Halifax Mooseheads to retire Nathan Mackinnon's number
Colorado Avalanche star player Nathan Mackinnon, is back home. MacKinnon’s number 22 will be retired Friday night by his former junior team, the Halifax Mooseheads.
“It’s awesome for the community, the franchise and the city,” said Rob Goudey, who has been an Avalanche fan all of his life.
Goudey is also a Mooseheads season-ticket holder, and he will be at Friday’s game when MacKinnon’s number is lifted to the rafters at Scotiabank Centre.
“It’s fitting because he’s a big game player,” said Goudey. “And he has ‘it’.”
The last time Maritimers saw MacKinnon in-person in Halifax was the summer of 2022 when he brought the Stanley Cup home for an exciting downtown celebration.
Jon Greenwood coached MacKinnon back in peewee and bantam AAA.
“It’s a great and unique experience that he was able to play here, win here and be remembered here forever,” said Greenwood, who added, this accolade may not equal a Stanley Cup championship, but it is still special.
“When you have jerseys retired, and numbers retired and statues built, that’s as high as it gets.”
Inside Scotiabank Centre, the number 22 is already splashed everywhere.
Team president Brian Urquhart also wants this ceremony to be a memorable occasion for the team’s loyal fans.
“What a great opportunity,” said Urquhart. “They watched so many highlights of Nathan’s in those two years. Tonight, will put a bow on everything from that standpoint.”
Urquhart also called this a circle of life moment.
MacKinnon grew up cheering for the Mooseheads, later playing for the team and leading them to a Memorial Cup Championship. Now, he has returned home to further cement his historic Halifax Mooseheads legacy.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

PM pans Poilievre for 'pulling stunts' by threatening to delay MPs' holidays with House tactics
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is threatening to delay MPs' holidays by throwing up thousands of procedural motions seeking to block Liberal legislation until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau backs off his carbon tax. It's a move Government House Leader Karina Gould was quick to condemn, warning the Official Opposition leader's 'temper tantrum' tactics will impact Canadians.
Las Vegas sheriff says at least 3 victims in university campus shootings, though conditions unknown
A person opened fire Wednesday on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus, and at least three victims were taken to hospitals, according to police who reported the shooter was found dead.
'I'm so broken': Grieving family speaks out after B.C. cancer patient awaiting treatment chooses MAID
A devastated family says long waits for cancer treatment led a beloved father and grandfather to choose medically assisted death 13 days ago.
BREAKING Public sector negotiations: Common Front rejects Quebec's latest offer
Quebec's Common Front of public sector unions has rejected the government's latest offer. The strike planned for Dec. 8 to 14 will go on as planned.
opinion Don Martin: Greg Fergus risks becoming the shortest serving Speaker in our history
House Speaker Greg Fergus could face a parliamentary committee inquisition where his fate might hang on a few supportive NDP votes. But political columnist Don Martin says this NDP support might be shaky, given how one possible replacement is herself a New Democrat.
No first-ballot winner as Assembly of First Nations seeks its next national chief
The Assembly of First Nations is headed into a second round of voting to choose a new national chief, after the first ballot did not put any of the six candidates over the 60 per cent threshold to win.
Accused of improper partisan conduct, MPs expected to vote for probe into Speaker Fergus
Members of Parliament appear poised to pass a Conservative motion calling for an expedited probe into House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus' conduct after days of acrimony in Ottawa over what he says was unintentional participation in a partisan event.
Lawsuit accuses Sean Combs, 2 others of raping 17-year-old girl in 2003; Combs denies allegations
A woman sued the hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs on Wednesday, claiming he and two other men raped her 20 years ago in a New York City recording studio when she was 17.
Director behind bold and controversial TV comedies has died
Norman Lear, the writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime time television with 'All in the Family' and 'Maude,' propelling political and social turmoil into the once-insulated world of sitcoms, has died. He was 101.