*Photo from Front Office Sports*
One of the biggest stars in hockey today is now getting paid like it. The Colorado Avalanche and C Nathan MacKinnon have agreed to a 8 year, $100.08 million extension, according to Pierre Lebrun of TSN. The Avalanche have confirmed the deal.
Colorado GM Chris McFarland said of the extension that "Nathan is obviously one of the premier players in the NHL so a long-term extension was something we wanted to get done before the season started. He has that rare combination of speed and power with a high compete level that makes him a generational player. We are thrilled he will continue to be a member of this team and this community for many years to come."
The 2022-2023 season is the final season of a 7 year deal that MacKinnon signed, with a $6.3 million AAV and a full no movement clause. MacKinnon's deal kicks in next season, and when it does, he'll become the highest paid player in the NHL, surpassing Connor McDavid's $12.5 million AAV.
When MacKinnon's deal starts, he will have a full no movement clause all 8 years. It carries a $12.6 million AAV, and most of the annual salary will be paid in signing bonuses, with $85.34 million of the salary being paid by a signing bonus. His contract expires after the 2030-2031 season.
MacKinnon said of his new extension that "I just think the eight years is so big to stay on your team, and like I said it was more just about being here forever. I always admired players who are with one franchise. I think that's pretty special, and I'd like to obviously remain as well, my whole career. So, that's kind of where my headspace was at."
Last season, MacKinnon was a key cog of the Stanley Cup winning team. He ended the regular season with 32 goals and 56 assists, recording a +22 plus/minus rating over 21:04 of average ice time in 65 regular season games. He added 13 goals and 11 assists in 20 playoff games.
MacKinnon has spent 9 seasons in the NHL, all with the Avalanche. He has 242 goals and 406 assists, averaging 19:45 of ice time per game while posting a +83 plus/minus rating in 638 regular season games. MacKinnon has 41 goals and 52 assists in 70 career playoff games.
Since the 2017-2018 season, MacKinnon has 442 points in 338 games, ranking 3rd across the league. He was a finalist for the Hart Trophy in 2017-2018, 2019-2020, and the shortened 2021 season. He has averaged 1.33 points per game in the playoffs, ranking 3rd in league history among qualified players, trailing only Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky.
Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said that "Our core is such a key piece to our success and that's led by Nate. His contract has been coming for quite some time. He's earned it. We're really happy to have him back and happy for him to sign the big deal and be part of it for a long time to come."
The extension of MacKinnon makes him the latest Avalanche player signed to an extension, joining Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen, Andrew Cogliano, Josh Manson, and Darren Helm. The Avalanche also brought aboard Evan Rodrigues and Alexandar Georgiev.
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