Nathan MacKinnon is Now the Highest Paid Player in the NHL
The contract saga with Nathan MacKinnon is now over as the Colorado Avalanche announced the organization has re-signed its star center to an eight-year extension that will see him stay in Denver through the 2030-31 season.
Since winning the Stanley Cup in June, all eyes have been on the contract situation of MacKinnon and we now know that he will be getting $12.6 million per year per a report from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman.
That means over eight years, MacKinnon will earn $100.8 million from the Avalanche, making him the highest player in the league just edging out Connor McDavid by $100,000 per year. This adds another point to the debate about who is the better player between MacKinnon and McDavid.
The 27-year-old, who has been the face of the Avalanche and helped them finally win the franchise’s third Stanley Cup, deserves the contract.
MacKinnon was going into the final year of his team-friendly $6.3 million AAV (Annual Average Value) and was looking to re-sign with the Avalanche following a successful season. Last season, MacKinnon finished with 32 goals and 88 points despite missing 17 games.
There was hope amongst Avalanche fans that he would do what Sidney Crosby had done when he took a 12-year $8.7 million AAV extension and take another team-friendly contract, but that is not the case. However, with the extension, the Avalanche now have him along with Gabriel Landeskog, Cale Makar, and Valeri Nichushkin locked up through at least 2026.
Keeping the core together is key for any team looking to build a dynasty and repeat as Stanley Cup Champions and the Avalanche have taken a huge step by retaining MacKinnon. The team is still very young and by having their two best players in MacKinnon and Makar signed for a while, the Avalanche will be a powerhouse in the NHL for at least the next few years.
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