Speculating On The Next AAV For Nathan MacKinnon (+)

Subscribers to this site know I’ve been hinting around about Nathan MacKinnon and his contract negotiations with the Avalanche on an extension. To set the table on the situation: MacKinnon has one year left on his contract, at a $6.3 million AAV. That might make him the biggest bargain in all of pro sports right now.

I wrote recently that the expectation is that MacKinnon will be the highest-paid player in the NHL when he puts pen to paper on his next deal, and I stand by that 1000% still. Some misinterpreted that, though, to mean MacKinnon will DEMAND that as part of his next deal. No.

It’s just the timing of the thing that MacKinnon almost certainly will be the guy with the highest AAV in the league by no later than next summer. Here’s why: