MacKinnon all business for Canada in quest for Olympic gold

MILAN -- Nathan MacKinnon respects the other athletes at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, but he didn't come here for, say, speedskating.

Unless he's doing it for Team Canada in the men's hockey tournament.

"We've talked to some other athletes, but to be honest, I just want to win gold here," the 30-year-old center said after practice Monday. "It's fun to get to know people, but at the end of the day, we're just trying to win."

MacKinnon is famous for his focus with the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL. It's one of the reasons he's among the best in the world. It's who he is.

And he's no different here, even though he's at the Olympics for the first time and has so many things to experience -- the Olympic Village, other Olympic events, the city of Milan.

"I mean, I want to enjoy myself, but I'm not here to enjoy myself, either," he said. "I'm going to do everything I can to play well and just hopefully it's enough, and hopefully I can contribute."

Contribute? MacKinnon can be a catalyst for Canada.

He helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022. He won the 2024 Hart Trophy voted as most valuable player after setting NHL career highs in goals (51), assists (89) and points (140).

Last season, he was MVP of the 4 Nations Face-Off, leading the tournament with four goals in four games to help Canada win the championship. This season, he leads the NHL with 40 goals and ranks second with 93 points, three behind Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, his Canada teammate.

Now he's zeroed in on this. Canada plays Team Czechia at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Thursday (10:40 a.m. ET; Peacock, USA, CBC Gem, CBC) in the first of three preliminary round games.

A reporter told him it sounded kind of sad. If you're at the Olympics for the first time, you gotta take it in, no?

"No," MacKinnon said with a little laugh. "Just being honest."

He explained himself further.

"In terms of going to 10 events a day and going to dinner in Milan, I don't think anyone's going to do that," he said. "That's what I mean in terms of enjoy myself, but I'm loving being with guys. This is a dream for me. Sitting next to Sid in the dressing room. At 10 years old, how cool would that be?"

Sid, of course, is Sidney Crosby, the Pittsburgh Penguins legend who has won the Stanley Cup three times and Olympic gold twice. Crosby and MacKinnon come from Nova Scotia and have been workout buddies for years. They're a lot alike and love playing together internationally.

"Nate is a worker, and I found that out when we were at 4 Nations and gave all the guys an off day, and he came to me and was like, 'Hey, do you care if I skate?'" Canada coach Jon Cooper said. "And he and Sid went down [to the rink], and the two of them went on the ice together, and I thought, 'Wow, these guys, they're really, really dedicated and committed players.'

"But there is time you have to have fun, and we tell the guys, like, 'This is the Olympics. This is an experience we may never get to be a part of again, so enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself in the village, introduce yourself to other athletes, become part of this, but when it's rink time, it's our time. Then it's focus time.'"

Crosby isn't surprised by MacKinnon's businesslike attitude here.

"I mean, I've spent so much time with him, I think I'm used to that," Crosby said. "I think I know how much these events or these moments mean to him, so I know how hard he works, and he's going to step up. … Yeah, he brings a lot of passion, a lot of emotion and intensity, but he wants it, and I think that's all you could ask for."

Does Crosby ever have to help MacKinnon calm down?

"Sometimes you have to be able to do that," Crosby said. "Other times, if he's a little angry, then it's not a bad thing. I love to see that next shift after that, so just depends. You're just trying to help each other through that, but that's part of it, and we're all in that same boat. He's probably got to calm me down sometimes too."

It's tough to calm down when you're MacKinnon in Canada's locker room at the Olympics. Not only is Crosby next to you, but McDavid is right there, and Florida Panthers forwards Sam Reinhart and Brad Marchand are over there, and ...

"It's amazing," MacKinnon said. "You have to pinch yourself for sure, but other than that, I need to play well. And I don't know if I have to play amazing, but I need to play well and just do my job."

MacKinnon has a different definition of fun. That's why he's here.

"Yeah, I have fun playing hockey," he said. "I go on vacations in the summer."