The last thing on the Colorado Avalanche’s mind right now is the offseason. The entire focus is on gearing up for a prolonged playoff run, potentially culminating in another Stanley Cup championship.
But when the offseason eventually rolls around, there will be one major issue on the agenda the club won’t be able to ignore: Cale Makar’s contract extension.
Next season, the Avalanche’s Norris Trophy winner will head into the final year of his current six-year, $54 million deal. As such, he’ll be eligible to sign an extension on July 1.
That situation doesn’t seem like a major issue at this point. But as the calendar gets closer to July 1, fans and the media will speculate about when an extension will be in place. Until Makar inks a new contract, there will always be the possibility of the 27-year-old bolting from Colorado.
However, that’s not something that will happen, insider Chris Johnston believes. In the April 9 edition of the Chris Johnston Show, the insider declared that there is no risk of Makar leaving the Avalanche.
“Frankly, I just expect the Avalanche to sign him. I don't have any reason to believe he wants to leave or wants to test the market.”
The idea of Makar wanting to test the free-agent market would seem insane. While there would be plenty of teams out there willing to play Makar whatever he wants, there is no inkling that Makar would want to leave Colorado.
Why would he?
Is there a team out there that could offer him something the Avalanche can’t?
If it’s about money, the Avs will surely find a way to pay him. With the salary cap going up in the coming seasons, paying Makar should not be an issue.
What could Makar’s next deal look like?
It’s likely that both sides will want another long-term deal. The idea would be that another six or seven-year deal could be in the works. Figuring that part out might not be the biggest issue.
The biggest problem would be figuring out the dollars and cents. Makar’s current cap hit sits at $9 million. That’s chump change for what he brings to the table.
But moving forward, that’s something that could change.
There’s the possibility that Makar cuts the Avalanche a team-friendly deal. Perhaps he opts to take a deal similar to Nathan MacKinnon’s. So, a $12.5 million AAV would suit both sides quite well.
The optics of such a deal would be fantastic. Makar gets paid, but doesn’t gouge the organization. The Avs would also have the flexibility to pursue additions to the team.
Anyone assigning odds to Makar re-signing with the Avalanche would likely have them at 95%. Things could change, but it would take a massive, unexpected shift for Makar to decide to leave Colorado.
The star defenseman is likely staying put. At least Avalanche fans won’t have Makar’s contract situation keeping them up at night.