Nathan MacKinnon was mentoring the youth at the Cole Harbour Hockey School

Nathan MacKinnon may seem like a brash guy when he’s being interviewed after a tough loss in the playoffs, but every athlete is usually not in their best mood after losing an important game (except for Carlos Alcaraz, who boasted a wide smile after losing the Wimbledon final on Sunday). Recently, he showed the kind side of his heart, as he was up in his hometown of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, mentoring the youth at the Cole Harbour Hockey School.

As seen in the picture, MacKinnon’s number is hanging in the rafters of the arena, alongside Sidney Crosby, who is also from Cole Harbour. The 2024 Hart Memorial Trophy winner wasn’t pictured on skates, but rather with a microphone in his hand giving words of wisdom to the kids attending the school.

The school has a plethora of available camps, giving opportunities to around 160 skaters and goalies born from 2013-2019 a chance to learn some new tricks and techniques. A lot of those kids look up to MacKinnon because of his status in that town, and it was a great opportunity for them to be able to hear from their idol and take pictures with him.

It’s also no guarantee that the 29-year-old superstar shows up at camp every summer, as he’s got plenty on his plate to deal with in the offseason, but when he can, it’s a moment that brightens all the kids’ days and shows them that they can get from Cole Harbour to playing in the NHL.

MacKinnon was coached by the school’s director, Jon Greenwood, at the Maritime Hockey Academy when he was growing up in the area. The two still clearly have a good relationship to where MacKinnon will come speak at his camp to inspire the youth.