Cale Makar signs eight-year extension with Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar has signed an eight-year contract extension with the Colorado Avalanche. The deal carries an average annual value (AAV) of $20.4 million, totaling $163.2 million. This contract makes Makar the highest-paid defenseman in the NHL by AAV.

Makar’s massive extension is shifting the financial landscape of the league and increasing pressure on other teams to secure extensions for elite talent. Specifically, the deal has intensified scrutiny on the Minnesota Wild regarding negotiations with defenseman Quinn Hughes. With Makar setting a new high-water mark for defensive salaries, expectations for Hughes' potential extension are expected to rise.