NHL Rescinds Avalanche Star's Controversial Major Penalty

The Colorado Avalanche and their fans are grateful that the NHL has righted its wrong.

Mar 8, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) holds his knee after a play in the first period against the Minnesota Wild at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The NHL has wiped Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon’s slate clean.

MacKinnon was given a five-minute major penalty and a 10-minute misconduct for interference on the goaltender in the Avalanche’s 4-3 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers on March 10. With less than a minute to play in the second period and Colorado on the power play, MacKinnon drove hard toward the net but got knocked off course by Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse. As a result, MacKinnon barreled straight into Edmonton goaltender Connor Ingram, knocking him to the ice. Ingram’s forehead was bleeding, and he was forced to exit the game.

#Avs Nathan MacKinnon said the NHL rescinded his major penalty.

If you get two in a certain amount of games, it’s an automatic suspension. So he’s back to zero for those purposes.

— Corey Masisak (@cmasisak22) March 12, 2026

The Avalanche were furious with the call. Head coach Jared Bednar was displeased, to say the least, after the game, saying, “I really don’t give a crap if their goalie’s hurt. That’s on their D-men, not on our guy.”

It appears that the NHL heard the Avalanche’s cry, as, according to MacKinnon, the league rescinded the major penalty. This is important because a player is not allowed to receive two major penalties in a certain number of games, or else that player will receive an automatic suspension. Now MacKinnon doesn’t have to worry about that; he can just go out and play.

MacKinnon’s Teammates Came to His Defense

Mar 10, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) collides into Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram (39) in the second period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

According to the Avalanche and their fans, the punishment did not fit the crime. MacKinnon should not have received a major penalty for his actions, and they let the officials on the ice know of their anger toward that decision. After the game, along with Bednar, several Avalanche players came to MacKinnon’s defense.

“Nate’s got some of the best spatial awareness in the league,” Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, a top candidate for the Norris Trophy, said. “He’s not going to cut into the goalie like that. Explanation we got from the refs was that [Nurse] didn’t nudge him enough.”

Nazem Kadri, who was acquired at the trade deadline from the Calgary Flames, echoed Makar’s sentiment.

“He’s diving across the top of the crease to try and get out of the way,” newly acquired forward Nazem Kadri said. “That’s part of the rule, for the player to at least make some sort of attempt. There was clear contact, and I have no idea how that was a five-minute [major].”

In their eyes, there was nothing else that MacKinnon could’ve done. It appears the NHL, at least in hindsight, recognized this as well. For that, Colorado and MacKinnon are grateful.

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