Nathan MacKinnon is in San Jose for NHL All-Star Weekend, but the Avalanche center won’t take part in the skills competition Friday and is unlikely to take part in the All-Star Game tournament Saturday, a team spokesman confirmed Friday.
MacKinnon limped off the ice in the second period Wednesday during the Avalanche’s 5-2 loss to Minnesota at the Pepsi Center but returned shortly after and finished the game. He played 18:39, about 3 1-2 minutes under his average, had one shot on goal and one assist.
Sportsnet reported that MacKinnon had an MRI on his foot Thursday, but the results haven’t been announced.
MacKinnon, who was named captain of the Central Division All-Star team, is tied for fifth in NHL scoring with 71 points (27 goals, 44 assists).
Avalanche teammates Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen will compete Friday -- Landeskog in the puck control event, Rantanen in the premier passer event.
The Avalanche resume play Feb. 2 against Vancouver.
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The NHL announced on Friday that the Los Angeles Kings will be the Avalanche’s opponent for the outdoor game at Air Force’s Falcon Stadium on Feb. 15, 2020.
MATCHUP CONFIRMED: The @Avalanche will face the @LAKings outdoors at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium on Feb. 15, 2020 in the 2020 NHL #StadiumSeries. pic.twitter.com/EEy4VP6fEw
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 25, 2019
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Landeskog is compiling a diary for NHL.com during NHL All-Star weekend. Here is his FIRST INSTALLMENT, written Thursday.
Landeskog, in an NHL.com interview, said he’s optimistic the Avalanche will make the playoffs despite their poor play of the past several weeks. They are in the Western Conference’s second wild card spot with 52 points in 50 games but have lost 12 of their past 15 games (3-10-2).
"We're going to find a way through this," Landeskog said. "I have no doubt about it. It's a matter of just coming through as a group and figuring out a way to get going right now. We've just got to stop the bleeding and get going."