Colorado Avalanche Re-sign Nathan MacKinnon
The Colorado Avalanche signed Nathan MacKinnon to an eight-year, $100.8 million contract extension. The 27-year-old center becomes the NHL’s highest-paid player with an average annual value of $12.6 million.
MacKinnon’s new contract starts in 2023-24. He’s currently entering the final season of his seven-year, $44.1 million deal with an average annual value of $6.3 million.
CAP FRIENDLY: indicates $85.34 million of MacKinnon’s actual salary will be in signing bonuses.
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).
His actual salary will be $16.5 million in the first two seasons, $16.05 million in 2025-26, $12.15 million in 2026-27, followed by $9.9 million per season for the remaining four years.
The deal also comes with a full no-movement clause.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon hinted last week that he and the Avalanche were close to a new contract. The ensuing speculation that he would become the league’s highest-paid player came to pass.
It’s unsurprising that MacKinnon’s getting such a hefty raise. His current contract carried a team-friendly cap hit, over the course of which he became one of the NHL’s elite stars.
Since 2017-18, MacKinnon’s exceeded 90 points three times and reached 88 points in 65 games last season. He’s been a beast in the playoffs, netting 25 points in 15 games in the 2020 postseason and 24 points in 20 games during last spring’s run to the Stanley Cup.
MacKinnon’s new contract will take a big bite out of the Avalanche’s salary-cap payroll. They now have $69.5 million invested in 13 players for 2023-24 with the cap projected to rise by just $1 million to $83.5 million. For 2024-25, it’s $62.5 million invested in 10 players.
The Avs have their core talent locked up over that period. However, it could make it difficult to surround them with the quality depth necessary to remain a Stanley Cup contender.
Should be another interesting summer for the Avs next year!
It could be johnny z. With the cap showing $83,500,000 next year when this kicks in, Colorado jumps to near the top of the list with 53% of their cap going to 5 players – MacKinnon, Makar, Rantanen, Landeskog and Nichushkin.
Avs better hope that Georgiev can play as well as Kuemper did for them. otherwise expect a lot of 6-5 and 8-7 games, which doesn’t usually work well in the playoffs
Byram is the only big name needing an extension next year. And that could be a bridge if necessary.
Every big name is signed for at least 3 years
Yeah but what about the year after? I’m sure there’s 2 or 3 players who need new contracts? Might be tough.
They will have about $14M to sign 9-10 players. Byram and Newhook are the only RFA’s.
He was under paid last few years and in my opinion a bit over paid the next few. If cap goes up Colorado will be fine and a strong team for years. Personally I’d rather have Makar over Nate but having both is ok to. They would be almost unstoppable with and top notch goalie.
Nate dog!!!!!!!!!!
“We have guys that we wouldn’t (otherwise) be able to bring in,” MacKinnon said. “On my next deal, I’ll take less again. Because I want to win with this group.”
Well that didn’t age well.
How rich is Nathan? He just bought Cleveland…..as a tax Shelter. He’s not worth it
Nice contract Mac K
As I posted before, I expected he would sign for a bit less than he’s worth; and would be just more than the previous AAV top (McD[$12.5 M])
Note: but less (%’age of Team Cap) than McD got at the time of his signing.
Still Avs well below Leafs for top 4 Cap spending next year:
Avs: $37.8 M (45%)
Leafs: $41 M (49 %)— and Leafs signed those 3 years ago!!
With $12.6 M for Mac K… and two more years (for Austin Mathews) of likely top 3 (could be first) in Rocket Richard etc…. he (AM) is going to demand 8 * $16 M …. Note 8 * $16 M in T.O. has a take-home equal to 7 @ $13.2 M (cite Gavin Group) for Karakken or Knights or Starts or Predz or Bolts or Cats or Houston Yotes (LOL !!)— and he’d then have an extra year after those 7, to make even more
I still say unless Leafs get to the SCF by June of ’24… AM walks on 1/7/24
…. and unless they do a roster shake-up at the top end of their Cap hits… hard to see them getting to the ECF let alone a trip to the SCF
I am not a fan of this (and many other) contract. The price of poker just went up again….and so will ticket prices. I am at the limit already.