Makar signs record 8-year, $163.2 million contract with Avalanche, worth $20.4M annually  

Cale Makar became the NHL's first $20 million man on Friday. 

The 27-year-old defenseman signed an eight-year, $163.2 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche. The deal, which begins next season, is worth $20.4 million annually and is the richest contract in NHL history. He's also the first player to have an average annual value of at least $20 million. 

"I feel like now it's starting to sink in," Makar said Friday in an interview with Lauren Gardner of Altitude Sports, which broadcasts Avalanche games. "I think when you're going through the process, you don't really know what's going to happen. My intention was always to be an Av, hopefully for life, and I think this is a major step towards that.

"I feel like there was a lot of communication from both sides at all times, and these things take a lot of time. So for us ... there was probably really no rush, I guess, on either side. I think it was important to probably get it done before the season started, and I'm happy to have it done, and excited to get back on the ice with all the guys."

The AAV surpassed that of the five year, $94 million contract ($18.8 million AAV) center Macklin Celebrini signed with the San Jose Sharks on July 29.

“Today is an exciting day for the Avalanche organization and our wonderful fans,” said Sakic, the Avalanche president of hockey operations/general manager. “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 had been steadfast that an agreement would be in place before the start of the season next month.

"(That) probably helped with the contract negotiation," Makar said with a laugh. "It says a little bit about him being so bold. ... This is a place that I've grown to love so much. Just my teammates, and then obviously the city as a whole and all the fans. And I just really didn't see myself anywhere else. So excited to continue the journey for the next nine years.

"A lot of guys say this, and I keep reiterating it, but ... the way our team plays and the success we have, those team awards come with all that, and we're very blessed to be in a spot where they put amazing resources into our team to give us the best chances to succeed. So excited to get to run it back, hopefully again, and for bigger things to come."

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, voted annually to as the League's top defenseman.

A two-time Norris Trophy winner (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 has 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 Colorado with the No. 4 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, Makar is the all-time leader among Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques defensemen in goals (136), assists (371) and points (507) in 470 games over his seven seasons in the League.

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 he was voted the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, after he had 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 20 games. He also won the Calder Trophy, voted as NHL 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 Western Final against the Vegas Golden Knights. He returned for Games 3 and 4 but did not have a point for Colorado, which was swept in that series.

"Obviously, we're in a sport to to do one thing," Makar said, "and at the end of the day, it's to win and to win championships, and the resources ... this team puts into us gives us the best chance to succeed every single year. And that's all you can truly ask for, whether it's deadline acquisitions, free agent signings, strength and conditioning off ice. I feel like we're really tuned into a lot of those things. ... So for me, obviously, there's windows that everybody talks about for our team to succeed. But myself, I want to obviously be here a long time and make sure that window continues to evolve and stay open for a long time."

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.

Colorado opens the season against the Los Angeles Kings at Ball Arena on Sept. 30 (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT).