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Nathan McKinnon on Sport Psych

3 Jun 2025 · 0 min

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0:24

Short interview excerpt in which Nathan McKinnon describes deciding to raise his commitment to hockey by improving mental and physical preparation; he says he engaged a sports psychologist in Denver and discusses emotional challenges (hotheadedness, negativity) that the psychologist helped address.

But anyways, I was watching these guys dominate, and I just kind of had to make a decision to take, you know, my commitment to another level, my mind to another level, and. And try to be the best player I could be.
Like, what did that mean? Like, diving into the diet side of things where that hadn't been something you've done before, maybe, you know, even skating training, off the ice, on ice sessions in the summer.
Yeah. Well, actually, I got a sports psychologist in Denver.
Wow.
Yep. I got a sports psychologist. People who scoff at that stuff. It really amazes me. Oh, no. It's almost like I needed it. Like, I'm a. No, I'm a. I'm a hothead. You know, like, anybody that plays with me would say that. I sometimes let my emotions get the best of me. I get very negative and down on myself, and it's coming from a good place. You know, I want to win, and I want to help my team and be the best that I can be.
But it happens. And, you know, I decided to get a sports psychologist and get more serious with, you know, treatment and nutrition, everything that comes along with it. And I think when you do one thing, you want to do everything really well, and, you know, it's. It's been really helpful.