A 55-16-11 record and 121 points led the Colorado Avalanche to a number one seed and the Presidents’ Trophy. Many NHL analysts and fans believed that the Avalanche were the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. However, a four-game sweep at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final ended those dreams.
Now, as the Avs look to rebound over the offseason, questions remain. Most notably, the contract status of franchise defenseman Cale Makar. Colorado president of hockey operations Joe Sakic gave a concrete response to team beat reporter Corey Masisak, who shared Sakic’s words on X, formerly Twitter.
“Cale (Makar) is going to finish his career here,” Sakic stated.
Makar is coming off another strong campaign. His 24:50 average TOI led the Avalanche, as he teamed up with fellow top linemate Devon Toews to give Colorado one of the best defensive tandems in the NHL once again. His 79 points, bolstered by his 59 assists, showcased Makar’s do-it-all ability.
The 27-year-old is in the prime of his career and is recognized as the best defenseman in the league by a good number of fans, analysts, and his fellow players.
Entering the final season of his current contract that pays him $9 million a season, Makar is set to approach the current NHL record for annual salary.
At the moment, Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov’s upcoming contract extension, which kicks in next season, pays him $17 million a season. Don’t be surprised if Makar passes that mark, especially with the cap set to rise once again.
Will Sakic elect to make Makar a record breaker? Or will both sides lock in a less lucrative deal? In any case, don’t be surprised to see Sakic’s declaration about Makar’s tenure with the franchise ring true.
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