Cale Makar will be staying with the Colorado Avalanche for a long, long time.
The defenseman signed an eight-year contract with the Avalanche on Friday.
“I am so excited and humbled to continue to wear the Avalanche sweater and represent this incredible organization and community,” Makar said. “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.”
The contract begins next season for the 27-year-old, who is in the final season of a six-year, $54 million contract ($9 million AAV) he signed on July 24, 2021.
“Today is an exciting day for the Avalanche organization and our wonderful fans,” Avalanche President of Hockey Operations/General Manager Joe Sakic said. “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.”
Makar had been eligible to sign a new deal since July 1, though Sakic, the Avalanche's president of hockey operation, had been steadfast that an agreement would be in place before the start of the season next month.
"We continue talking," Sakic said on Sunday. "Pretty confident he'll be signed before the season starts.
"I'm not worried about it, I don't think Cale's worried about it. Dialogue has been great, and when there's an agreement, we'll gladly announce it. Hopefully something will be done before the start of training camp."
Makar was third among NHL defensemen last season with 79 points (20 goals, 59 assists) in 75 games. He finished second to Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets in voting for the Norris Trophy, which is awarded to the League's top defensemen.
A two-time winner of the Norris Trophy (2022, 2025), Makar joined Bobby Orr (seven) as the only players to be a finalist for the award at least six times in his first seven NHL seasons. It was also was the third straight season he's scored at least 20 goals, making him the first defenseman to accomplish the feat since Phil Housley (six straight) and Al MacInnis in 1992.
Selected by the Avalanche with the No. 4 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, Makar is the all-time leader among Colorado/Quebec Nordiques defensemen in goals (136), assists (371) and points (507) in 470 games over his seven NHL seasons.
Makar got his 500th NHL point last season in his 467th game, reaching the milestone with an assist in a 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on March 28. He required the fourth-fewest games at the position to reach the mark in NHL history, behind only Orr (396 games), Paul Coffey (422 games) and Denis Potvin (465 games).
Makar helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022, when was voted the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is awarded to most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, after getting 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 20 games. He also won the Calder Trophy as the League's rookie of the year in 2019-20.
Makar had five points (four goals, one assist) in 11 playoff games last season. He sustained an upper-body injury during the Western Conference Second Round against the Minnesota Wild that kept him out of the first two games of the West Final against Vegas Golden Knights. He returned for Games 3 and 4 but did not have a point for the Avalanche, who were swept in that series.
Sakic said he expects the Avalanche to have a fully healthy roster when they open training camp next month.
"As of right now I have no concerns," he said. "Everyone should come into camp healthy."
Colorado opens the season against the Los Angeles Kings at Ball Arena on Sept. 30 (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT).
