Colorado Avalanche leadership has made a firm commitment to retain elite defenseman Cale Makar for the remainder of his professional hockey career, according to president of hockey operations and general manager Joe Sakic, who spoke on Thursday.
The 27-year-old Makar becomes eligible to negotiate a new deal starting July 1, which would extend his current six-year, $54 million agreement that expires following the 2026-27 campaign. Since being drafted fourth overall by Colorado in 2017, Makar has spent his entire NHL tenure with the franchise.
“Cale is going to finish his career here,” Sakic declared. “We’re already talking to his agent, so we’re confident that something’s going to get worked out at some point. I mean, he’s got another year, but this summer we expect to have him signed.”
The defenseman has claimed the Norris Trophy twice as the league’s premier blue-liner and recorded 79 points this past season with 20 goals and 59 assists, posting a plus-32 rating across 75 contests. Despite being nominated for the award for six straight years, he finished second on Tuesday to Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski, who captured his first Norris Trophy.
During the playoffs, Makar contributed five points with four goals and one assist while maintaining a plus-5 rating through 11 games, despite battling an upper-body ailment.
Throughout his professional career, Makar has accumulated 507 points on 136 goals and 371 assists with a plus-168 rating, 134 penalty minutes, 664 blocked shots and 377 hits over 470 regular-season appearances. His postseason statistics include 26 goals and 90 points with a plus-28 rating, 24 penalty minutes, 147 blocks and 100 hits across 90 playoff contests.
The defenseman earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable performer during the Stanley Cup playoffs in the 2021-22 campaign.
Makar, a three-time All-Star selection, received the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2019-20 and claimed the Norris Trophy as best defenseman in both 2021-22 and 2024-25.
Colorado captured the Presidents’ Trophy this season by posting the NHL’s strongest record at 55-16-11 for 121 points, then defeated the Los Angeles Kings in four games and overcame the Minnesota Wild in five before falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in a Western Conference finals sweep.
Sakic, who previously held the general manager position before his promotion to president of hockey operations, resumed GM duties this month following Chris MacFarland’s departure to become president and general manager of the Nashville Predators.
Speaking Thursday, Sakic confirmed the entire coaching staff will remain unchanged, including head coach Jared Bednar, who enters the final year of his current contract. The 54-year-old Bednar has guided the franchise for 10 regular seasons with a 445-262-75 record and nine playoff appearances resulting in a 60-41 mark, highlighted by the 2022 Stanley Cup championship.
“He’s got the confidence from the players,” Sakic explained. “It’s clear from everybody, from players, the staff, that he’s the right guy. They respect him, they love playing for him, and that’s a big thing. And when we look at it for this group, he’s the best coach. He’s the best coach for the group, and we’re confident in that decision.
“He’s not just the coach, I mean, he’s the voice of the of the organization, and, like I said, the players really believe in him, and I’m going with the players.”
