The once and future Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic has a lot of spinning plates this offseason. The organization endured a disappointing if not humiliating playoff exit this postseason.
But beyond the evident need to re-sign impending UFAs, round out the roster, and draft potential replacement parts in the 2026 NHL Draft, Sakic has one major offseason priority: Re-sign Cale Makar.
That may seem like an obvious statement. But the fact of the matter is that allowing Makar to enter the 2026-27 season without a new contract in place would cast a dark cloud over the team.
And regardless of what anyone says, those contract issues eventually become distractions. It’s one thing to deal with contract uncertainty during the offseason. But once training camp rolls around, those questions can quickly become magnified.
That’s not something the Avalanche will want to deal with next season.
In fact, I would venture to say that Makar’s extension will hold up, and other decisions regarding free agents. That means that the club may not sign anyone until they have clarity on what will happen with Makar.
How so?
Even though this season is the final year of Makar’s current deal, carrying a $9 million cap hit, the problem will lie in signing anyone beyond this upcoming season. For instance, do players like Joel Kiviranta and Jack Drury just get a one-year deal?
Do the Avalanche look to extend players like Ross Colton, Nic Roy, and Artturi Lehkonen? Or does the organization keep everyone in a holding pattern until there’s clarity on what will happen with Makar?
It’s been my contention that Makar will sign a short-term extension with a modest pay bump. That would allow the Avalanche to remain competitive for the next three to four seasons. Then, the two sides will revisit Makar’s contract, potentially hammering out one more massive extension once the salary cap reaches new dimensions.
As I’ve pointed out earlier, Joe Sakic is the right person to handle this specific juncture in Colorado Avalanche history. He’ll get a fair deal for all sides involved. But until that happens, it seems like everyone revolving around the organization will have to hold their collective breath.
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