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A viral video of Nathan MacKinnon performing an underwater workout during the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs caught attention. Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar reacted with amusement, highlighting MacKinnon's dedication to training.
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A viral video showing Nathan MacKinnon grinding through an intense underwater workout during the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs sparked league-wide attention this week. After learning about it, Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar sounded more amused than surprised by it.
Speaking to reporters Saturday, Bednar jokingly opened with, “Spies in our hotel?” after being asked about footage of MacKinnon training in a Minnesota hotel pool. The clip showed the Avalanche superstar using flippers, goggles, and underwater balance drills designed to sharpen spatial awareness and recovery.
For Bednar, the video simply reinforced what the organization already knows about its franchise center.
“It’s a mentality, right?” Bednar said. “Nate kind of leads the charge in this, and I’m sure there’s other guys that lead the charge in similar areas, and they’re always talking about what players are doing in our sport to get better, what players are doing in other sports to get better.”
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The Avalanche coach explained that MacKinnon constantly searches for new ways to improve physically and mentally, whether through traditional conditioning or unconventional recovery methods.
“I think the strength and conditioning team and some of the people that we have around have a lot to do with that,” Bednar said. “Nate himself has a lot to do with it. He’s going to leave no stone unturned.
“So if there’s something that a player tries, and they feel like it helps them, and there’s science behind it, there’s personal beliefs behind it, and it helps make them better or more prepared to play or helps them on the ice and situational awareness, whatever it is,
“These things can be mental, they can be physical, but our guys are kind of, like, they’re all sort of in tune with that, searching and looking for ways to get better and to help them prepare for the competition, and Nate’s obviously a guy that is willing to think outside the box and go to different areas.”
The timing of the viral attention makes sense given MacKinnon’s dominance this season. The Avalanche star posted 127 points during the regular season, won the Rocket Richard Trophy, and entered Saturday leading Colorado through another deep playoff run.
Nathan MacKinnon was seen performing an intense underwater workout using flippers and goggles, focusing on balance drills.
Jared Bednar expressed amusement and noted that MacKinnon's dedication to training is well-known within the organization.
MacKinnon's workout highlights his commitment to improving performance, which is crucial during the competitive NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Nathan MacKinnon conducted his underwater workout in a hotel pool in Minnesota.

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The most important part of Bednar’s comments was not the workout itself. It was the culture surrounding it.
Colorado has become one of the league’s most demanding internal environments because players follow MacKinnon’s standard. Veterans and younger skaters alike understand the daily level required to compete on a Presidents’ Trophy team.
That influence shows in Colorado’s structure. The Avalanche finished first in both goals scored (3.63) and goals allowed (2.40) during the regular season, a rare balance driven by conditioning, pace, and relentless transition pressure.
MacKinnon’s preparation also helps explain why his game continues evolving instead of plateauing. Many elite players maintain production into their late 20s. Few improve every season the way he has.
“Clearly, whatever he’s been doing from a preparation standpoint from the time he was a rookie in the league to now, it’s working, right?” Bednar said. “Like, he’s getting better and better every year, and part of that is experience, but a lot of it is just hard work and being willing to sort of try new things and see what helps him.”
The viral pool video may have looked unusual to outsiders, but inside Colorado’s room, it likely felt normal. That is part of what makes the Avalanche dangerous. Their best player still trains like someone trying to earn his roster spot, not protect his reputation.