The Colorado Avalanche finally got the biggest piece of business out of the way.
Cale Makar is staying in Colorado.
That alone is enormous news for the Avalanche. The organization now knows that one of the best defensemen in the world will remain the centerpiece of its blue line for years to come. More importantly, Colorado can stop worrying about what might happen with Makar and start thinking about what comes next.
And the next logical target should be goaltending.
With Connor Hellebuyck trade rumors picking up again, the Avalanche have an opportunity to address the one position that could keep this team from being truly dominant.
There is also a very specific reason why Colorado should consider making the move now.
Makar is entering the final season of his current contract, carrying a $9 million cap hit before his enormous new extension kicks in. That gives the Avalanche one final opportunity to operate with some additional financial flexibility before his new deal dramatically changes the salary structure.
If Colorado can somehow turn that flexibility into Hellebuyck, it could create an almost ironclad case for the Stanley Cup.
Avalanche Can’t Afford to Wait Any Longer
The Avalanche have reached the point where waiting for the perfect moment doesn’t make much sense.
Colorado’s competitive window isn’t necessarily closing tomorrow, but there are enough warning signs to suggest the organization shouldn’t assume it will remain wide open indefinitely.
Nathan MacKinnon is still one of the best players in the NHL. Makar is entering his prime. That combination alone gives the Avalanche a foundation most teams would love to have.
But championship windows are rarely as long as they appear.
Players age. Contracts become more expensive. Supporting players leave. Injuries happen. Eventually, the roster that looked capable of competing every season starts requiring difficult decisions.
That’s why Colorado should be thinking aggressively right now.
The Avalanche don’t need to preserve every asset for some hypothetical future. They need to maximize the years in which MacKinnon and Makar are capable of driving a championship-caliber team.
That’s where Hellebuyck becomes so intriguing.
If the Avalanche believe they can acquire an elite goaltender without destroying the roster around him, this is exactly the type of opportunity they should pursue.
The financial timing makes it even more compelling.
Makar’s $9 million cap hit gives Colorado some breathing room for one more season. Once his new contract takes effect, finding room for another superstar becomes significantly more difficult.
In other words, the clock is ticking.
If the Avalanche are going to make a huge move, now may be the time.
Makar and MacKinnon Give Colorado a Long-Term Foundation
The other side of the argument is that Colorado doesn’t have to treat this as an all-or-nothing season.
That’s because the Avalanche now have their two most important pieces locked up.
MacKinnon remains the franchise’s offensive centerpiece, while Makar will be around for the long haul on defense. That gives Colorado something incredibly valuable: certainty.
The Avalanche know exactly who they’re building around.
And that makes the goaltending position stand out even more.
Colorado doesn’t need to find another superstar at every position. It needs to identify the one area that could prevent an otherwise elite roster from winning another Stanley Cup.
Goaltending is that area.
If Hellebuyck is actually available, the Avalanche should at least be exploring what it would take to bring him to Denver.
An elite goaltender behind MacKinnon and Makar would change the equation entirely.
Suddenly, Colorado wouldn’t just have elite talent at the two most important skater positions. It would potentially have one of the league’s best netminders behind them, too.
That is a terrifying proposition for the rest of the NHL.
Of course, getting Hellebuyck would require significant cap gymnastics and probably a painful trade package. Colorado would have to determine how much it is willing to sacrifice to make the move happen.
But that’s precisely the point.
The Avalanche have spent years building toward this.
The Avs have their franchise center. They have their franchise defenseman. They have another opportunity to strengthen the position that could ultimately decide whether all that talent produces another championship.
There will always be a reason to wait.
There will always be another prospect, another draft pick or another season to think about.
But Colorado doesn’t need to wonder what the future looks like anymore.
Makar and MacKinnon are the future.
Now the Avalanche need to make the present as dangerous as possible.
Avalanche Next Target After Cale Makar Contract Extension