MacKinnon, Necas to play at IIHF World Championships amid ever-present risks

Colorado Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas will take part in the IIHF World Championships set to get underway this weekend.

MacKinnon will be wearing the red maple leaf while Necas will be playing for Czechia. Both players should give their respective sides plenty of firepower and star presence. But there’s always an inherent risk that comes with international play: Injury.

That’s something we saw during the 4 Nations Face-Off earlier this year. Several participants sustained injuries, with Team USA being the most affected.

Specifically, I’m talking about Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins and Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers, who ended up missing the rest of the regular season for their respective clubs.

Then, there was Shea Theodore for Team Canada, who suffered a shoulder injury during the first game of the 4 Nations, forcing Team Canada to call up Thomas Harley to take his spot in the lineup.

Fortunately, Tkachuk and Theodore made it back to the ice and are currently playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Theodore is battling the Edmonton Oilers on the Vegas Golden Knights’ blue line, while Tkachuk is going to war against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

So, that brings me to MacKinnon and Necas. While the World Championships are hardly the most physical and intense competitions, there’s always the risk of injury. That’s why allowing star players to participate in international competitions comes with the added risk of something happening.

If it were up to me, I wouldn’t allow MacKinnon or Necas to take part in the World Championships. It’s always preferable to err on the side of caution.

MacKinnon vying for second international championship

Earlier this year, Nathan MacKinnon won gold with Canada at the first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off. The tournament was organized in place of the traditional All-Star Game this season and proved to be a massive hit.

The United States and Canada squared off in the final in what proved to be a game for the ages. Canada prevailed with MacKinnon taking home tourney MVP honors.

Now, MacKinnon will be looking to take home his second international championship of the year, by capturing the IIHF World Championships. Canada last won the competition in 2023, while finishing as runner-up in 2022.

Last year, Canada finished fourth as Czechia won gold on home ice. Martin Necas will be looking to defend his country’s gold medal from last year as a number of NHLers join their respective home countries following their teams’ elimination from the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.