The contract, worth $100.8 million in total, only runs through 2023-24. MacKinnon is entering the final season of a six-year, $44.1 million ($6.3 million AAV) contract signed in 2016 — which earned him a reputation as one of the NHL’s most underpaid players. His new average annual value of $12.6 million, which is exactly double his current contract, surpasses Connor McDavid’s AAV of $12.5. McDavid believes he has been surpassed as the highest-paid player, “good for hockey, I guess, to keep raising the bar.” “But ultimately the salary cap system is a weird system where the more money you make, the less money somebody else can make,” McDavid added. “It’s kind of a weird system that way. There’s always going to be give and take.” The contract breaks down as follows, according to CapFriendly: 2023-24: $15.725M signing bonus, $775K base salary 2024-25: $15.725M signing bonus, $775M base salary 2025-26: $15.25M signing bonus, $800,000 base salary 2026-27, $20 million base signing bonus. 28: $8.91M signing bonus, $990K base salary 2028-29: $8.91M signing bonus, $990K base salary 2029-30: $8.91M signing bonus, $990K base salary 2030 -31: $8.91M base signing bonus, $990K In total, $85.34 million on his contract will be paid as a signing bonus. The $100.8 million is the fourth-largest contract in NHL history, behind Alex Ovechkin’s $124 million, 13-year contract with Washington, Shea Weber’s $110 million, 14-year contract with Nashville and Sidney Crosby’s 104 .4 million dollar, 12-year contract with Pittsburgh. The collective bargaining agreement has since limited the contract length to eight years for a player re-signing with his own team and seven for free agents. The 27-year-old, drafted No. 1 by the Avalanche in 2013, has played his entire nine-year NHL career in Colorado so far. Last season, the Halifax native was a key player in the Avalanche’s run to the Stanley Cup – leading the team with 13 goals in the playoffs, adding 11 assists and contributing a key goal and assist in the championship-clinching Game 6 against Tampa. Gulf Lightning. “Denver is the only place I want to be, for sure,” MacKinnon said recently in Henderson, Nev., during a preseason player media tour. Since 2017-18, his fifth season in the league, MacKinnon has 167 goals and 275 assists (442 points) in 338 games. In the playoffs, McKinnon has 90 points in 73 career games. His list of honors includes: a Stanley Cup in 2022, a Calder Trophy in 2013-14 and a Lady Byng in 2019-20. Although MacKinnon has never won the Hart Trophy as league MVP, he has finished second twice (2017-18, 2019-20) and third once (2020-21) in the voting. “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 in a press release. “He has that rare combination of speed and power with a high level of play 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’s extension is just the latest Colorado job in a busy offseason. The club also extended forwards Valeri Nichushkin (eight years, $49 million) and Artturi Lehkonen (five years, $4.5 million) and defenseman Josh Manson (four years, $18 million). Mackinnon will become the Avalanche’s highest-paid player by a wide margin, eclipsing Mikko Rantanen’s $9.25 million AAV, which was previously the team’s highest total. Cale Makar, Colorado’s other superstar to win the 2022 Conn Smyth as playoff MVP, is signed to $9 million a season through 2026-27. The defending champions now have MacKinnon, Makar, Rantanen, captain Gabriel Landeskog, Nichushkin, Lehkonen, Josh Manson, Samuel Girard, Logan O’Connor and Alexandar Georgiev under contract for the next three seasons. With files from the Associated Press
