Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon Will Play Thursday
The Athletic’s Peter Baugh reports that Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said Nathan MacKinnon would be available for Thursday’s game against the San Jose Sharks.
Jared Bednar on his weekly Altitude radio hit: Nathan MacKinnon is scheduled to play tonight. #Avs
— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) March 31, 2022
MacKinnon was also on the ice for Thursday’s morning skate. He missed the Avs game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday. MacKinnon was sidelined with an upper-body injury, suspected to be to his hand, after fighting the Minnesota Wild’s Matt Dumba on Sunday.
MacKinnon is third in scoring on Colorado with 22 goals and 48 points but leads the team in points per game with 1.37. With MacKinnon back, expect Nazem Kadri to return as the team’s second-line center.
Colorado leads the NHL with 100 points, four points ahead of the second-place Florida Panthers. The Avs are the frontrunners to win the Presidents’ Trophy and have won six of their past eight, losing only once in regulation time.
Over at FanDuel Sportsbook, the Colorado Avalanche are -365 against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. They’re also the favorites to win the 2021-22 Staley Cup at +400.
