Cale Makar inks a six-year, $54-million deal with the Avalanche
Jul 24, 2021, 10:07 AM
Heading into the offseason, Joe Sakic had three big decisions to make. The Avalanche’s general manager now has two.
On Saturday, it was reported that Colorado had come to an agreement with defenseman Cale Makar on a new contract. Thanks to a deal worth $54 million, the 22-year-old defensemen will say in an Avs sweater for the next six seasons.
Makar is a cornerstone of a young, exciting team. Since coming to Colorado after winning the Hobey Baker Award at UMass, he’s been one of the best defensemen in the NHL.
In 2019-20, Makar was named the league’s rookie of the year. This past season, he was one of three finalists for the Norris Trophy, given to the NHL’s best defenseman.
As a result, the Avalanche decided to make Makar one of the five highest-paid players in the league at his position. It was a no-brainer for Sakic, as the 22-year-old is a rising star.
Now, the general manager has to other critical decisions. Does he re-sign Gabriel Landeskog or let the Avs captain walk via free agency? Does he bring back Philipp Grubauer or try to replace the Vezina Trophy finalist?
It’s a big offseason for the Avalanche. And it’s just getting started. But on Saturday, a big piece of the puzzle fell into place.
