

The Avalanche have fared pretty well with their best player out of the lineup. The team has gone 4-3 and were able to stay close in the Western Conference Wildcard race.

MacKinnon will return as one of the favorites to win the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP. In 49 games this season, he has a 24 goals and 61 points while sitting 3rd in the league in points per game behind only Nikita Kucherov and Brad Marchand. More impressively, MacKinnon leads the entire NHL in primary points per 60.

#NHL Top 15 players in Primary Points/60 #GoAvsGo MacKinnon’s injury is a tragedy for hockey. #NHLBruins Marchand should have an anti-Lady Byng trophy named after him.

#NJDevils Taylor Hall Trade. #TMLtalk Matthews is only 20 and with these players. pic.twitter.com/4148kQyNLr — Clay Collins (@C_superscript_2) February 13, 2018

MacKinnon is approaching a few milestones as his next goal will set a career high and give him 100 in the NHL. He is also just three away from setting a career high in points.

Comeau has been out of the lineup for the past two games. He currently sits seventh on the team with 22 points. Expect Comeau to assume his usual spot on the checking line next to Carl Soderberg and Matt Nieto.

Now for everyone’s enjoyment: