Nathan MacKinnon, the Colorado Avalanche's superstar center and alternate captain (as of February 2025), is renowned for his blazing speed, goal-scoring talent, and dedication to peak performance. His commitment extends beyond the ice, encompassing a strict fitness routine and tailored nutrition strategy. This article explores MacKinnon's diet and workout regimen, revealing how he maintains his competitive edge.
MacKinnon's Mental Game
After four seasons in the NHL, MacKinnon was frustrated. He had mentally hit rock bottom in his professional career and was comparing himself to Austin Matthews, Connor McDavid, and Nikita Kucherov. Comparing his results to Connor McDavid’s 100 point season ate him up inside as a hockey player and questioned his whole identity as a person. In a way, he was experiencing imposter syndrome and finally made the decision to start working on the one area of his game he had not given his full attention - the mental game. He made it a priority and found a Sport Psychologist and learned how to manage his emotions so he could deal with all the pressure and expectations.
MacKinnon's Evolving Approach to Nutrition
MacKinnon's dedication to nutrition is evident in his dietary choices. Three years ago, he decided to go gluten-free and dairy-free, not due to intolerance, but for overall health benefits. He had his bloodwork analyzed to see what does and doesn’t work for him. This dietary shift coincided with a significant improvement in his sleep and performance, leading him to say, "When I started this diet is when I kind of broke out."
A Typical Day's Diet
While in Nova Scotia, isolating, MacKinnon's go-to breakfast has been gluten-free toast with eggs and granola.
His dinner consists of chicken, salmon, or steak with vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potato.
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During the season, he works with a chef recently in Denver and has gotten his bloodwork taken to analyze what works for him and what doesn’t. The chef has that data-including that he’s trying to avoid gluten and dairy-and designs meals off of it. He's not a superstitious guy, so he'll eat different things for pregame meals, and will switch things up all the time.
The Importance of Avoiding Gluten and Dairy
MacKinnon avoids gluten and dairy for health reasons, believing it contributes to better sleep and overall performance. He's not intolerant, but he prefers to keep those substances out of his body for health reasons.
Cheat Meals
Even elite athletes like MacKinnon indulge in cheat meals. His favorites include chips and guacamole, and occasionally ice cream.
MacKinnon's Rigorous Workout Routine
MacKinnon's gym routine focuses on staying injury-free so he can play every game without missing a beat during the long hockey season. By choosing specific workouts and body care, he protects himself from the hard hits and fast-paced action that define top-level hockey games. This dedication helped him play every game for two straight seasons, showing his growth from an injury-prone player to a tough team leader. Moreover, he mixes strength exercises with stretching to handle the heavy minutes he plays each night without slowing down. His teammates admire his approach, saying it helps them stay sharp and recover faster after tough matches. Because of this, MacKinnon plays over 22 minutes per game, outlasting many players while leading his team’s offense with steady power.
Post-Game Recovery: Cycling for Endurance
MacKinnon's commitment to recovery is exemplified by his post-game routine. Inspired by Tour de France cyclists, he utilizes a "zone two" bike ride to flush out lactate and promote muscle recovery. As MacKinnon explained, “It’s like the subconscious of your nervous system. Just kind of get all the lactate out."
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A Personalized Approach to Training
MacKinnon has been working with his trainer, Andy O’Brien, since he was 15. Every summer, it’s amazing how Andy comes up with new exercises. Even right now, he sent me a new program, and I’ve never done any of these exercises before. They’re challenging and work different body parts. Every program he gives to a client is designed for them and their specific body needs. He knows me very well at this point.
He needs to open up his T-spine and keep his torso moving. He’s had some AC joint sprains, so he’s done a ton of shoulder stuff these past couple weeks while social distancing. He’s a fast-twitch guy, so also lots of movements, getting that deep burn in his quads and glutes. He’s doing long bike rides after workouts too. When he workout with [Sidney Crosby] in the summer, he does lots of quick, fast-twitch stuff too, which is why he’s so good at staying low.
The Influence of Sidney Crosby
MacKinnon credits Sidney Crosby with influencing his approach to training and nutrition. Just watching how hard he works and how disciplined he is with his nutrition and workouts is something I try to emulate. No one takes this more seriously than him; he’s always thinking about different ways to train, and giving ideas to our trainer Andy. He feels like a big brother to me-he’s eight years older than me, and I kind of just do whatever he says.
The Importance of Body Fat
While the average NHL players may be sub 10% body fat, there’s obviously players above and below that - creating the questions: What is the optimal body fat ranges for hockey players?
Elite hockey players should aim to keep their body fat between 8-12.5% for male players, and 12-20% for female hockey players. The body carries an “essential level of fat” to maintain healthy function, which the American Council on Exercise has suggested is 2-5% for men and 10-13% for women.
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MacKinnon's Impact on Teammates
MacKinnon's dedication inspires his teammates to prioritize their own fitness and nutrition. He’s pushing other guys to do it, which makes us better. As a coach, you just go along with it.