Nathan MacKinnon was not in the Colorado locker room when journalists entered after the loss to Vegas in Game 3 on Sunday.
That’s all we know. There are no other updates. In the playoffs, not hearing anything about a key player after he took a hard hit is the biggest news of all.
Evan Rawal from the Avalanche confirmed the situation on social media. The locker was empty. There were no quotes and no official comments from the team or its captain.
During the game, MacKinnon blocked a shot, fell on the ice looking really hurt, and was later seen limping down the tunnel. He did sit on the bench for a little while, but now he’s not available to talk after the game.
At 30 years old, he just had one of his best seasons ever, scoring 127 points in 80 games, with 53 goals, a plus-57 rating, and seven game-winning goals. He has a hefty salary cap hit of $12.6 million.
His numbers in the playoffs have also been impressive. Up until Sunday, he had 14 points in 11 games, including 7 goals and 7 assists.
Losing MacKinnon would have a huge impact on Colorado’s playoff series. The team is already struggling with their performance and energy, even with Cale Makar dealing with an injury this round. Losing another top player like MacKinnon changes everything for them.
Martin Necas would take over some top-line responsibilities. He’s 27 years old and has scored 100 points and 11 points in the playoffs so far. He’s skilled, but he’s not the top center they need in this matchup.
Devon Toews is still taking on a lot of defensive duties and has a salary of $7.25 million. He’s good, but he can’t cover up for the missing MVP-level player when it matters in May.
How will Jared Bednar adjust the player lines if MacKinnon can’t play? You can adjust a power play strategy, but you can’t replace a player who scored 127 points.
GM Chris MacFarland created this team with one main goal in mind. This is the moment to act, and the captain is the driving force. Everyone in the hockey community is waiting for news from the press room.
Vegas will definitely feel the excitement coming from their players. John Tortorella’s team doesn’t really need any extra motivation, but they will gladly soak it in regardless.
It doesn’t matter if MacKinnon plays in Game 4 or not; how the rest of the series looks has already changed. Colorado seems to be struggling, while Vegas is playing without any pressure.
The update from the morning skate is going to be very important. The body language of the players as they get off the bus will tell us a lot too.
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