The Avalanche’s “core” is easier than ever to identify. After Nathan MacKinnon and Tyson Barrie signed long-term contract extensions in the offseason, that group is the six under-30 players who will make $5 million or more this season:
- Center Matt Duchene, defenseman Erik Johnson and goaltender Semyon Varlamov, each at $6 million.
- Winger Gabe Landeskog, $5.5 million.
- Barrie and MacKinnon, $5 million.
That’s not to be confused with the players’ cap hits, or their average annual salary over the length of the contract. In that listing, MacKinnon’s $6.3 million leads the team.