Cale Makar Negotiations With Avalanche Reportedly Nearing Completion
Key NHL insider Elliotte Friedman indicated on the Aug. 7 edition of NHL Tonight that progress is being made in contract negotiations with Cale Makar.
Makar currently only has one season remaining on his six-year, $54 million contract (a $9 million AAV). He originally signed in July of 2021 and is now eligible to sign an extension, as it is now past July 1. Also worth mentioning is the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NHL and the NHLPA, which is to go into effect on Sept. 16 — it'll result in changes across numerous provisions, including contract length. Under new CBA rules, teams will only be able to extend their own players (such as Makar) for seven years, while free agents can only get a max of six years.
Per previous reporting from Colorado Avalanche On SI, it's already known that one of the Avalanche's front office's biggest priorities this offseason is signing Makar. Well, Friedman has now revealed that the deal is to be inked sooner rather than later.
Elliotte Friedman: Re Cale Makar/Avalanche negotiations: The Avalanche said that we are gonna get this done; I think one of the big questions about him is going to be term - NHL Tonight (8/7)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) August 9, 2026
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NHLRR: Teams can extend their players at 8 years until September 15th, after which…
Per Friedman, it appears the only thing the Avs and Makar's agent through Bartlett Hockey have left to work out is a discussion surrounding term.
"The Avalanche said that we are gonna get this done [with Makar]; I think one of the big questions about him is going to be term," Friedman said on the previously referenced NHL Tonight appearance.
What Cale Makar's Next Contract With the Avalanche Could Look Like?
Cale Makar is a two-time Norris Trophy winner who had an impressive 2025-26 season. He recorded 79 points, consisting of 20 goals and 59 assists, and celebrated his 500th NHL point. Makar's 79 points also made him the third-leading point producer for the Colorado Avalanche.
He was also nominated as a Norris Trophy finalist for the sixth consecutive year after originally being selected by Colorado at No. 4 overall in 2017.
Makar additionally previously became the first player to win the Hobey Baker, Norris Trophy and Conn Smythe in their career. He's currently an alternate captain for the Avs in addition to having served as an alternate captain for Team Canada at the recent Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Avalanche President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Joe Sakic has already said that Makar — who is 27-years-old — will be finishing his League career with the Avs.
“Cale is going to finish his career here," Sakic said per NHL.com. "We're already talking to his agent, so we're confident that something's going to get worked out at some point. I mean, he's got another year, but this summer we expect to have him signed.”
Other factors for Avalanche fans to keep in mind ahead of the announcement of Makar's next contract include the rising salary cap. The limit was previously $81.5 million in 2021-22 but has grown in recent seasons and is $104 million for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
As such, the max AAV a player can sign is 20 percent of that $104 million — so about $20.8 million AAV.
The recent deal surrounding San Jose Sharks' star Macklin Celebrini and Friedman's comments indicate more money and an impending inking in the near future.
Jennifer Streeter graduated with a B.A. in journalism from Texas A&M and received her Master of Science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. At both schools, she focused on an emphasis of sports reporting. A former athlete herself, "Jenny" was a varsity soccer player and comes from a family who participated in NCAA athletics. She has covered hockey since 2023 and is credentialed for the Seattle Kraken, New Jersey Devils and PWHL in addition to having covered the 2026 Frozen Four.