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NHL Free Agency: Nathan MacKinnon signs seven-year deal with Colorado Avalanche

By Dave Stevenson

Nov 17, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) skates with the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs won 5-1. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 17, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) skates with the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs won 5-1. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Colorado Avalanche have announced that restricted free agent center Nathan MacKinnon has signed a seven year deal worth $6.3 million per season.

One of the biggest priorities of this offseason for the Colorado Avalanche was to get their restricted free agents Nathan MacKinnon and Tyson Barrie signed to long-term deals. The team has announced that they have signed MacKinnon to a seven-year deal worth $44.1 million.

“Signing Nathan to a long-term contract was a priority this offseason,” said Avalanche executive vice president/general manager Joe Sakic, via NHL.com. “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.”

That is a very nice price for MacKinnon, who has emerged as one of the league’s top talents at center. The 20 year old center will be under team control until he is 28 years old, when he will hit the free agent market. It is likely that the deal includes some form of a no trade clause or no movement clause, especially with the expansion draft happening next season.

In 218 career games, MacKinnon has 59 goals and 94 assists for 153 points. He has added two goals and eight assists for 10 points in seven career playoff games. MacKinnon has been a positive possession player over the past two seasons.

It will be interesting to see what happens next with Barrie. He’s next in line for a raise and it might not be happening in Colorado.

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