The marketplace for NHL players is shifting drastically with the rapidly rising salary cap. The league’s best are getting paid in record numbers as the economy thrives. The market will continue to change as many top players are still in line for massive extensions in the near future.
One of those players is Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche. Makar heads into the final season of his current bargain $9 million contract. However, Makar is eligible to extended as early as this summer if he and the team wishes to do so.
Makar Deal Will Break the Market
Makar is due for an major raise on his next deal based on his elite performance and the rising cap. Makar has made his mark as arguably the top defenseman in the game, having won two Norris trophies during his tenure. He amassed 20 goals and 59 assists for 79 points in 75 regular season games with Colorado this past season. The playoffs were a tougher animal for him; he recorded just four goals and one assist in 11 games as he dealt with injury.
As for what this new contract looks like, Makar will be able to demand quite a pretty penny. Insider Elliotte Friedman had this to say on the topic via the 32 Thoughts podcast: “He’s (Makar) gonna get whatever he wants.”
When it comes to projecting this contract, there are few comps to look at. When it comes to defenseman, the Chicago Blackhawks Bowen Byram will be the highest paid blueliner when his $12.5 million deal kicks in after next season. That will not be the case much longer as this Makar deal will blow that number out of the water.
There is a good chance that Makar will be the highest paid player in the league after he extends with Colorado. Kirill Kaprizov took that title last year after he signed a $17 million deal with the Minnesota Wild. That has since been passed as the current benchmark is Leo Carlsson after the Philadelphia Flyers signed the Anaheim Ducks forward to a $18 million offer sheet last week.
One has to think the Makar number will be higher than these markers that have been set. The max that Makar can receive in regards to the 20% percentage of his team’s cap is $20.8 million. Of course, this would create a tricky salary situation for Colorado to navigate.
Makar and Quinn Hughes Could be Waiting on Each Other
In terms of when the Makar contract breaks, this could be a process that takes some time. There is no rush for the Avalanche to get this done. Nor is there is sense of urgency from the Makar camp as they look at another top defenseman that is due for a new deal. That defenseman is Minnesota’s Quinn Hughes.
Like Makar, Hughes’ current deal expires in 2027. He has taken the fight to Makar as the best defenseman in the game. He too will make bank on his next contract. These two sides may been waiting on the other to make the first move. No party wants to be the first to show their hand as these contracts will be compared to each other. There is a chance neither side commits until next summer, but only time will tell.
Cale Makar Due For Massive Contract Extension With Colorado