The Colorado Avalanche had a few key decisions to make regarding a handful of impending free agents. After making the decision to move on from goaltender Darcy Kuemper, the Avs have managed to lock down one of their key free agents on a massive new deal. According to Pierre LeBrun, the Avalanche have signed Valeri Nichushkin to an eight-year deal
Hearing that the Cup champion Avalanche have agreed to an 8-year extension with Valeri Nichushkin. @TSNHockey @TheAthletic
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 11, 2022
Nichushkin and the Avs agreed to terms on a deal worth $49 million, meaning Nichushkin will be pocketing around $6.125 million per season. The deal makes Nichushkin the fourth-highest earning forward on the Avalanche, and the team's fifth overall highest-paid player.
It's 8 years, $49 million; AAV of $6.125 million per season https://t.co/BKMlhpyGob
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 11, 2022
The deal will keep Nichushkin in Colorado through the 2029-30 NHL season, which is the maximum allowable extension in the league.
It's unclear how this impacts a potential Nazem Kadri extension for the Avs, but newly-promoted GM Chris MacFarland and President of Hockey Operations Joe Sakic clearly made it a priority to get a Nichushkin deal done before Wednesday when free agency officially gets underway.
Nichushkin was a key cog in the Avs' Stanley Cup run this season. Across 62 games in the regular season, Nichushkin registered a career-high 52 points, including 25 goals. He featured in 20 games in the playoffs, registering 15 points during the Avalanche's road to the championship.
The 27-year-old figures to spend the bulk of the remainder of his career in Colorado after signing the long-term extension and will serve as yet another example of Sakic and Co. finding a diamond in the rough. Prior to joining the Avs, Nichushkin had failed to lock down a significant role with the Dallas Stars, but he's since become a crucial player in Colorado.
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