Nathan MacKinnon Signs Massive Extension

The Colorado Avalanche have officially signed Nathan MacKinnon to an eight-year, $100.8 million contract extension. Starting in 2023-24, the superstar center will carry a $12.6 million cap hit.

EIGHT MORE FOR NATE THE GREAT!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/BzQmrdIk6w
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 20, 2022

With this extension, MacKinnon will be the highest-paid player in the NHL, just passing Connor McDavid's $12.5 million AAV. The days of MacKinnon being severely underpaid will be over after this season, and boy, did he earn every cent of this raise.

Yet, MacKinnon's salary jumping up so significantly will impact the Avalanche's roster moves starting next season. Their immense depth is exactly why they won the Stanley Cup this past season, and it will inevitably take a bit of a hit once MacKinnon's cap hit jumps to $12.6 million. Yet, this move was a necessity to make, as there would have been no way for them to replace the 2013 first-overall pick.

Nevertheless, congrats to MacKinnon for landing this well-deserved raise!