It’s almost August, and there is no sign of a Cale Makar extension. This situation is eerily reminiscent of the Connor McDavid saga last summer.
During that saga, there was one comment that rang around NHL circles: If McDavid wanted to do an extension, it would be done immediately.
At that time, the Edmonton Oilers were essentially at McDavid’s mercy. They would have to pay him whatever he wanted so he could stay in Oil Country.
Well, the same goes for Makar. The Avalanche will have to pay him whatever he wants to keep him. But if the Avalanche can’t, they might be forced to trade him.
And if the Avs see themselves forced to trade Makar, they might as well just nuke the entire team and rebuild.
That may seem like a hyperbolic statement. But how could the Avalanche replace Makar? There is no way to replace him. Sure, the Avs may be able to get someone like Quinn Hughes, Zach Werenski, or even shock the entire world by landing someone like Rasmus Dahlin. But none of those Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman could replace Makar.
In fact, Makar would leave such a gaping hole in the Avalanche lineup that just his absence alone could call the entire team’s contender status into question.
Think about it. The Avalanche struggled in the postseason without Makar. The Vegas Golden Knights took advantage of his time away from the ice to open up a substantial lead on Colorado in the Western Conference Final.
Could the Avalanche overcome that absence throughout an 84-game season? And if they did, would the Avalanche be serious Stanley Cup contenders without Makar?
Talk about a tough spot to be in.
Avalanche would explore Makar trade as last resort
There’s absolutely no way the Avalanche would trade Makar in-season. Even if next spring rolls around, the Avalanche would want to hold on to Makar until the season is over. Once the season ends, however it does, Colorado would look to work out a deal with Makar ahead of the opening of free agency on July 1, 2027.
Nevertheless, there might be a situation in which the Avalanche could move Makar. Such a scenario would resemble the Mitch Marner situation the Toronto Maple Leafs endured last summer. The Maple Leafs pretty much knew they were going to lose Marner at the end of the season. They held on to him throughout their playoff run. When the season was over, the Leafs pulled off a sign-and-trade deal with the Vegas Golden Knights.
What the Leafs got in return, center Nic Roy, was far more than anyone would have expected. If Makar backed the Avalanche into a corner, that’s something the organization could explore. Then again, there’s a massive difference between Makar and Marner. Makar has not once even come close to griping about money or others having a more prominent role on the team. Makar has been a consummate team player.
And that’s why Makar is likely to follow McDavid’s footsteps. He’ll sit down with Joe Sakic before training camp, hammer out a deal that works for everyone, and go out there to do his thing.
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