Colorado Avalanche president and general manager Joe Sakic remains confident the club will sign superstar defenseman Cale Makar to a contract extension before the upcoming season.
"Like I said, I'm not worried about it," Sakic said Sunday, per Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now. "Cale's not worried about it. Dialogue's been great, and when there's an agreement, we'll gladly announce it. Hopefully, something will be done before the start of training camp."
Sakic added, "We continue talking, and I'm pretty confident that he'll be signed before the season starts."
Shortly after the Avalanche were eliminated in the Western Conference Final in May, Sakic said a Makar extension was a priority and that he expected the two-time Norris Trophy winner to spend the rest of his career in Colorado.
Makar became eligible to sign a new deal on July 1. He's under contract for the upcoming season at a cap hit of $9 million, and is likely to become the NHL's highest-paid blue-liner on his next pact. Pittsburgh Penguins veteran Erik Karlsson ($11.5 million) will hold that distinction next season, while Bo Byram of the Chicago Blackhawks is set to earn $12.5 million annually as of 2027-28.
Minnesota Wild star Quinn Hughes is also eligible for an extension, and it's possible he and Makar both reset the market for defensemen. They're widely considered the top two blue-liners in the league, and the NHL's rising salary cap could represent a prime opportunity to cash in.
"I think everybody's projecting where the cap's going, and that's why you're seeing these contracts go to a certain level," Sakic said. "Everybody wants to lock up their young stars, and that's what's happening."
The NHL salary cap is set at $104 million for 2026-27, and is expected to rise to $113 million the following campaign.
Makar, the fourth overall pick in 2017, has been arguably the league's top defenseman since playing on a full-time basis in 2019-20. He's a six-time All-Star with 507 points in 470 games, he's won a Stanley Cup and a Conn Smythe, and he's been a Norris Trophy finalist each of the past six seasons.
