Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic announced Friday that defenseman Cale Makar has agreed to an eight‑year extension worth $163.2 million, the richest contract in NHL history. The deal, confirmed by Makar’s agency Bartlett Hockey, carries an annual average value of $20.4 million beginning in the 2027‑28 season.
Local impact
For Denver fans, the news is a reaffirmation of the team’s commitment to keep its core intact. “I couldn’t be more excited to continue my journey here with the Avalanche in this amazing city of Denver,” Makar said in a video posted by the team. The extension ensures that the Avalanche will retain one of the league’s premier defensemen for the next decade, bolstering their chances to compete for future Stanley Cups.
Career highlights
The 27‑year‑old defenseman finished the 2025‑26 season with 20 goals and 59 assists, ranking second in Norris Trophy voting behind Zach Werenski. Makar has already earned the Norris Trophy twice and captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP during Colorado’s 2022 championship run.
Contract context
Makar’s new deal eclipses the previous record set by Minnesota forward Kirill Kaprizov’s eight‑year, $136 million extension. It also surpasses the $94 million, five‑year contract signed by San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini, which carried an $18.8 million AAV.
Team strategy
Sakic, who has made retaining Makar a top priority, said the defenseman is expected to finish his career in Colorado. The extension follows a busy offseason that also saw the Avalanche trade forward Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets to free up cap space. Makar was drafted fourth overall in 2017 after playing at the University of Massachusetts.
Family milestone
Makar’s younger brother, Taylor, recently signed a two‑year contract with the Avalanche, making the brothers the first siblings to appear in the same game for the club since the Stastny brothers played for the Quebec Nordiques.
Looking ahead
With the contract in place, the Avalanche can focus on building around their core of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Makar. The team aims to return to the Stanley Cup Final after a recent Western Conference loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, where Makar missed the first two games due to an upper‑body injury but returned for the series finale.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
