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DENVER— Cale Makar and the Colorado Avalanche agreed to a $163.2 million, eight-year extension on Friday that will make him the highest paid player in league history.
The terms of the deal were confirmed by his agency, Bartlett Hockey.
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Makar’s extension is set to be the the richest in NHL history, surpassing the eight-year, $136 million extension signed by Minnesota forward Kirill Kaprizov last September. Makar’s deal runs through the 2034-35 season.
With an annual average value (AAV) of $20.4 million that begins in 2027-28, Makar’s deal eclipses that of San Jose Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini, who signed a five-year, $94 million extension in late July that has an $18.8 million AAV.
“I couldn’t be more excited to continue my journey here with the Avalanche in this amazing city of Denver,” Makar said in a video posted on social media by the team, calling it a historic day. “Here’s to another hopefully amazing nine years.”
The 27-year-old Makar is coming off a season in which he had 20 goals and 59 assists. He finished second to Zach Werenski of Columbus in the Norris Trophy voting, an award that goes to the league’s top defenseman. Makar has won the award twice over his career.
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The cap hit for Makar for last season was $9 million after signing a six-year, $54 million contract in 2021. The new deal for Makar now sets the bar for fellow standout defensemen Quinn Hughes of Minnesota and Werenski.
Securing the long-term services of Makar was a high priority this offseason for president of hockey operations/general manager Joe Sakic, who maintained that Makar was “going to finish his career” in Colorado. Makar was taken fourth overall by Colorado in 2017 out of the University of Massachusetts.
Makar was banged up heading into a Western Conference Final where the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche were swept by the Vegas Golden Knights. An upper-body injury sidelined him for Games 1 and 2, but he returned for the final two contests. Sakic recently said that Makar is slated to be ready for training camp.
It’s been a busy offseason for Sakic, who’s stepping back into the role of GM after Chris…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/avs-defenseman-cale-makar-signs-223511249.html
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Publish date : 2026-08-28 22:35:00
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