Nathan MacKinnon’s harsh words about the Olympics

Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon, one of the biggest stars of the Olympic ice hockey tournament, is known in hockey circles as an ascetic elite athlete who takes his profession seriously – perhaps too seriously for some.

MacKinnon, not surprisingly, states that he does not intend to pay much attention to other sports at the Olympics. According to the Colorado Avalanche superstar, his focus is entirely on his own performance.

– We have talked to athletes from other sports, but to be honest, I only want to win gold here, MacKinnon said on the NHL’s website.

– It’s fun to get to know athletes from other sports, but in the end, we are here solely because we want to win.

The Stanley Cup winner has no plans to explore the Olympic village, the city of Milan, or the “side events” surrounding the games.

– Of course, I want to enjoy my time here, but that’s not why I’m here. I plan to do everything I can to play well. Hopefully, that will be enough (for the championship), MacKinnon states.

MacKinnon was named the most valuable player of the 4 Nations tournament held last year. When asked whether the Canadian should take the opportunity to watch competitions in other sports live, he gives a blunt response.

– No. I don’t think others are participating in ten events a day and then going downtown for dinner.

According to Canada’s captain and MacKinnon’s close friend Sidney Crosby, MacKinnon should sometimes loosen his helmet strap.

– I’m familiar with that. I know how much these events and moments mean to him. He brings us a lot of passion, emotion, and intensity. But sometimes you need to be able to calm down, Crosby, who is nearly ten years older than MacKinnon, reminds.

Canada opens its Olympic tournament on Thursday with a match against the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, the Lions’ opening game will be played on Wednesday when Finland faces Slovakia.