Photo: NHL.com

The Colorado Avalanche announced on Tuesday that the team has re-signed center Nathan MacKinnon to an eight-year contract extension that will carry a $12.6 million cap hit and begin in 2023-24, which will be the highest in the NHL. The 27-year-old could have become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

MacKinnon finished last season tied for eighth in the NHL with Toronto Maple Leafs right-wing Mitch Marner in points-per-game (1.35) as he tallied 88 (32 of which were goals) in just 65. He piled on 13 goals, which tied Edmonton Oilers right-wing Evander Kane for the league lead, and 24 points (tied for sixth with New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad) in 20 postseason games for the Stanley Cup Champions.

In 638 career regular-season games, MacKinnon has earned 242 goals and 648 points. In 70 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests, he has put up 41 goals and 93 points.

He has tallied a career-high in points-per-game over each of the past three seasons.

Oilers center Connor McDavid ($12.5 million cap hit for three more seasons) had the largest cap hit in the league before MacKinnon signed the contract.

By Harrison Brown