![Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game against the United States at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_135,w_2938,h_1652/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/108/01kh96w6pnh5d83gkk3e.jpg "Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game against the United States at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images")
Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon is set to make his 2026 Milano-Cortina Games debut on Thursday. He has been projected to be at the second-line center spot as Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers takes up the top center spot. Yeah, as an Avalanche fan, I’m sure you would want to argue that MacKinnon should be on that top line. It’s quite alright, though. He’ll still get plenty of ice time and a chance to make a huge impact.
MacKinnon leads the NHL in goals through 55 games with 40. He has a good chance of winning the Rocket Richard trophy, given to the player who finishes the season with the most goals of anyone. While he fell short of what I had hoped he’d get by the time the Olympic break came (50 goals), he has a legitimate chance crush his career-high of 51. That could earn him another Hart trophy.
I think that MacKinnon should be able to contribute a great deal to Team Canada’s games. In fact, it would not surprise me if he led the team in goals and assists. He probably won’t have more time on ice than McDavid or the other two top-line guys, but again, that’s alright.
I’m excited to see MacKinnon’s speed against Czechia’s squad. Being able to see him against his Avalanche teammate in Martin Necas, who is on Czechia, will be weird, especially since Necas will be wearing a different uniform number than he wears with the Avalanche. He’ll wear #98, as his #88 is taken by Boston Bruins’ David Pastrnak.
With MacKinnon likely to contribute a lot through these games, it gives Team Canada a major edge of winning a medal at these games. Some players from other countries predicted who was going to win a medal, and which medal that would be, and most of them chose Team Canada in the final three, though a lot of them chose their own country to take home gold.
MacKinnon can make sure that doesn’t happen and that he and his Team Canada teammates will be the ones leaning over to have the gold medal placed over their heads when it is all said and done.