Nathan MacKinnon appears to have every intention of making good on a freshly signed seven-year, $44.1-million contract extension with the Colorado Avalanche.

Coming off a season in which MacKinnon was sidelined with a knee injury and the Avalanche missed the playoffs for the second straight year, the 20-year-old aims to take his game - and the team - to the next level.

"I think everybody on the team has a chip on their shoulder that we can be a little better," MacKinnon said Friday, according to Terry Frei of the Denver News. "I think we're really going to challenge ourselves and me personally, I've never felt more motivated than I have these last couple of months.

"I feel like I have a lot to prove in this league and I definitely can take my game to a whole other level. ... I think 82 games, coming every night, being a true professional. I think after three seasons, my mind is clear. I've had some great moments, I've had some down moments, and it's just kind of balancing that out. It's a roller coaster ride."

And don't think the long-term, big-money deal will go to MacKinnon's head.

"It was very weird signing (the contract)," he said. "I hesitated before I sent it back. … Just thinking where I’m from and that kind of money. It’s just crazy to me, but I’m very lucky and I know I’m very fortunate."

Drafted first overall in 2013, MacKinnon won the 2014 Calder Trophy on the strength of a 24-goal, 63-point rookie season. Over three campaigns with the Avalanche, he's averaging 22 goals and 58 points for every 82 games played.

MacKinnon's late-season knee injury didn't require surgery, and he's resumed his regular offseason training. The young forward is scheduled to suit up for Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey in September.

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Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and the next wave of Toronto Maple Leafs hopefuls caught a break from this week's development camp to attend a Blue Jays game at Rogers Centre on Friday night.

And does it look like a blast or what?

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Mark Scheifele seized what he wanted most from restricted free agency: eight years.

The breakout star couldn't contain his excitement shortly after signing a $49-million maximum-term contract extension that will keep him with the Winnipeg Jets through the 2023-2024 season.

"I haven't stopped smiling since I found out," he said.

What he discovered Friday afternoon was that Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and his staff were willing to tender the maximum allowable term under the Collective Bargaining Agreement to the former seventh overall selection. His delight is born from the belief that the Jets are building toward something special.

"I believe in the organization. I believe in the players that are on the team. I believe in the future prospects of the team. It's an honor to be a part of it, that's what makes it exciting for me. That's what made it just an easy choice to sign for eight years in Winnipeg.

"I'm so honored, and so unbelievably happy."

It was the organization that made the sizable financial commitment, but it was Scheifele's investment in the happenings with the franchise that was most absorbing as he spoke in a conference call.

Scheifele, a self-proclaimed hockey nerd, admitted to streaming the Jets' inter-squad game, and gushed about the prospects he'll soon call teammates as well as the talented collection of players he shares a room with now.

"It does make you excited," he said, "and that's why I wanted to go long term."

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Without even an addition, the Central Division just got mightier.

The Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche - the two midwest clubs that failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs - locked up stars in succession late Friday afternoon with team-friendly agreements that will assist in closing the gap.

Here are some thoughts on both deals:

Scheifele agrees to 8-year, $49-milllion extension

In placing a max-term investment in their current and future No. 1 center, the Jets have managed to keep the price point low on a player already beginning to perform beyond what's expected from a $6-million-plus player.

Scheifele was one of the most dominant offensive forces in the latter portion of last season. He racked up more points than any player over the final six-plus weeks, and after Bryan Little's injury saw him promoted to the top line with Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers.

Reaching his potential in the final season of his entry-level term, Scheifele led the team with 29 goals. And while he placed a distant second to Wheeler in total points, he led Winnipeg in even-strength production rate, ranking among the league's very best.

There are 20 centers that take up a bigger slab of the pie next year, and many more to follow as Scheifele plays out his prime years in a Jets sweater. The deal should see Kevin Cheveldayoff recouping value throughout.

Avs lock up MacKinnon with 7-year, $44.1-million pact

Moments later, the Avalanche committed fewer total dollars and less term, but a greater portion of their annual payroll to Nathan MacKinnon, making the former No. 1 overall selection the team's highest-paid player annually.

MacKinnon's entry-level trajectory doesn't reveal the same building progress; his most productive season was his Calder Trophy-winning campaign. But throughout his first three seasons, he was the more impactful scorer at 0.7 points per contest.

It's a bit of a wonder why an eighth year wasn't thrown in, given MacKinnon's age and the already significant investment, but it will increase his chances of fetching a second lucrative long-term contract in his career. He'll hit the market at 27 in his retaining one additional unrestricted season.

MacKinnon has superstar potential, but situational and environmental factors have contributed to him having failed to drive his price into that elite tier. For that reason, it's a safe bet he'll be more than a $6.3-million contributor for a significant portion, if not his entire, seven-year deal.

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Phil Kessel's Stanley Cup triumph didn't come without sacrifice.

The Pittsburgh Penguins forward sustained a hand injury in the first round against the New York Rangers, and had surgery Friday after playing three more series, according to Sportsnet's John Shannon.

Though the severity is unknown, the alleged injury didn't hinder Kessel's performance by any means, as he recorded 22 points in 24 playoff contests.

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The St. Louis Blues have signed forward Landon Ferraro to a one-year, two-way contract, the team announced Friday.

Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Ferraro 24, split 68 games between the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings last season, scoring five goals and adding five assists.

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