Nathan MacKinnon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nathan MacKinnon
MacKinnon with the Colorado Avalanche in January 2020
Born	(1995-09-01) September 1, 1995 (age 31) Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Right
NHL team	Colorado Avalanche
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	1st overall, 2013 Colorado Avalanche
Playing career	2013–present

Nathan Raymond MacKinnon is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He plays as a centre for the Colorado Avalanche in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is also an alternate captain for his team. MacKinnon is famous for his incredible skating speed, smart plays, and scoring skill. He was selected first overall in the 2013 NHL entry draft. Over his career, he has grown into one of the sport's greatest stars.

MacKinnon helped lead Colorado to win the Stanley Cup championship in 2022. He has also earned many major personal awards. In 2014, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top rookie. In 2020, he earned the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship. Later, he took home the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2024 as the most valuable player. That same year, fellow players gave him the Ted Lindsay Award. In 2026, he won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the top goal scorer.

Early Life and Minor Hockey

MacKinnon was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He grew up playing minor ice hockey in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. Even as a young child, his athletic gifts were obvious to everyone. As an atom-aged player under eleven years old, he scored an unbelievable 200 points in just 50 games. Hockey fans in his town quickly realized that he was a very special player.

When he was 12 and 13 years old, he played Bantam AAA hockey for the Cole Harbour Red Wings. During those two seasons, he recorded 110 and 145 points. Looking for stronger competition, he moved to the United States. He enrolled at Shattuck-Saint Mary's, a famous boarding school in Faribault, Minnesota. This school was well known for developing future hockey champions.

During his first year at Shattuck-Saint Mary's, MacKinnon played for their Bantam Tier I program. He scored 101 points in 58 games and finished second in team scoring. In the 2010–11 season, he joined the under-16 Midget team. He was the second-youngest skater on the team. Despite his age, he averaged more than two points per game.

That same season, MacKinnon represented his home province in the ice hockey tournament at the 2011 Canada Winter Games. He scored eight goals and eleven points to place fourth in tournament scoring. He helped Nova Scotia finish in seventh place. He finished his second school year with 93 points in 40 games, scoring 45 goals.

Junior Ice Hockey Career

MacKinnon in October 2012 playing for the Halifax Mooseheads.

By the summer of 2011, MacKinnon was one of the most exciting young players in the world. Scouts ranked him as the top choice for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) draft. Before the draft, he practiced with the Omaha Lancers in the United States Hockey League (USHL). He considered playing college ice hockey in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

On June 4, 2011, the Baie-Comeau Drakkar chose MacKinnon first overall in the major junior ice hockey draft. Because he did not speak the French language, there were questions about where he would play. On July 13, 2011, Baie-Comeau traded his rights to his hometown team, the Halifax Mooseheads. This exciting trade let MacKinnon play in front of his family and friends.

MacKinnon made an immediate impact for the Mooseheads during the 2011–12 season. On December 3, 2011, he scored his first junior hat-trick, netting five goals in a 6–4 win against the Quebec Remparts. He was only 16 years old at the time. The coach for Quebec was legendary goaltender Patrick Roy. The five goals tied a team record held by Jason King.

The next year, MacKinnon led Halifax to an amazing championship run in the 2012–13 season. On May 26, 2013, he guided the Mooseheads to their very first Memorial Cup national title. He scored seven goals and six assists in four games to lead the tournament. He won the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player and made the CHL tournament all-star team.

Professional Career with the Colorado Avalanche

Becoming an NHL Rookie (2013–2017)

MacKinnon playing in his rookie season in December 2013.

Before the 2013 NHL entry draft, Patrick Roy became the head coach of the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche owned the number one pick. Roy told reporters at ESPN The Magazine that his team wanted MacKinnon. Some thought Colorado might choose defenceman Seth Jones, who grew up in Denver, Colorado. Instead, the Avalanche chose MacKinnon first overall, while Jones went to the Nashville Predators.

MacKinnon signed his first three-year contract on July 9, 2013. He made his NHL debut on October 2, 2013, against the Anaheim Ducks. He became the youngest player to appear in a regular season game for Colorado. He set up two goals by teammate Jamie McGinn in a 6–1 win. On October 12, he scored his first NHL goal against goaltender Michal Neuvirth of the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena.

MacKinnon improved quickly during his first year. He set a league record as the youngest player to score two goals in consecutive games. He passed a mark set by Dale Hawerchuk of the Winnipeg Jets. Later, he put together a 13-game scoring streak. That broke a record held by Wayne Gretzky for the longest scoring streak by an 18-year-old.

MacKinnon finished the 2013–14 season with 24 goals and 63 points in all 82 games. Colorado reached the 2014 playoffs for the first time since 2010. In his first two playoff games against the Minnesota Wild, he scored seven points. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year and earned a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team.

The next few seasons proved harder for MacKinnon and the Avalanche. On February 22, 2015, he scored a hat-trick against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Unfortunately, he broke his foot blocking a shot during that game. Later, he suffered a nose injury on a hit by Sean Bergenheim of Minnesota. Colorado missed the 2015 playoffs as MacKinnon missed the final 18 games.

MacKinnon during a game in November 2014.

Injuries struck again in the 2015–16 season. In March 2016, MacKinnon hurt his knee ligament during a game against the Calgary Flames. He missed the final 10 games, and Colorado missed the 2016 playoffs.

MacKinnon signed a seven-year contract extension in July 2016. Before the 2016–17 season, the Avalanche named him an alternate captain. He played in the NHL All-Star Game in 2017. However, the Avalanche struggled badly as a team, finishing last in the standings and missing the 2017 playoffs.

Rise to League Stardom (2017–2021)

In the summer of 2017, MacKinnon made changes to his mental training using sport psychology. This training helped him think positively and stay calm under pressure. During the 2017–18 season, his play reached an elite level. On November 16, 2017, he scored five points in a 6–2 win over Washington. He set up goals for captain Gabriel Landeskog, Colin Wilson, and Mikko Rantanen.

MacKinnon was selected for the 2018 NHL All-Star Game. In March, he had another five-point night against Devan Dubnyk of Minnesota, assisting Tyson Barrie and Matt Nieto. MacKinnon finished the season with 39 goals and 97 points. His goal total tied stars Nikita Kucherov and Taylor Hall. He also tied Brayden Point for the league lead with 12 game-winning goals.

His strong play helped Colorado return to the 2018 playoffs against the Presidents' Trophy winners, Nashville. MacKinnon finished as a runner-up for both the Ted Lindsay Award and Hart Memorial Trophy. Those awards went to Connor McDavid and Taylor Hall. MacKinnon made the NHL Second All-Star team.

During the 2018–19 season, MacKinnon scored 99 points in 82 games. In the 2019 playoffs, Colorado upset the top-seeded Calgary Flames. It was MacKinnon's first playoff series win. Colorado then pushed the San Jose Sharks to seven games in the second round before losing. MacKinnon scored 13 points in 12 playoff games.

MacKinnon played his 500th career game on January 7, 2020, scoring against Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers. The 2019–20 season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2020 playoffs, he scored 25 points in 15 games before Colorado lost to the Dallas Stars. That year, he won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship. Only Joe Sakic and Ryan O'Reilly had won it previously for Colorado. He was also an MVP finalist behind Leon Draisaitl.

During the shortened 2020–21 season, Colorado won the Presidents' Trophy as the league's top regular-season team. MacKinnon scored 65 points in 48 games. In the playoffs, Colorado won their first round but lost to the Vegas Golden Knights. MacKinnon was once again named a finalist for the Hart Trophy.

Stanley Cup Champion and League MVP (2021–2026)

MacKinnon during the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.

The 2021–22 season became a dream year for Colorado. Despite missing games with a broken nose and concussion, MacKinnon scored 88 points in 65 games. The Avalanche finished near the top of the league standings behind the Florida Panthers.

In the 2022 playoffs, MacKinnon caught fire. He tied Evander Kane for the league lead with 13 playoff goals. Colorado marched through the playoffs and faced Tampa Bay in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. The Avalanche won the series in six games. MacKinnon hoisted the Stanley Cup for the first time. His teammate Cale Makar won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

In September 2022, MacKinnon signed an eight-year contract extension. He produced another stellar year during the 2022–23 season, collecting 111 points. However, Colorado suffered a first-round playoff loss to the Seattle Kraken in the 2023 playoffs.

MacKinnon reached incredible heights in the 2023–24 season. On December 5, 2023, he earned his 500th assist on a goal by Logan O'Connor. On December 21, he scored his 300th career goal against the Ottawa Senators. In April, he set up goals for Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkin to reach 140 points. He finished second for the Art Ross Trophy behind Nikita Kucherov.

In the 2024 playoffs, Colorado beat the Winnipeg Jets before losing to Dallas. In June 2024, MacKinnon won both the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award. He joined team legends Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg as Avalanche MVP winners. He was also selected to the NHL First All-Star team.

During the 2024–25 season, MacKinnon recorded his 600th assist against Pittsburgh. On March 10, 2025, he set up Artturi Lehkonen against the Chicago Blackhawks for his 1,000th career point. He tied Kucherov for the league lead with 84 assists and finished the year with 116 points.

MacKinnon made history during the 2025–26 season. In the season opener against the Los Angeles Kings, he passed Joe Sakic for the most points in franchise history since moving from Quebec. In December, he passed Sakic for most goals in modern franchise history. In January 2026, he hit 1,100 points. He scored a career-high 53 goals to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, joining Milan Hejduk as the only Avalanche players to win it. His 97 even-strength points were the most since Wayne Gretzky in the 1990–91 season. He also led the league with a +57 plus-minus rating.

International Competitions

Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  Canada
Winter Olympics
	2026 Milano Cortina
World Championships
	2015 Czech Republic
	2017 Germany/France
4 Nations Face-Off
Winner	2025 Canada/United States

MacKinnon has proudly represented Hockey Canada in many international tournaments. He first wore the national sweater at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge for Canada Atlantic. He scored eight points in five games, including two goals against Finland. He played again at the 2012 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.

In December 2012, MacKinnon joined the Canadian junior team for the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships alongside Mooseheads teammate Jonathan Drouin. Later, he made his debut for the senior national team at the 2014 IIHF World Championship.

He enjoyed gold medal success at the 2015 IIHF World Championship. Canada went undefeated with a 10–0 record, and MacKinnon scored nine points. At the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, he competed for Team North America, a special team of young stars under 24. At the 2017 IIHF World Championship, he led Canada in scoring and won a silver medal after a tough loss to Sweden.

MacKinnon starred at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025. He scored four goals in four games. He scored the opening goal in the final to beat the United States 3–2 and won the tournament MVP award. Later that spring, he played in the 2025 IIHF World Championship, where Canada was upset by Denmark.

At the 2026 Winter Olympics, MacKinnon played for the Canadian Olympic team. In the semifinals, he scored the game-winning goal to beat Finland 3–2. Canada faced the United States in the gold medal game. MacKinnon narrowly missed an open net late in the third period, and Canada lost 2–1 in overtime. MacKinnon took home an Olympic silver medal.

Fun Facts and Television Appearances

Off the ice, MacKinnon has appeared on several television programs. He had a recurring role on the Canadian comedy show Mr. D, starring Gerry Dee. In the show, he played a humorous version of himself trying to balance school with hockey.

MacKinnon also appeared in the show Trailer Park Boys. In 2019, he did voice acting for Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series.

MacKinnon is close friends with fellow Nova Scotia hockey star Sidney Crosby. The two have starred together in fun Tim Hortons commercials made for YouTube. Along with Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand, they are nicknamed the "Nova Scotia Mafia" by hockey fans because of their shared hometown roots and superstar talent.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

Bold indicates led league

International Tournaments

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011	Canada Atlantic	U17	5th		5	5	3	8	0
2012	Canada Atlantic	U17	7th		5	1	3	4	2
2012	Canada	IH18	1st		5	5	6	11	18
2013	Canada	WJC	4th		6	0	1	1	4
2014	Canada	WC	5th		8	1	3	4	8
2015	Canada	WC			10	4	5	9	6
2016	Team North America	WCH	5th		3	2	1	3	2
2017	Canada	WC			10	6	9	15	6
2025	Canada	4NF			4	4	0	4	0
2025	Canada	WC	5th		8	7	6	13	10
2026	Canada	OG			6	4	3	7	2
Junior totals					21	11	13	24	24
Senior totals					49	28	27	55	34

Major Awards and Honours

See also

In Spanish: Nathan MacKinnon para niños