Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon will return to the lineup for Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena.
He sustained a right knee injury in the previous match.
>>> Spurs Even Western Conference Finals With Defensive Win Over Thunder
The Avalanche trail 3-0 in the best-of-seven series.
All 49 previous NHL teams holding a 3-0 lead in this playoff round have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.
Head coach Jared Bednar confirmed that MacKinnon, who led the league with 53 regular-season goals, will not face performance limitations after absorbing a Shea Theodore slapshot on Sunday.
“No, I think we'll be able to use him,” Bednar said. “He's feeling a lot better today.
We'll see when he gets on the ice tonight and what the game brings, but he's feeling pretty good today and feels like he'll be ready to go.”
Bednar added that the team's medical staff worked extensively to prepare the center for unencumbered play following the traumatic impact.
“Everyone's seen the play; the shot hits him in the knee and that can be traumatizing, especially early on,” Bednar said.
“There are things that the trainers can do to try and get that feeling better and loosen up and get him to a spot where he can play unencumbered.
It's about how fast we can get him there and get him out there.”
MacKinnon returned for limited shifts during Game 3 to assist on special teams and empty-net situations despite visible discomfort.
