The Colorado Avalanche have signed restricted free agent forward Nathan MacKinnon to a seven-year, $44.1-million contract.
MacKinnon was third on the team in points this past season, totalling 21 goals and 31 assists in 72 games.
The 20-year-old was the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft and has since put up 153 points in 218 NHL contests. He won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2014.
“Signing Nathan to a long-term contract was a priority this offseason,” said Avalanche Executive Vice President/General Manager Joe Sakic in a press release. “He is going to be a key part of our team for many years to come and it was important to secure his rights moving forward.”
The new contract will make MacKinnon the highest paid player on the Avalanche roster. His $6.3-million cap hit is $300,000 more than Matt Duchene and Erik Johnson.
According to General Fanager, the Avalanche now have $7.7 million in cap space, with key RFAs Tyson Barrie and Mikhail Grigorenko left to sign.
July 8, 2016
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