The Colorado Avalanche have pretty much reached the middle of August 2026 without a Cale Makar extension in place.
Yes, that’s a problem.
In previous articles, we’ve looked into the potential distraction that the uncertainty regarding Makar’s contract situation could cause for the team. It might not seem like it, but it’s one of those things that could just eat away at the club.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Allowing this situation to drag on longer than it should could hamper the organization’s plans moving forward. The rationale here is simple. If the Avalanche don’t know how much it’s going to cost to keep Makar moving forward, just about everything else will stand still. For instance, Nic Roy and Arturri Lehkonen are impending UFAs. That means the Avs need to know how much cap space they’ll have next season before attempting to re-sign them.
Of course, without Makar in the fold, Colorado could have all kinds of cap space to keep both forwards. But that’s not the point. The point is that knowing what Makar’s number will be for the next couple of seasons will allow the organization to negotiate with two key pieces in the forward group.
Getting Makar extension done is about cost certainty
Cost certainty is at the heart of this entire matter. Let’s assume a worst-case scenario. The extension gets delayed until after the season. Whether the season ends in a Stanley Cup or in disappointment is sort of beside the point.
The concern here would be just how much the Avalanche could confidently add at the deadline without concerns about keeping acquisitions moving forward.
It might seem like we’re thinking too far down the road. But don’t you think that the organization is thinking two, three, or even five years down the line? They’re thinking that whatever they do today could come back to bite them in a decade.
That’s not hyperbole. It’s the type of thing we see in sports all the time.
Time is on Avalanche’s side
As pressing as the matter is, time is on the Avalanche’s side. That’s because it doesn’t seem like Cale Makar is going anywhere. Unlike someone like Quinn Hughes, there’s no threat of Makar bolting Colorado and heading to another destination.
That’s a major advantage. But it doesn’t mean that the Avalanche can afford to let the matter drag on much longer than it should.
So, what’s it going to be?
It could well be that we wake up one day and Makar inks a new deal to end all speculation. It will likely be a short-term deal. But that’s all right. What everyone wants is clarity on the situation. And seeing the “UFA” tag next to Cale Makar’s name is not a pretty sight.
That’s why it’s better to get the deal over with so the Colorado Avalanche can focus on making a serious run at a second Cup in five years. If there was ever a season for Colorado to go all the way, it’s this one. Considering the uncertainty surrounding the team, there might not be another chance.
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