The Colorado Avalanche spent last summer figuring out how to get back on top after the Vegas Golden Knights swept them in the second round. It was a humbling exit for a team that won the Presidents’ Trophy and looked like a machine through the first two rounds. Now general manager Joe Sakic has a different kind of problem. He has to pay Cale Makar, and the price tag is going to be eye-popping.
Makar is eligible to sign a new contract starting July 1. His current deal, a six-year extension worth $54 million with a $9 million cap hit, was already a bargain the moment he signed it. The guy won the Norris Trophy, the Conn Smythe, and a Stanley Cup. He has produced like a top-five player in the league from the blue line, which is borderline absurd for a defenseman. The question was never if he’d get paid. It was how much.
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic threw out a number that makes you blink. LeBrun said the sweet spot for Makar’s next annual average value could land somewhere between $17 million and $18 million. That’s not $20 million, but it’s still a number that would dwarf just about every contract in NHL history. For context, Connor McDavid’s $12.5 million cap hit currently tops the league. Nathan MacKinnon’s recent extension kicks in at $12.6 million. Makar at $17 million would reset the entire salary structure.
Here’s the part that makes it plausible: the salary cap is projected to keep rising. The NHL’s cap could climb into the $90 million range within a few years, maybe higher. A $17 or $18 million AAV in 2028 might look like what $9 million looks like today. And Makar is 26 years old. He’ll be in his prime for the bulk of whatever contract he signs. The Avalanche already have MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen on big deals, but you don’t let a generational defenseman walk because your budget is tight. You find a way.
Sakic has a track record of getting players to take a bit less than market value. MacKinnon’s current contract proved that. But Makar’s situation is different. He has already taken one team-friendly deal. He watched teammates get swept by Vegas. He saw the cap go up and up. His agents know the leverage. And if the Avalanche want to keep their window open, they probably have to pay something close to that $17.5 million midpoint LeBrun mentioned.
The deal can be signed July 1. Don’t be shocked if it happens fast. Free agency opens and Makar’s name shows up on the wire the same day. The league is watching. The other 31 teams are curious how far Colorado will go. But honestly, if you’re Sakic, you hand him the check and figure out the rest later.
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