New leak suggests exactly how much Makar could make in his next NHL contract
Photo credit: Matthew Stockman / Mile High Sticking
Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup champion Cale Makar appears poised to follow a path similar to Minnesota Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov, whose $136M contract set a high benchmark in the NHL.
Kaprizov's record-breaking $136 million extension with the Minnesota Wild has sent shockwaves through the NHL's salary landscape.
Cale Makar poised to follow in Kirill Kaprizov's footsteps with next contract deal.
Payal Ambegaonker from the Pro Football Network asks if Kirill Kaprizov just reset the value of NHL superstars?
For many insiders, the next player to watch is Cale Makar.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reports that the Avalanche have been planning their future around Makar's upcoming contract, fully aware that it could rival some of the league's most lucrative deals.
"Assuming McDavid doesn't go to marketthe only guy I really look at who's in that $17m range right now, if he wants to be...is probably Cale Makar." -Friedman
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, widely considered one of the best players in hockey, is currently under a six-year, $54 million contract signed in 2021 that runs through the 2026-27 season.
On July 1, 2026, he will be eligible to sign a new extension, one that could make him the highest-paid defenseman in NHL history.
"Kaprizov's contract has set a new benchmark for elite players across all positions. The 28-year-old winger's eight-year, $136 million extension, carrying a $17 million annual cap hit, is now the richest in league history. It is more than double Sidney Crosby's $8.7 million AAV and higher than even Connor McDavid's current number." -Ambegaonker
On Daily Faceoff Live, Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton predicted that if Cale Makar maintains his current level of play, his next contract could be «Kaprizov-plus.»
"Makar has got to be licking his chops at home, knowing the way this market is rolling, knowing that he is the best defenseman on the planet and what he's going to get paid. There is a wow factor, but this is the way the cap is going." -Hutton
The Avalanche front office has reportedly been preparing for this scenario for months. While other teams scrambled to adjust to the rising salary cap,
Colorado has quietly managed its payroll, fully aware that Makar's next contract could reset the ceiling for defensemen in the NHL.
"If he stays healthy and maintains his current production, insiders believe his next deal could exceed $140 million in total value, making him the NHL's first blueliner to cross that threshold." -Ambegaonker
With the NHL's salary cap projected to rise significantly over the next two years, the timing is ideal for Colorado's star defenseman.
While Kaprizov's $136 million deal made waves, Makar's next contract could be the one to truly reset the market.
Source:
Pro Football Network
NHL Rumors: Avalanche's Stanley Cup Champ Expected To Follow In Kirill Kaprizov's $136M Footsteps
Pro Football Network
NHL Rumors: Avalanche's Stanley Cup Champ Expected To Follow In Kirill Kaprizov's $136M Footsteps
TRENDING NOW
