The Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche are retaining winger Valeri Nichushkin with an eight-year extension. Nichushkin was one of the most valuable two-way wingers hitting unrestricted free agency this offseason. The Athletic’s Peter Baugh reports the contract is worth $49MM in total, or $6.125MM per season through 2029-30.
PuckPedia has the details of the massive extension for Nichushkin:
2022-23: $6MM base, full NMC
2023-24: $7.5MM base, full NMC
2024-25: $8MM base, full NMC
2025-26: $7.3MM base, 12-team NTC
2026-27: $4.8MM base, $1MM SB, 12-team NTC
2027-28: $4.8MM base, 12-team NTC
2028-29: $2.8MM base, $2MM SB, 12-team NTC
2029-30: $2.8MM base, $2MM SB, 12-team NTC
Nichushkin, 27, has spent the last three seasons in Colorado growing into one of the game’s most underrated commodities. Bought out by the Dallas Stars after a goalless 2018-19 season, the 2013 10th overall pick saw his defensive game get recognition with the Avalanche before finally exploding offensively in 2021-22. Nichushkin scored 25 goals and 27 assists for 52 points in 62 games this season, with all of those offensive numbers being career highs.
He’s received Selke Trophy votes each of the past three seasons, a true compliment to just how good he’s been on both sides of the puck since joining Colorado. He really just got a top-six role in earnest for the first time this season, though, averaging 19:02 per game. Nichushkin had never averaged above 15 minutes per night in his career. It’s one of the best career turnaround stories in the league, making the eight-year extension one of the feel-good stories of the offseason.
It’s a monster raise for Nichushkin, who was coming off a two-year deal with just a $2.5MM cap hit. If his 15 points in 20 playoff games is a sign that this level of production from him is sustainable over the next few years, he’ll be well worth the money — especially when considering his defensive prowess.
Next, Colorado and brand-new general manager Chris MacFarland will have to navigate what to do with Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky. While Burakovsky is expected to hit the open market on Wednesday, the certainty of Nichushkin’s cap hit now allows Colorado to try and grind out an extension with Kadri. CapFriendly has Colorado with just under $15MM in projected cap space after the Nichushkin extension.
LETS GO!!!!!
Sheeesh that’s a lot of term for one solid szn
If you are in your window now, and the Avalanche are certainly in their window, term doesn’t matter. If they are still a cup contender in years 6, 7, and 8 of this contract it will be one of the great dynasties of all time. All that matters is the cap hit.
that’s a lot of $ for one season
As a Stars fan, he deserves this. Happy for him
I see crazy season has started.
So much for being a bust
As a stars fan add this to the haunting of poor 1st round picks: Glennie, Campbell, Nuke, Honka, dickie.
Lucked into Miro – hoping the other young guys actually develop.
As a non-Stars fan I am truly impressed how they changed gears with their selections over the past years: Robertson, Oettinger, Harley, Johnston, Stankoven,… Still too early to tell but looking at those past drafts you’ll find it hard to find a non-lottery team that did better
Wow. Didn’t see an 8 year deal coming his way. Good for VN!
Wednesday is going to be very interesting.
As good as he is/was, that’s way too much, probably in terms of years and AAV. But that’s pretty much what you have to do with UFA’s now.
Wow a full NMC for the first three years then a 12 team after that. Seems like a bit much.
“The Choo Choo Train” is right on track. Good job Avalanche. Arguably, could have been Conn Smythe winner? Now, let’s see if we can bring Naz back! GO AVS!!!
For a middle player who doesn’t wow???? WOOF! And they’re in cap trouble too.
This front loaded contract will bite them in the ass in a few years.
I don’t see him getting bought out, so that won’t effect them at all.
The front load will save them if he drops off. A cap floor team will easily take him. Surprised more teams don’t intentionally load for couple year then trade to teams that don’t like to spend money
This ^.
Wow, def an overpayment for an above average player.
Valerie is a top line forward. Next year he’ll put up Nazem Kadri numbers. Kadri is going to be resigned as well, as will Lehkonnen. The Avalanche will sign MacKinnon to a long-term deal in the eight year 10 million range and still has a ton of depth at the minor league level they can add to the forward room for depth.
They still have Jean Luc-Foudy, Santa Ranta, and Oskar Olausson in the Minor Leagues. Those guys will be replacing our third and fourth line guys in a year or two.
Expect MacKinnon in the 8×11.5M range on his next deal, not 8x10M. he took one extremely team friendly deal, dont expect another. 11.5M is probably a small discount too considering he is likely still a top 3-5 player and guys like McDavid, Matthews, and a couple others will be touching that amount by then. COL needs to scrimp where they can, This deal is one they should have tried to got dont a little lower. Good on Nich, but probably a little more than he deserved in term and coin. Not a lot but a little.
Avs my team normally I think term is what gets teams in trouble avg might be a little higher then I would like but it makes it so much easier to offload contract later if needed. I would rate it B. Now keep Manson and got to get 2c
The front load will save them if he drops off. A cap floor team will easily take him. Surprised more teams don’t intentionally load for couple year then trade to teams that don’t like to spend money
This feels like a deal Colorado will end up regretting in 2-3 years. Maybe he finally turned a corner and will continue to play well, but I just get a feeling that either he’s going to underperform to what his cap hit suggests he should be producing like or his contract will be one Colorado will be looking to rid themselves of because of a cap crunch. While the real money owed will provide Colorado with some suitors if/when that becomes an issue, his 12-team NTC could also complicate that.
I’m going all caps
IMAGINE NOT SCORING A SINGLE GOAL (not a rookie either) AND THEN 4 SEASONS LATER GETTING AN 8 YEAR CONTRACT AT $6.12 SHMILL PER
Guys like Boeser, Kempe, even Forsberg must be like what the actual fuhk
I’m gonna give Sakic the benefit of doubt, his team just won the cup. That being said this was surprising!