Nathan MacKinnon Shows Salary Impact on Avalanche Cap Strategy
**Nathan MacKinnon** anchored the Avalanche’s salary‑cap picture on 12 Oct 2024 when his $12.6 million salary for the 2023‑24 season represented 15.1 % of the league’s $83.5 million ceiling. The figure sparked a deeper look at how his contract influences Colorado’s roster decisions and future cap planning.
In the 2023‑24 season the Avalanche operated under an $83.5 million cap. MacKinnon’s $12.6 million deal ate just over one‑seventh of that space, a proportion the team deemed sustainable. By contrast, a projected $18 million contract for defenseman Cale Makar in the 2027‑28 season would occupy 15.8 % of a projected $114 million cap, a difference of less than one percent.
The Avalanche’s front office uses those percentages to justify keeping both MacKinnon and Makar while adding depth. The analysis in the Mailbag argues that over‑valuing first‑round picks can skew trade expectations, especially when a star like Makar commands a premium. MacKinnon’s deal, already in its fifth year by 2027‑28, will likely be seen as a bargain relative to the cap growth, freeing space for supporting players.
Fans have asked whether the Avs would consider moving Makar, but the response highlighted that no realistic package of draft picks would match his value. MacKinnon’s salary, while sizable, is framed as a stable anchor that allows the club to absorb a high‑priced contract for its top defenseman without jeopardizing the overall cap health.
Projected cap increases to $114 million by 2027‑28 suggest that MacKinnon’s share of the budget will shrink even as his salary stays flat. That trend makes his contract appear increasingly favorable, especially when paired with a high‑priced Makar. The Avs can therefore plan for a deep lineup without sacrificing flexibility, a point underscored by the Mailbag’s emphasis on “new reality” salary management.
The discussion reflects a league‑wide shift toward paying superstars handsomely while expecting the cap to rise. Teams that resist this trend risk losing elite talent to rivals willing to meet market values. Colorado’s willingness to keep MacKinnon at $12.6 million while budgeting for Makar’s projected $18‑$20 million shows a strategic embrace of that new financial landscape.
As the 2024‑25 season unfolds, the Avs will monitor MacKinnon’s performance and health while negotiating extensions that align with cap projections. The team’s ability to field one of the deepest rosters in the salary‑cap era will hinge on balancing star contracts with role‑player deals, a balancing act that MacKinnon’s salary already helps define.