LAS VEGAS – No one can accuse coach Jared Bednar of running Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar into the ground this season.

Amazing what a little depth and some good health can do.

Over the past three seasons, no forward in the NHL has averaged more time-on-ice per-game than MacKinnon. Second place isn’t really all that close, as the closest person to MacKinnon’s 22:39 per game is his old running mate Mikko Rantanen, who has averaged 22:07. At even strength, it’s the same thing. MacKinnon has averaged nearly 30 seconds more per-game than the next closest guy if you average out the past three seasons.

Through 35 games this season, that’s not the case.

Sure, MacKinnon is still playing a lot, as all the best players do, but the Avalanche aren’t asking him to do nearly as much as they have the past few years.

He’s playing about 45 seconds less per game this season in total, but the real difference comes at even strength, where the minutes can be a bit more taxing. Last season, he averaged 18:54 at even strength, while this season he has dropped to 17:16.

Seven other NHL forwards are playing more than MacKinnon at even strength. That hasn’t happened since the 2020-21 campaign.

It’s a similar story on defense, as the workload for both Cale Makar and Devon Toews has been lessened significantly at even strength. Toews is playing a full two minutes less at even strength compared to last year, while Makar is playing over a minute less at even strength than he was last season.

With all MacKinnon and Makar guaranteed to play in the Olympics and Toews a near-guarantee to be named to Team Canada next week, it’s imperative that the Avalanche make sure they aren’t overtaxed the entire season.

So far, it’s mission accomplished as they head into game 36.

“It’s important,” Bednar said before Saturday’s game in Vegas. “I like the way our minutes are being spread out right now. We’ve got four lines that we like, six (defensemen) that we like, we got two goalies that we’re playing back and forth with a lot. In order to win, you have to truly be a four-line team because someone you face is going to be. They’re going to throw different things at you, so you need contributions throughout your lineup.”

Up front, the Avalanche really have a good thing going with how they’re distributing ice time. Last season, they had six regular forwards averaging over 14 minutes per game at even strength. This year, they’re down to just three. The return of Gabriel Landeskog, a full season of Brock Nelson, and meaningful contributions from guys like Gavin Brindley and Victor Olofsson have allowed Bednar to spread the wealth.

On defense, it’s just a matter of health. After dealing with injuries throughout camp and the first month of the season, Sam Girard returned to the lineup for good on Nov. 13. Since that night against the Buffalo Sabres, the Avalanche have dressed the same six defensemen.

With Girard healthy, Sam Malinski thriving, Josh Manson playing arguably the best hockey of his career, and the addition of Brent Burns, the Avalanche have a near-perfect setup on defense. With three competent pairs, Makar and Toews haven’t had to play as much as they have in recent seasons.

When the playoffs roll around, that might allow them to be a bit more fresh than they have each of the past three seasons.

“That’s huge if our lineup stays as deep as it is,” Malinski said. “You can spread the ice-time around and not put too much weight on one or two guys.”

Lots of comparisons have been made between this year’s team and the 2022 Stanley Cup Avalanche group, but this could be the most important one. That Avalanche team had the superstars that they relied on, but they never asked them to do or play too much.

This year’s team has a similar feel to it. It’s perhaps the most overlooked aspect of any Stanley Cup team. After all, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.