As Team Canada prepares for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Nathan MacKinnon is extremely focused. He doesn’t worry about sightseeing, staying in the athletes’ village or attending other Olympic events. His goal is to win gold, and if that means not getting the experience, he’s okay with that.
At 30 years old, the Colorado Avalanche superstar is making his Olympic debut, and he’s made one thing crystal clear: he’s not here to enjoy the atmosphere.
In a recent interview with Arpon Basu of athleticsMacKinnon put it bluntly: “I want to enjoy myself, but I’m not here to enjoy myself.” While he admitted that it is “nice to get to know people,” he emphasized that this is not his priority. “I’m going to do everything I can to play well, and hopefully it’s enough, and hopefully I can contribute.”
When asked if he had to take it all in, he simply replied, “No.”
On the surface, it appears that MacKinnon will miss some of the best aspects of being an Olympic athlete. He worked it out.
MacKinnon’s approach is no surprise
“I love hanging out with the guys, I love talking, I love practicing,” MacKinnon said. “But if it’s about going to ten events a day and eating out in Milan, I don’t think anyone is going to do that.” He added: “That’s what I mean by enjoying. But I love being with the boys. This is a dream for me. I’m sitting next to Sid in the dressing room. How cool would that be when I’m 10 years old?”
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MacKinnon is known for his obsessive training and nutrition; he has an extremely high work ethic. He has a reputation as a tough teammate, even though he is highly respected. His approach works because he is one of the best players in the world and he led Colorado to the Stanley Cup in 2022.
For him, Olympic fun isn’t mingling or exploring Milan; it is winning gold.
Expect MacKinnon to have a big tournament
NHL.com called him “all business,” while Sports Illustrated noted his “different definition of fun” during his first Olympic Games. Basu joked about his ‘lack of work-life balance’. Others simply said MacKinnon is dialed in and there are no distractions.
Yahoo Sports wrote”His Canadian teammates will certainly appreciate that mentality from one of the best players in the world, who scored four goals in the 4 Nations Faceoff in four games. This season for the Avalanche, MacKinnon has 40 goals and 53 assists in 55 games.”
Next: Team Canada Quick Hits: Problems with heavy hitters, Celebrini and goalies
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