Paul Bissonnette never shies away from giving honest takes on hockey. The former Pittsburgh Penguins forward is now one of the loudest voices in the game, serving as a co-host for the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast and bringing his signature energy to an insider role on the NHL on TNT.
On a recent episode of his podcast, the ex-Penguins winger named what he believes is one of the top contracts ever signed in NHL history. While it was not Connor McDavid’s massive extension from several years ago, it still belongs to one of the best players in the game today.
Why Did Paul Bissonnette Call Nathan MacKinnon’s Contract a Game-Changer?
During a recent “Spittin’ Chiclets” episode, Bissonnette argued that the contract signed by Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon is “one of the greatest” of the last 10 years in the NHL.
“I think one of the greatest contracts ever signed for a team was Nathan MacKinnon out of his entry-level deal,” Bissonnette said. “He signed that deal where I want to say he had 50-60 points, and I think he was making $6.2 million, or making $5.9 million. And he was Nathan MacKinnon. So that was one of the greatest ones I can remember over the last 10 years.”
Following the conclusion of his three-year, entry-level contract, the Avalanche signed MacKinnon to a seven-year, $44.1 million contract, a salary cap hit of $6.3 million. That contract ultimately proved to be one of the most team-friendly deals for a superstar player in modern NHL history.
While MacKinnon’s production in the first year of his contract was not spectacular, with just 16 goals and 37 assists, his offensive output soon began to skyrocket. The following season, he registered 39 goals with 58 assists, followed by a season with 41 goals and 58 assists.
Since the 2021-22 campaign, MacKinnon has amassed point totals of 88, 111, 140, and 116. During this time, he also reached a new career-high in assists with an astounding 89 in the 2023-24 season.
For his accomplishments during the 2023-24 NHL season, MacKinnon was named the winner of the Hart Trophy, which is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player during regular-season play.
Additionally, in 2022, MacKinnon played an integral role in bringing the Stanley Cup to Colorado for the first time since the days of Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Patrick Roy, Adam Foote, and Ray Bourque in 2001. During those 2022 playoffs, MacKinnon scored 13 goals and added 11 assists.
Understandably, MacKinnon’s next contract was far more lucrative. He inked an eight-year, $100.8 million contract extension, which, at the time, carried the largest salary cap hit in NHL history at $12.6 million.
