Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche has been ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks and may potentially miss the final three games of the regular season due to a minor injury. MacKinnon has been strategically resting, which has been part of his routine to maintain peak performance ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar acknowledged the challenges players face in this demanding time of the season, especially for those who did not receive a break during the Four Nations tournament.

Currently tied for the NHL scoring lead with Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov and having played every game this season, MacKinnon boasts an impressive 32 goals and 116 points in 79 games, just shy of matching franchise legends like Peter Forsberg. Bednar emphasized that while individual accolades are nice, MacKinnon’s focus is on team success, particularly as they aim for playoff glory starting with Game 1 against Dallas.