DENVER — Nathan MacKinnon is staying in Colorado.
The Colorado Avalanche announced Tuesday the club has signed the forward to an eight-year contract extension.
The new contract will make MacKinnon the highest-paid player, annually, in the National Hockey League (NHL).
TSN reported the eight-year extension is worth $100.8 million, one of the largest contract amounts in NHL history.
The Avalanche said the new contract extension will begin in 2023-24 and run through 2030-31. MacKinnon has one year left on his current deal signed on July 8, 2016.
MacKinnon, the first overall draft pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, was a finalist for the Hart Trophy in three of the last five seasons.
“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,” Avalanche General Manager Chris MacFarland said. “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.”
MacKinnon has 93 career playoff points including 24 points (13 goals and 11 assists) during Colorado's Stanley Cup Championship run last season.
Heading into what will be his 10th NHL season, MacKinnon has tallied 648 points (242 goals and 406 assists) in 638 career regular season games, ranking sixth on the franchise’s all-time scoring list.
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