Nathan MacKinnon signs eight-year extension with Colorado Avalanche

Stanley Cup champion Nathan MacKinnon is in it for the long haul with the Colorado Avalanche.

The team announced Tuesday that the 27-year-old star forward has signed an eight-year contract extension, with an AAV of $12.6 million. The deal makes MacKinnon the highest-paid player in the NHL.

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

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 20, 2022

Worth $100.8 million in its entirety, $85.34 million of the new contract will be paid in signing bonuses. It includes a full no-movement clause that becomes effective immediately, replacing MacKinnon’s previous modified no-trade clause.

“Nathan is obviously one of the premier players in the NHL, so a long-term extension was something we wanted to get done before the season started,” said Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland in the team’s press release. “He has that rare combination of speed and power with a high compete level that makes him a generational player. We are thrilled he will continue to be a member of this team and this community for many years to come.”

First drafted by the Avalanche in 2013 as the first overall pick, MacKinnon has spent his entire career to date with the organization and was named an alternate captain in 2016.

Across nine seasons, MacKinnon has amassed 648 points (242 goals, 406 assists) in 638 games. He currently sits sixth in the franchise’s all-time scoring list. Known for his exceptional performances when it comes to playoff time, the Halifax native has also collected 93 points (41 goals, 52 assists) in 70 career postseason appearances. The Avalanche have qualified for the playoffs in six of the nine seasons MacKinnon has spent with the team.

The 2021-22 regular season saw MacKinnon earn 32 goals and 56 assists for 88 points, marking his fourth career season scoring 30 goals or more. In the postseason, he collected another 13 goals and 11 assists.

Winning the 2022 Stanley Cup, the team’s third championship in franchise history, MacKinnon has earned himself a significant pay raise. The new deal will kick in following the 2022-23 season, with MacKinnon currently signed to a seven-year contract with an AAV of $6.3 million.

The Calder Memorial Trophy winner in 2014, named to the 2013-14 NHL All-Rookie Team, a five-time NHL All-Star, the 2020 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy recipient, and a Stanley Cup champion, MacKinnon has no doubt set himself as one of the best in the league — and now has the big-time contract to prove it.