The Colorado Avalanche locked up forward Nathan MacKinnon to an eight-year contract extension just before the start of the season.

The deal carries a $12.6 million cap hit, which will make him the league's highest-paid player. He's currently in the final season of a deal which carries a $6.3 million cap hit, with the new contract kicking in for the 2023-24 season.

MacKinnon has been with the Avalanche since he was drafted first overall by the team in 2013. Last season, he scored 32 goals and 88 points in 65 games, a pace of 40 goals and 111 points per 82 games.

Below, we take a look at how the contract breaks down for the Avalanche.

The Player

Nathan MacKinnon is undoubtedly one of the top talents in the world, as one of the league's most dynamic offensive forwards. Coming off his first Stanley Cup and surrounded with other high-end talent, he'll help the Avalanche to contend for the forseeable future.

His skating is elite, while his shot and playmaking abilities, along with his ability to control the puck, make him incredibly dangerous. Every time he enters the offensive zone, he has the tools to do just about anything and create offense in endless ways. He's also a hard worker capable of winning a lot of battles and is steady defensively.

Production-wise, MacKinnon should remain at the top of the league for a long time. In just 11 games so far this season, he's already registered a ridiculous 19 points. He's also managed a pace of 40 goals and 105 points per 82 games in four of his last five seasons coming into this year. Over the span of those five years, MacKinnon ranks third in the NHL in points, behind only Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

The Cap Hit

The Avalanche have already faced cap casualties, losing Andre Burakovsky, Nazem Kadri and Darcy Kuemper this offseason. With MacKinnon's cap hit doubling as of next year, Colorado will have to continue to navigate cap challenges.

However, although MacKinnon's cap hit will become the league's highest, it's actually lower than it could've been. When Connor McDavid signed his $100 million deal in 2017, the salary cap was lower and he was a restricted free agent. In MacKinnon's case though, he would've been an unrestricted free agent. Plus, coming off a Stanley Cup win was only going to help his case as well. Given Auston Matthews is due for a new contract in 2024 and could make significantly more, it's actually surprising to see MacKinnon's number come in so low.

If the deal had been announced at over $13 million per year, or maybe even $14 million per year, there would've been an argument that it was fair value. As the likes of Matthews and McDavid sign new deals over the next few years, you'll likely see Nathan MacKinnon's cap hit look like a steal for the Avalanche.

The Term

Obviously, there was no doubt MacKinnon would always get an eight-year deal. The only way that wouldn't be the case was if he ended up heading elsewhere as a free agent. MacKinnon easily warrants a maximum-term contract and Colorado was able to give him the eighth year.

He'll also be just 28 years old for the first season of his contract as well. As a result, there shouldn't be any fear of a decline for the bulk of the deal. He'll remain in his prime for many more years and as the cap will continue to rise as well. As a result, the deal should only continue to look better for Colorado.

The No-Move Clause

MacKinnon's deal does carry a no-movement clause for all eight years. Typically, giving out that trade protection causes can cause problems later on, as it ties the team to the player for the duration of the contract, unless the player agrees to waive it.

In MacKinnon's case though, this obviously isn't a concern. There's almost no circumstance where Colorado would look to move the forward through the duration of his contract. As Colorado looks to continue contending and MacKinnon remains elite, the no-move clause won't be an issue.

 

Despite the cap hit coming in as high as it did, it should bring good value for the Avalanche. MacKinnon is coming off his first Stanley Cup win and still in his prime. All signs point to him continuing to be one of the NHL's best forwards for a long time.

The reality is that MacKinnon probably could've gotten a larger deal if his goal was to make as much money as possible. The number would've almost surely came in a lot higher if he had hit free agency next year.

Locking up Nathan MacKinnon a year in advance, while also getting a good deal in the process is a win for Colorado. The relatively reasonable cap hit will only help the Avalanche to build around him in the coming years.

 

Grade: A-