MacKinnon is one of the best players in the NHL and is considered by many as the second best forward behind Connor McDavid. You most likely wont see any list of top players in the game that has MacKinnon outside the top 5, and after winning the Stanley Cup, he wants to be paid as a top 5 player as well.
While he has not yet hit 100 points in a season during his career, he has been on pace for it many times, and most likely would have surpassed it if not for injury.
Over the last 6 seasons Mackinnon has been on one of the most team friendly deals a team could ask for. A player that consistently flirts with 100 points was only making $6,300,000 per season. While when he signed this deal he was only a 50 point player, he quickly showed what he was capable of and made this one of the best team deals in league history. He has been consistently applauded for taking such a team friendly discount and for the last few years he claimed that he would take another team friendly deal to remain in Colorado and keep the team together and competitive.
The player who is currently with the highest AAV (and rightfully so) is Connor McDavid with an AAV of $12,500,000.
According to Puck Empire, Nathan MacKinnon is expected to have an extension signed soon and it will be in the double digit millions.
His agent Pat Brisson was asked if he would become the highest paid player, which he responded with:
POLL | ||
Will Mackinnon make more than McDavid? | ||
yes | 49 | 56.3 % |
no | 38 | 43.7 % |
List of polls |