Nathan MacKinnon’s workout begins when the game ends.

How does the Avalanche center average nearly 23 minutes of ice time with the second-most NHL points (84) at the All-Star break? The legend of his gym habits continues to grow. MacKinnon’s MVP-caliber season in Colorado is partially the result of cycling science.

First step: Get on the stationary bike.

“We get done (after playing) and most teams are on the plane or the bus in 20 minutes. And they’re on the plane within an hour flying to wherever they’re going,” coach Jared Bednar said. “They get in early. We got in late. But we’re not going to change it, because Nate has a routine after the game that he does at home and on the road. It doesn’t matter. Because that’s what makes him ready for the next game.”

MacKinnon discussed his postgame workouts last month on a long-form podcast with TSN hockey insider Elliotte Friedman. MacKinnon said his long-time trainer, Andy O’Brien, suggested the bike as a recovery tool. But it’s not that simple.

“The ‘zone two’ ride,” MacKinnon explained on ’32 Thoughts: The Podcast.’ “It’s like the subconscious of your nervous system. Just kind of get all the lactate out. The Tour de France (competitors) — when they have a day off — they do like a 6-hour zone two ride. And they ride the next day. If they didn’t do that, they wouldn’t be able to move. So, that’s kind of where the idea came from. The more you play, the more biking that I do.”

A zone two ride, per cyclingweekly.com, is “essential for building efficiency and endurance” with riders seeking to use 56-to-75 percent of their functional threshold power (FTP) — the highest average power sustained over one hour. Zone two rides increase the density of mitochondria (cell power plants) in muscle, while also burning fat, to preserve carbohydrates for energy.

Translation: MacKinnon gets scientific in relentless pursuit of elevating his game.

“What he’s doing this year, he’s really consistent with it, and I’m talking going from … elite, to like, super-elite habits off the ice,” Bednar said. “But he’s found something with his desire to get better. His drive and education of his off-ice training, he’s always looking for the edge. He’s found what clearly is working for him.”

It’s not a one-size-fits-all recovery model for Avalanche players. Andrew Cogliano, 36, is in his 17th NHL season with more than 1,200 games played. His off-ice habits are considered elite among Avalanche teammates, even if they sometimes differ from MacKinnon.

“Nate has things that work for him that might not work for me,” Cogliano said. “Our culture, in general, is that we’re a hard-working team in the gym. … Nate is obviously the leader with that. If you want to play for this team, your work ethic has to be a top priority.”

MacKinnon is taking a page from the Nuggets playbook of two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. MacKinnon, during his recent spot on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, said: “I guess he’s an animal in the gym after games.” MacKinnon is earning a similar reputation.

Even if it means a long wait for teammates and coaches to finish a zone two ride.

“He’s pushing other guys to do it, which makes us better,” Bednar said. “And as a coach, you just go along with it. I sit on my computer and work for an hour after the game before we get on the bus. And instead of getting in at 1 (a.m.), we get in at 2. But it works for him. And he’s the one leading us.”

TEAM MACKINNON

Nathan MacKinnon is one of four team captains for the NHL All-Star Game in Toronto, 1 p.m. Saturday on ABC. Below is Team MacKinnon’s roster as selected Thursday in a player draft.

Nathan MacKinnon, COL

Cale Makar, COL

Sidney Crosby, PIT

Alexandar Georgiev, COL

Kirill Kaprizov, MIN

Sebastian Aho, CAR

Tom Wilson, WSH

Jeremy Swayman, BOS

Travis Konecny, PHI

Elias Lindholm, VAN

Oliver Bjorkstrand, SEA