Cale Makar signs 8-year, $163.2M deal, becomes NHL's highest-paid player

sportsAug 28, 202629461

Cale Makar signed an eight-year extension with the Colorado Avalanche worth $163.2 million total, carrying an average annual value of $20.4 million and making him the highest-paid player in NHL history. The 27-year-old defenseman arrives at the deal already a two-time Norris Trophy winner who has also won the Conn Smythe, the Calder Trophy and a Stanley Cup, and he has been a Norris finalist six straight years. The New York Times and other outlets note Makar could have signed for $20.8 million per season and that the contract represents a dramatic leap above the previous top-paid defenseman, Erik Karlsson, whose last cap hit was $8.9 million lower. Reporters point to rising star pay and a growing salary-cap ceiling, projected by some analyses to reach about $160 million by 2031-32, as context that helps explain the unprecedented AAV. Avalanche coverage says Makar earlier told the team he wanted “nine years” in a team video, and the signed extension runs through the 2034-35 season. The deal reshapes the elite-pay market at the top of the NHL and sets a new benchmark for future superstar contracts.

Colorado Avalanche

@avalanche.bsky.social

COMMITTED TO CALE ✍️ We have signed defenseman Cale Makar to an eight-year contract extension through the 2034-35 season. 📰: avs.social/CaleMakarExt...

9445d ago

Quoting this

The Annotated Fan7

Makar extension is 8 years and comes in at 20.4 M AAV Some will be stressed over this but ultimately it’s paying the best hockey player in the world like he’s the best in the world. #GoAvsGo

cecilia2

glad they got it done but I really hope the avs win the cup in this window lol

The Athletic

@theathletic.com

The Colorado Avalanche have signed star defenseman Cale Makar to an eight-year, $163.2 million contract extension. The deal is the largest in NHL history, as is the $20.4 million average annual value. nyti.ms/4iy5Pn9

6145d ago

Quoting this

Annie Desrochers3

Ayoye. J’ai bien noté que tu n’avais de hockey au menu demain matin @oliparle.bsky.social mais il va falloir m’expliquer ceci 🤨

Loudness war hater2

Seeing these kind of numbers in an NHL contract is absolutely surreal

Elliotte Friedman (Bot)

@notfriedgehnic.bsky.social

About to go off-line for a bit, but the much-anticipated extension for Cale Makar and Colorado is closing in Going to be a biggie…but a critical piece of business for the Avalanche

3246d ago

Quoting this

Evan Rawal15

Sounds like both parties agreed to terms late last night. Sakic wasn’t kidding when he said he wasn’t worried.

Ian St. Clair3

This is fantastic news for Cale and the Avs! 🥬🙌

Micah McCurdy

@hockeyviz.com

Cale Makar (8x20.4m extension with Colorado) is a strong #1 defender, more noticeable for converting offence into goals than for creating in the first place. Helps his team's penalty differential. Just the tiniest smidgen weaker than the contract, for mine, even with the higher caps coming.

2845d ago

TSN

@tsnofficial.bsky.social

Cale Makar becomes the NHL’s new highest-paid player after signing an 8-year contract extension with the Colorado Avalanche, carrying an AAV of $20.4M!

2745d ago

Quoting this

Brian Wilde32

This is the new reality, Folks. Another example of how well positioned the Canadiens are in their salary cap structure for many years to come.

Mark Armstrong13

Holy crap. The Canes’ current contracts are like precious little porcelain dolls now

Jackbrat3

Every time I see one of these blockbuster contracts it makes me appreciate Kent Hughes even more...along with the young Canadiens who are willing to sacrifice millions to help their club win the Cup #GoHabsGo 💙🤍❤️

Uncle Space Ghost3

Happy for Makar, but surely we've learned from the Leafs and Oilers during the last decade that consolidating so much of your cap around a small group within a 23-man roster leads to perpetual disappointment, no matter how extremely talented that small group is.

|| Mandy || 🇨🇦 ||3

Evan Bouchard at 10.5m looks so good these days.

summer enthusiast2

I guess I am not the most well-compensated person to come out of UMass, then

PrimeBane🇨🇦2

This is nuts Happy for the player, but this is nuts

Andrew Berkshire

@berkshire.bsky.social

The Cale Makar cap hit has Lane Hutson's contract set to be the best value deal in NHL history.

2845d ago

Simon Holmes 🇨🇦1

So many on this team will crack the list.

Mark Lazerus

@marklazerus.bsky.social

Pretty wild that Cale Makar is making *checks notes* Brandon Nimmo money.

2145d ago

Evan Rawal

@evanrawal.bsky.social

It all came together on Wednesday night, and now Cale Makar has signed the largest contract in NHL history. 8 more years for #8. www.denvergazette.com/2026/08/28/a...

1745d ago

Ryan Boulding ❌👑

@rboulding.bsky.social

Cale Makar is going to make all the money when his contract kicks in next year and runs through 2034-35. He’s going to need it with twins on the way.

“Today is an exciting day for the Avalanche organization and our wonderful fans,” said Avalanche President of Hockey Operations/General Manager Joe Sakic. “Cale is a generational defenseman and his accomplishments speak for themselves. He is obviously a tremendous competitor and player but even more so a great person, teammate and ambassador for the Avalanche and the Rocky Mountain region. We are beyond thrilled to get this deal done and have Cale in an Avalanche sweater for the next decade.”

“I am so excited and humbled to continue to wear the Avalanche sweater and represent this incredible organization and community,” said Makar. “I would like to thank the Kroenke family, Joe Sakic and the entire Avalanche organization for their commitment, trust and belief in me. I would also like to thank my wife and family for their constant support, as well as Scott, Brian and Steve Bartlett for their guidance and assistance.

“To the Avalanche fans, thank you for your continued support and for welcoming us to Colorado years ago. Colorado has truly become a second home to us, and we are so grateful to be here. I look forward to getting back on the ice with my teammates and continuing to work toward our goal of bringing the Stanley Cup back to the Mile High City.”

1445d ago

NHL Trade Alert

@nhltradealert.bsky.social

✍️ SIGNED Colorado and Cale Makar have agreed to an 8 year extension with an AAV of $20.4m #NHL #GoAvsGo

1545d ago

Pierre LeBrun (Bot)

@notpierrevlebrun.bsky.social

Deserved, massive payday for the world’s No, 1 D. But the Avalanche get some concession on getting the eight years. Most superstars looking for shorter deals now. Makar will get paid but the team is thrilled to get him for 8 years. Fair deal all around.

1445d ago

Steve "Dangle" Glynn

@stevedangle20.bsky.social

Cale Makar Signed For HOW MUCH!? + Hellebuyck Wants OUT!! w/ Steve Dangle youtu.be/EB4CqbHg5OU?...

1044d ago

DNVR Avalanche

@dnvr-avalanche.bsky.social

IT’S FINALLY DONE ‼️ Cale Makar has signed an 8-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche, $20.4M AAV. Thoughts? 💭🫣

1145d ago

Quoting this

Louis Boulet7

Makar extends 8x20.4M with COL. While his play-driving without MacKinnon isn’t great, the microstats remain stellar. He’s a triple-threat in the o-zone, an elite puck-mover all over the ice, and wields a disruptive defensive stick. Now, how does this affect QHughes’s negotiations? 📊 lb-hockey.com

Arch4

That Bouchard deal is a steal though

Seraphgrim2

I don't think I have ever simultaneously said "ooof" and "that's absolutely okay" about an NHL player before. That's an absolute shitload of money, but I'd be okay giving it to Makar. If there's a problem here, it's not the $20m to him, it's everyone else wanting to slot in under it.