Nathan MacKinnon Signs Lucrative Contract With Colorado

The Colorado Avalanche announced they have signed Nathan MacKinnon to a new eight-year contract extension worth $100.8 million. MacKinnon’s new contract carries a salary cap hit of $12.6 million.

EIGHT MORE FOR NATE THE GREAT!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/BzQmrdIk6w

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— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 20, 2022

Nathan MacKinnon Highest Paid Player

Throughout the summer and heading into the start of training camps, there was talk of an extension for MacKinnon with the Avalanche. MacKinnon wanted to be the highest-paid player in the league. Connor McDavid‘s cap hit was $12.5 million and MacKinnon felt he wanted more. MacKinnon had just guided the Colorado Avalanche to their first Stanley Cup since 2001. Along the way, MacKinnon’s team beat McDavid’s team, so it made sense. Not to mention, over the course of the last five seasons, MacKinnon was nominated three times for the Hart Trophy as NHL’s most valuable player.

During the NHL/NHLPA media tour, MacKinnon stated that things were close to being done on a new contract. Even before the extension was signed, President Joe Sakic on Altitude radio said things were extremely close. And thus a few hours later a new deal was signed.

With the new contract out of the way, MacKinnon can focus on being the best player on the ice. MacKinnon has transformed into one of the league’s truly elite players. He is an unstoppable force offensively. Not only is he a playmaker who can pass and score goals, but he is also a monster with the ability to bulldoze the opposition.

Working out with Sidney Crosby in the off-season helps for sure. However, MacKinnon and the Avalanche truly took his words to heart from the previous season after coming up short in the second round against Vegas. MacKinnon frustrated, told the media he was going into his then ninth season and had won anything in the league.

Now MacKinnon is a Stanley Cup Champion and probably should have two Hart trophies to his name.

Salary Breakdown

So more than $49 million paid out in first 3 years of the deal

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) September 20, 2022

Of the $100 million he is set to get, MacKinnon will be paid $85.34 million in signing bonuses including $49 million in the first three years.

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Going Forward

The first overall pick of the 2013 NHL Draft is looking to add to his career numbers and be like Crosby by winning another Stanley Cup. MacKinnon in 638 games has recorded 648 points (242 goals and 406 assists). During the Avalanche’s run to the Stanley Cup, MacKinnon recorded 88 points in 65 regular season games. In the playoffs, MacKinnon was a beast recording 24 points including 13 goals as the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup.

MacKinnon is looking to play a full 82 games for the first time since the 2018-19 season. In that season, MacKinnon recorded 99 points. The following year he was on pace to break that record but COVID shut the season down.

With the core coming back and locked up for quite some time, there is no reason why the Avalanche cannot win another Stanley Cup or two in the coming seasons.