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Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon: Set to make preseason debut Friday
Rotowire
MacKinnon will make his first and only preseason appearance Friday against the Jets, Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette reports.
MacKinnon didn't appear in Colorado's first two preseason games, but he'll suit up Friday before sitting again Saturday against the Mammoth. Despite his limited appearances during the preseason, the 31-year-old is healthy ahead of the regular season and is in line for a massive workload once again after he recorded 53 goals, 74 assists, 64 hits, 39 PIM and 35 blocked shots while averaging 22:16 of ice time across 80 regular-season appearances during the 2025-26 campaign.
Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon: Good to go for Game 4
Rotowire
MacKinnon (lower body) will play against Vegas on Tuesday in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, Mark Lazerus of The Athletic reports.
MacKinnon had one assist, five shots on net, two hits and one blocked shot in Sunday's 5-3 loss to Vegas in Game 3. He sustained the injury in the second period of Sunday's defeat, but he managed to stay in the game. Even though he probably isn't fully healthy, he could still make an impact. Colorado needs to win in Game 4 to stay alive in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon: Still being evaluated
Rotowire
MacKinnon (lower body) is undergoing evaluations and treatments, according to Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette on Monday.
MacKinnon sustained the injury in the second period of Sunday's 5-3 loss to Vegas in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. Despite clearly not being fully healthy, he managed to finish the game. It's unclear if he will play in Tuesday's must-win matchup, but an update on his status could come during Colorado's pregame media availability. The Avalanche face a challenging situation with a 3-0 series deficit, and MacKinnon's injury may further impede their chances of a comeback.
Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon: Plays through injury in final frame
Rotowire
MacKinnon (lower body) played sparingly in the third period of Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Golden Knights in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals after blocking a shot in the middle frame, and there was no update on his status after the game, Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette reports.
MacKinnon was injured after blocking a one-timer from Shea Theodore in the middle frame. The 30-year-old MacKinnon did not come out for the start of the third period, but he eventually came back into the game, albeit with a noticeable limp, per Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports. The right-shot center played only four shifts during the third period, according to the NHL media site. While it would be surprising to see MacKinnon sit out Game 4 on Tuesday with the Avalanche on the brink of elimination, he should be considered day-to-day for now.
Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon: Nets equalizer in Game 5
Rotowire
MacKinnon scored a goal on nine shots in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime win over the Wild in Game 5.
MacKinnon picked a great time to stretch his goal streak to six games, doing so with 1:23 left in the third period. His tally was the equalizer, helping the Avalanche erase a 3-0 deficit they faced after one period. The 30-year-old has accumulated seven goals, six assists, 36 shots on net, seven hits and a plus-7 rating through nine playoff contests. He'll be in prime position to add to his totals after the Avalanche rest up ahead of the Western Conference Finals.
MacKinnon scored an empty-net goal on two shots in Monday's 5-2 win over the Wild in Game 4.
MacKinnon was able to come back into the game after getting bloodied by a puck to the face late in the second period. He was able to extend his point streak to five games with the first of the Avalanche's two empty-netters. He's earned six goals and five assists during streak, accounting for 11 of his 12 points across eight playoff outings.
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