The Colorado Avalanche expect Cale Makar to have a new contract in place before the season begins, with team president of hockey operations Joe Sakic describing talks as ongoing and productive.
Cale Makar’s Contract Status and Performance
Makar is entering the final year of the six-year, $54 million deal he signed on July 24, 2021, with an average annual value of $9 million. He can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026-27 season. Notably, he is eligible to sign a contract of up to eight years until September 15; after that date, the new collective bargaining agreement limits maximum terms to seven years.
Colorado opens the season against the Los Angeles Kings on September 30 at Ball Arena. Makar finished last season with an impressive 79 points (20 goals, 59 assists) in 75 games, ranking third among NHL defensemen in scoring. His stellar performance led him to place second in voting for the Norris Trophy behind Zach Werenski. Makar has won the Norris Trophy twice (2022, 2025) and is one of only two players, along with Bobby Orr, to be a finalist at least six times within his first seven seasons. Additionally, he has scored 20 or more goals in three consecutive seasons, making him the first defenseman to achieve this since Phil Housley and Al MacInnis in the early 1990s.
Selected fourth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, the 27-year-old Makar is the franchise’s all-time leader among Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques defensemen in goals (136), assists (371), and points (507) across 470 games. He played a pivotal role in helping Colorado win the Stanley Cup in 2022 and earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after posting 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 20 games.
The Avalanche anticipate a fully healthy roster for the start of training camp next month, which includes Makar. He sustained an upper-body injury against the Minnesota Wild in Game 5 of the second round and missed the first two games of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights. Makar returned for Games 3 and 4 in a series that Colorado ultimately lost in four.
Sakic mentioned that there is no update yet on a new contract for coach Jared Bednar, who is also entering the final year of his deal. Bednar has an impressive record of 445-262-75 across 10 seasons, leading the Avalanche to the playoffs nine times and guiding the team to the 2022 Stanley Cup championship. The club is not concerned if negotiations for Bednar extend into the season, emphasizing their focus on Makar’s contract at this time.