Nathan MacKinnon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nathan MacKinnon |
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MacKinnon with the Colorado Avalanche in January 2020
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| Born | September 1, 1995 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
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| 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 | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| NHL Draft | 1st overall, 2013 Colorado Avalanche |
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| Playing career | 2013–present | ||
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Nathan Raymond MacKinnon (born September 1, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He plays as a centre and is an alternate captain for the Colorado Avalanche. This team is part of the National Hockey League (NHL).
MacKinnon was the very first player chosen in the 2013 NHL entry draft. He helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022. He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award in the 2023–24 season. These awards are for the league's most valuable player. Many people think he is one of the best hockey players of his time.
Contents
Nathan MacKinnon's Hockey Journey
Early Days and Youth Hockey
Nathan MacKinnon was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He grew up playing hockey in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. When he was younger than 11, he scored an amazing 200 points in just 50 games!
At ages 12 and 13, he played for the Cole Harbour Red Wings. He scored 110 and 145 points in those seasons. After that, he moved to Shattuck-Saint Mary's in Minnesota. He chose this school because it had a very strong hockey program. In his first year there, he scored 101 points in 58 games.
For the 2010–11 season, MacKinnon joined the under-16 team. Even though he was one of the youngest players, he scored over two points per game. He also played for Nova Scotia in the 2011 Canada Winter Games. He scored eight goals and eleven points in that tournament.
Playing in Junior Leagues
Before the 2011 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Draft, MacKinnon was expected to be the first player picked. He was even ranked as the best player available. On June 4, 2011, the Baie-Comeau Drakkar picked him first overall.
However, MacKinnon did not speak French. There was talk he might play in a different league. But on July 13, 2011, his rights were traded to the Halifax Mooseheads. The Mooseheads really wanted him on their team.
On December 3, 2011, MacKinnon scored his first QMJHL hat-trick. He scored five goals in one game against the Quebec Remparts. He was only 16 years old at the time. This tied the Mooseheads' record for most goals in a single game.
On May 26, 2013, MacKinnon led the Mooseheads to win their first Memorial Cup championship. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. He scored seven goals and six assists in four games.
Joining the Colorado Avalanche (2013–Present)
Starting His NHL Career
Before the 2013 NHL entry draft, the Avalanche coach, Patrick Roy, said they would pick MacKinnon. On June 30, the Avalanche did pick Nathan MacKinnon first overall. He signed his first NHL contract on July 9.
MacKinnon played his first NHL game on October 2, 2013. He became the youngest player to ever play a regular season game for the Avalanche. He had two assists in a 6–1 win. On October 12, he scored his first NHL goal.
As the season went on, MacKinnon played a bigger role. He set an NHL record by becoming the youngest player to have two goals in back-to-back games. He also had a 13-game scoring streak. This was the longest streak by an 18-year-old in NHL history.
MacKinnon played all 82 games in his first season. He led all rookies with 24 goals and 39 assists for 63 points. The Avalanche made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2010. On June 24, MacKinnon won the Calder Memorial Trophy for rookie of the year. He was the youngest player to ever win this award.
On February 22, 2015, MacKinnon scored his first NHL hat trick. He became the youngest Avalanche player to do so. His scoring dropped a bit in his second season. The Avalanche also missed the playoffs.
In the 2015–16 season, MacKinnon scored 21 goals and 31 assists. Even with more points, the team still missed the playoffs.
On July 8, 2016, MacKinnon signed a new seven-year contract with the Avalanche. On October 13, he was named an alternate captain for the team. He was chosen for his first NHL All-Star Game on January 10, 2017. He finished the season with 16 goals and 37 assists. The Avalanche missed the playoffs for the third year in a row.
Becoming a Star Player
Before the 2017–18 season, MacKinnon worked with a sports psychologist. This helped him play much better and become one of the league's top players. On November 16, 2017, he had his first five-point game. He scored one goal and had four assists.
He was chosen for the 2018 NHL All-Star Game again. He also had another five-point game on March 2, 2018. MacKinnon finished this amazing season with 39 goals and 58 assists for 97 points. He helped the Avalanche get into the playoffs for the first time since 2014. In the 2018 playoffs, the Avalanche lost in the first round. MacKinnon had six points in those six games.
He was a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award and the Hart Memorial Trophy. These awards recognize the league's most outstanding and valuable player.
In the 2018–19 season, MacKinnon had 99 points. The Avalanche made the playoffs again. They beat the top-seeded Calgary Flames. This was the first time the Avalanche won a playoff series with MacKinnon on the team. They later lost in the second round. MacKinnon had 13 points in 12 playoff games.
On January 7, 2020, MacKinnon played his 500th NHL game. He was on track for his first 100-point season in 2019–20. However, the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He had 93 points when the season stopped.
On September 11, MacKinnon won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. This award is for the player who shows great sportsmanship and skill. He was also a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award again.
After the shorter 2020–21 season, the Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy. This means they were the best team in the regular season. MacKinnon was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award for the third time.
Winning the Stanley Cup
On January 26, 2022, MacKinnon got a broken nose and a concussion. He missed four games and the 2022 NHL All-Star Game. He finished the 2021–22 season with 32 goals and 56 assists for 88 points. The Avalanche were the top team in the Western Conference.
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On June 26, 2022, MacKinnon won his first Stanley Cup championship with the Avalanche! They beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. MacKinnon led all players with 13 goals in the 2022 playoffs. He also had 11 assists for 24 points in 20 games.
On September 20, 2022, MacKinnon signed a new eight-year contract with the Avalanche. It was worth $100.8 million, which was the highest average yearly value in league history at the time.
On December 5, 2023, MacKinnon got his 500th career assist. On December 21, he scored his 300th career goal and his seventh career hat-trick. On April 18, 2024, he reached an Avalanche-record 140 points in a season. He finished the 2023–24 season with career highs in goals (51), assists (89), and points (140).
On June 27, 2024, MacKinnon won the Ted Lindsay Award. He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the regular season's most valuable player.
On December 10, 2024, MacKinnon recorded his 600th career assist. He ended that game with five points. On March 10, 2025, he reached his 1,000th career point. He became the 100th player in NHL history to do so. He finished the 2024–25 season with 116 points, placing second in league scoring. He also tied for the league lead in assists with 84.
Playing for His Country
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Canada |
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| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 2015 Czech Republic | |
| Silver | 2017 Germany/France | |
| 4 Nations Face-Off | ||
| Winner | 2025 Canada/United States | |
MacKinnon first played for Hockey Canada in the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. He was one of the youngest players but scored five goals and eight points. He helped Canada Atlantic get its best finish in years.
In 2012, he was named to Team Canada for the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
At the 2015 World Championships, Canada won the gold medal. MacKinnon had 4 goals and 5 assists in the tournament.
He was also part of Team North America for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
MacKinnon played for Team Canada at the 2017 IIHF World Championship. He led his team in points and helped Canada win a silver medal.
He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. He scored four goals, including the first goal in Canada's 3-2 win in the championship game.
Career Statistics
Regular Season and Playoffs
Bold indicates led league
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2007–08 | Cole Harbour Wings | Bantam AAA | 50 | — | — | 110 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Cole Harbour Wings | Bantam AAA | 35 | — | — | 145 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Shattuck-Saint Mary's | Bantam AAA | 58 | 54 | 47 | 101 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Shattuck-Saint Mary's | Midget AAA | 40 | 45 | 48 | 93 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Halifax Mooseheads | QMJHL | 58 | 31 | 47 | 78 | 45 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 28 | 12 | ||
| 2012–13 | Halifax Mooseheads | QMJHL | 44 | 32 | 43 | 75 | 45 | 17 | 11 | 22 | 33 | 12 | ||
| 2013–14 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 82 | 24 | 39 | 63 | 26 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 4 | ||
| 2014–15 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 64 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 72 | 21 | 31 | 52 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 82 | 16 | 37 | 53 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 74 | 39 | 58 | 97 | 55 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | ||
| 2018–19 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 82 | 41 | 58 | 99 | 34 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 2 | ||
| 2019–20 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 69 | 35 | 58 | 93 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 12 | ||
| 2020–21 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 48 | 20 | 45 | 65 | 37 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 65 | 32 | 56 | 88 | 42 | 20 | 13 | 11 | 24 | 8 | ||
| 2022–23 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 71 | 42 | 69 | 111 | 30 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 2023–24 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 82 | 51 | 89 | 140 | 42 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 4 | ||
| 2024–25 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 79 | 32 | 84 | 116 | 41 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 2 | ||
| NHL totals | 870 | 367 | 648 | 1,015 | 389 | 95 | 55 | 70 | 125 | 42 | ||||
International Play Statistics
| 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 | |
| Junior totals | 21 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 24 | ||||
| Senior totals | 43 | 24 | 24 | 48 | 32 | ||||
Awards and Special Recognitions
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| CHL / QMJHL | ||
| Ed Chynoweth Trophy | 2013 | |
| Memorial Cup champion | 2013 | |
| Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy | 2013 | |
| CHL Memorial Cup All-Star team | 2013 | |
| Halifax Mooseheads jersey retirement | 2023 | |
| NHL | ||
| Calder Memorial Trophy | 2014 | |
| NHL All-Rookie Team | 2014 | |
| NHL All-Star Game | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 | |
| NHL Second All-Star team | 2018, 2020 | |
| Lady Byng Memorial Trophy | 2020 | |
| Stanley Cup champion | 2022 | |
| Ted Lindsay Award | 2024 | |
| Hart Memorial Trophy | 2024 | |
| NHL First All-Star team | 2024, 2025 | |
| International | ||
| 4 Nations Face-Off champion | 2025 | |
| 4 Nations Face-Off MVP | 2025 | |
Nathan MacKinnon's Acting Roles
Nathan MacKinnon has also appeared on Canadian TV shows. He played a version of himself on Mr. D. In one episode, he had to leave an exam early for a hockey game. His teacher, Mr. D, didn't realize how talented he was.
He also appeared as himself in Trailer Park Boys. Later, he had a voice acting role in Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series.
MacKinnon has been in commercials for Tim Hortons on YouTube. He appeared with fellow Nova Scotian and NHL player Sidney Crosby. MacKinnon has looked to Crosby for inspiration during his career.
See also
In Spanish: Nathan MacKinnon para niños
