Makar raises bar for NHL defensemen with 8-year, $163.2 million contract
Cale Makar has signed an eight-year, $163.2 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche, setting a new NHL record with an average annual value of $20.4 million. This deal is expected to significantly influence future contract negotiations for other elite defensemen.
Why it matters
Makar's contract establishes a new financial benchmark for NHL players, likely accelerating salary growth across the league as the salary cap increases.
Deal, worth $20.4 million annually, will have massive ripple effect on futures of Q. Hughes, Werenski, Schaefer
Cale Makar made history and set the salary bar for elite NHL defensemen Friday by signing an eight-year, $163.2 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche. It has an average annual value of $20.4 million, the first deal in League history to go over $20M a year.
But how long will he have the contract with the highest AAV in the NHL?
Quinn Hughes , Zach Werenski , Matthew Schaefer and select other defensemen stand to benefit eventually from Makar's contractual windfall as the NHL salary cap rises, potentially climbing to north of $120 million in two seasons and $130 million in three, while average annual values on contracts soar to higher than $20 million.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in