MacKinnon will have an average annual value of $12.6 million on the deal, which will begin the 2023-24 NHL season. The total value of the contract is $100.8 million, which TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports includes $85.34 million in signing bonus money. The 27-year-old will surpass Connor McDavid, who currently has the league’s highest cap hit at $12.5 million.
Nathan MacKinnon Contract Structure: 23-24: $15.725M signing bonus, $775k salary 24-25: $15.725M SB, $775M salary 25-26: $15.25M SB, $800K salary 26-27: $3M SB, $9.15M salary – 31: $8.91M SB, $990K salary each year AAV $12.6M — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) September 20, 2022 “Nathan is obviously one of the top players in the NHL, so a long-term extension was something we wanted to do before the season started,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said. “He has that rare combination of speed and power with a high level of competition that makes him a generational player. We are excited that he will continue to be a part of this team and this community for many years to come.” MacKinnon, who is entering the final season of a seven-year, $44.1 million contract with an average annual value of $6.3 million, said last week that he was ready to surpass the title of the NHL’s lowest-paid star. “I think the deal I’m going to sign is going to be fair,” MacKinnon said on the NHL Player Media Tour. “It’s not going to be single digits or anything, but it’s going to be good for both sides and Denver is the only place I want to be. I would like to be Av for life.” MacKinnon is fresh off leading the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup in June, tallying 13 goals and 24 points in the postseason. He had 32 goals and 88 points in 65 games during the regular season, topping the points-per-game mark for the fifth consecutive year under his contract. “It’s not what you want, that’s for sure — it’s not the title you’re looking for,” MacKinnon joked about the lowest-paid company. However, I am happy to have won a Cup.
BUT EIGHT FOR NATE THE GREAT! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/BzQmrdIk6w — Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 20, 2022
MacKinnon Joins the $10M+ Club
The Cole Harbour, NS product has become the 14th player to earn $10 million or more in the 2023-24 season. The same number of players will hit over $10 million this season, but Chicago Blackhawks stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are both playing out the last of their eight-year, $10.5 million AAV contracts. which they signed in 2014. Calgary Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau has already been added to the roster for 2023-24 after signing an eight-year, $84 million ($10.5 million AAV) extension he agreed to last month shortly after being acquired by the Florida Panthers.
- Nathan MacKinnon COL $12.6 million
- Connor McDavid EDM $12.5M
- Artemis Panarin 11.64 million NYR
- Austin Matthews TOR $11.64 million
- Erik Karlsson SJS $11.5 million
- John Tavares TOR $11 million
- Drew Doughty LAK $11 million
- Mitchell Marner TOR $10.9 million
- Jonathan Humberto CGY $10.5M
- Carey Price MTL $10.5 million
- Alexander Barkov FLA $10 million
- Sergey Bobrovsky FLA $10 million
- Anze Kopitar LAK $10 million
- Jack Eichel VGK $10 million MacKinnon also became the highest-paid player on the Avalanche, surpassing fellow player Mikko Rantanen ($9.25 million AAV) and defenseman Cale Makar ($9 million).
