Cale Makar's $20 Million Question Just Put Every Top NHL Contract On Notice

Alright, hockey faithful, buckle up! July 1 is coming in hot, and yeah, it’s about those unrestricted free agents, but what *really* jumps off the page this year is the extension talk. We’re talking about guys with one year left on their deals, and folks, the first name on EVERYONE'S mind is the best defenseman in the world, Cale Makar. He's about to enter the final season of that absolutely ludicrous six-year, $54 million contract he signed with Colorado back in 2021. Seriously, that $9 million average annual value felt like a steal thirty seconds after the ink dried. Now, the big question hanging over the league is this: what in the name of the Emerald City is his *next* deal going to look like?

Makar's Massive Market Value and The Exploding Cap

This isn't just another contract negotiation, people. Makar is 27 years old and genuinely a top-five player in the entire world, regardless of position. And guess what? The salary cap landscape is blowing up right around the time he's due for a raise. We're talking a $104 million cap for 2026-27, with a max player salary of $20.8 million. It jumps again in July 2027 to $113.5 million, pushing the max to $22.7 million right when Makar would hit unrestricted free agency. Think about it: Pavel Dorofeyev is pulling in $11 million per year. No offense to him, but if a fine goal scorer is worth that, what is the *number one defenseman on the planet* truly worth? You've got guys like Nathan MacKinnon, who signed for $12.6 million back in 2022, only to be surpassed by Leon Draisaitl ($14 million), Auston Matthews ($13.25 million), and soon Jack Eichel ($13.5 million) and Kirill Kaprizov ($17 million). You gotta believe Makar, th

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rough his reps Brian and Scott Bartlett, won't settle for less than Kaprizov, right?

The Art of the Deal: Striking a Balance

Now, will Makar actually ask for the absolute max of $20 million? Probably not. Colorado has a cap culture, one set by MacKinnon himself, where players haven't fully flexed their financial muscle to keep the team loaded up for contention. Remember Connor McDavid? He signed for $12.5 million instead of the $20 million he probably *should* be making, and that $8 million saving helped the Oilers re-sign guys like Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy. That's the balance. League sources aren't expecting a Makar extension this Wednesday; there hasn't been much work done on it yet. But both sides *intend* to get it sorted this summer. The sweet spot? Somewhere between $17 million and $18 million, depending on how long he signs for. Meanwhile, other big names are in the mix. Quinn Hughes over in Minnesota? Not many talks yet, but owner Craig Leipold all but guaranteed an extension. They're looking at a three-year deal to match his brother Jack’s, but the AAV could hit $15 million, $16 million, or even $18 million. Nikita Kucherov with Tampa Bay is a total black hole, agent Dan Milstein staying completely silent. Could something drop before the end of the week? It's anyone's guess. On the flip side, Nico Hischier of the Devils is likely extending as early as Wednesday after a month of talks. For Montreal's Ivan Demidov, work's been done but they don't seem close enough for Wednesday. And Macklin Celebrini in San Jose? Very little movement there. So, while we wait for the summer to heat up, these deals are going to set the tone for the entire league. The numbers are getting insane, and it's going to be wild to see how it all shakes out.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.