Cale Makar Signs Record-Setting Eight-Year Extension with Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche and defenseman Cale Makar have agreed to an eight-year contract extension worth $163.2 million. The deal carries an average annual value (AAV) of $20.4 million, making Makar the first NHL player whose AAV exceeds $20 million and the highest-paid player in league history. The extension begins in the 2027-28 season and runs through 2034-35.

Sports Illustrated

Makar was selected fourth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft and debuted in the 2019 playoffs. He has earned the Calder Trophy, two Norris Trophies, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as 2022 playoff MVP, and helped Colorado capture the Stanley Cup in 2022. Prior to the new deal, he was under a six-year, $54 million contract signed on July 24, 2021.

Heavy

• April 15, 2019 – NHL debut; scored first goal on first shot.

Avalanche Signs Makar To Eight-Year Extension

• March 28 – Recorded 500th NHL point in his 467th game.

Avalanche Signs Makar To Eight-Year Extension

• July 24, 2021 – Signed six-year, $54 million extension.

Cap Comparables: Why Cale Makar became the NHL's first $20-million player

• April 3, 2025 – Scored 30th goal of the season, first defenseman to reach 30 goals since 2008-09.

Avalanche Signs Makar To Eight-Year Extension

• June 6 – Tied franchise playoff record with five points in a single game.

Avalanche Signs Makar To Eight-Year Extension

• August 27, 2026 – Reports confirmed the Avalanche and Makar were “closing in” on terms.

Boston Globe

• August 28, 2026 – Official announcement of the eight-year, $163.2 million extension.

Cale Makar becomes NHL’s highest-paid player after signing 8-year contract extension with Avalanche worth $20.4 million per season

• Career totals (regular season): 507 points (136 goals, 371 assists) in 470 games – a 1.08 points-per-game rate, fourth-highest among defensemen historically.

Avalanche Signs Makar To Eight-Year Extension

• 2025-26 season: 20 goals, 59 assists for 79 points in 75 games; second in Norris voting.

Avalanche Signs Makar To Eight-Year Extension

• Playoff record: 90 points (26 goals, 64 assists) in 90 games, franchise-best for a defenseman.

Avalanche Signs Makar To Eight-Year Extension

• Cap impact: The Avalanche project the league salary cap to be $113.5 million in 2027-28; Makar’s AAV represents roughly 18 % of that ceiling.

Cap Comparables: Why Cale Makar became the NHL's first $20-million player

Avalanche president of hockey operations and general manager Joe Sakic said the organization had “been confident” that Makar would remain in Colorado and described the player as “a generational defenseman.” Makar’s own statement expressed excitement to continue representing the Avalanche and gratitude to the Kroenke family, the organization, and his family.

Newsweek

• “Today is an exciting day for the Avalanche organization and our wonderful fans,” — Joe Sakic, per the team's press release

Newsweek

• “Cale is a generational defenseman and his accomplishments speak for themselves,” — Joe Sakic

UsNews and World Report

The contract sets a new financial ceiling for NHL defensemen and forces other clubs to reassess market values for elite blueliners. By allocating roughly one-fifth of its projected cap to Makar, Colorado retains its top-pair defense while still committing long-term deals to core forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas. The timing is critical: the current collective bargaining agreement allows eight-year extensions only through a mid-2026 deadline; signing before that deadline lets Colorado lock Makar in for the maximum term. The deal also provides roster stability, allowing the Avalanche to plan around a known cap hit while addressing other pending free agents.

Cale Makar signs NHL record-breaking $163.2M deal with the Colorado Avalanche deal