Nathan MacKinnon is in the final year of his entry-level contract and on pace to post a career-high 68 points, but his reps and the Colorado Avalanche reportedly haven't yet sat down to discuss a contract extension for the former first-overall pick.
"According to a source close to the Avalanche, contract talks haven't truly gotten underway, and they're likely to pick up, to some extent, later in the season," reads a report from The Fourth Period.
"Neither side is in a rush to get a deal done, as MacKinnon's restricted free agent status come July gives Colorado the advantage of knowing they aren't at a big risk of losing the rising star."
The Avs and GM Joe Sakic likely remain wary of the 20-year-old's development and conservative in their projection of his long-term NHL future. MacKinnon, despite his lofty draft status, suffered through a down year in 2014-15, finishing the season with 14 goals and 38 points. And while that's not really a "down year" by most accounts, MacKinnon is the kind of talent that Sakic and Avs head coach Patrick Roy are obviously expecting much more out of.
MacKinnon, during an amazing rookie season that coincided with a deep and unexpected playoff run for Colorado, potted 24 goals and gathered 63 points in a full 82-game slate in 2013-14. He followed that with a two-goal, eight-assist performance in seven playoff games that year.
But the Avs and MacKinnon stumbled and eventually fell hard last season. But this year, despite the team dealing with much of the same issues, MacKinnon has seemingly managed to reacquire the form that made him the first selection in the 2013 NHL Draft. He's got 10 goals and 29 points in 35 games.
Speculating on a possible deal at this point is difficult. Really, it all rests with what Sakic and Roy feel about MacKinnon's maturity and his ability to avoid another season like 2014-15.
In the end, MacKinnon will undoubtedly re-sign with the team, whether through arbitration or otherwise, it's simply a matter of whether the Avs trust him enough to offer him a commitment beyond a shorter-term bridge deal.
