Avalanche Lock Up Makar with Record $163.2 Million Extension
Cale Makar has agreed to an eight-year, $163.2 million contract extension with the Colorado Avalanche, carrying an average annual value of $20.4 million. That makes him the highest-paid player in NHL history by AAV, surpassing the $20 million threshold for the first time. The two-time Norris Trophy winner was entering the final year of his previous deal and would have become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Makar's extension arrives just weeks before a new collective bargaining agreement takes effect on Sept. 16, which will reduce the maximum contract length from eight years to seven. By signing now, Colorado secured an extra year of team control that will not be available to other franchises going forward. The deal runs through the 2034-35 season, when Makar will be 36.
The 27-year-old defenseman has been a consistent elite performer since being selected fourth overall in 2017. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy during Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup run and has been a Norris Trophy finalist in six straight seasons. Last year, he recorded 79 points in 75 games while helping the Avalanche claim the Presidents' Trophy.
This contract could reshape how NHL teams approach superstar negotiations, potentially driving up salary expectations for elite players across the league. Fans in Colorado may see long-term roster flexibility constrained, as the cap hit limits spending on supporting talent. For the broader hockey world, it signals that franchise-defining defensemen now command premium value comparable to top forwards, which may influence how other teams structure their own extension talks in coming years.