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Published Aug 28, 2026 • 2 minute read
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The floodgates have truly opened for NHL stars signing contracts in this free-flowing salary cap world.
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And Cale Makar’s pool is now coloured a very deep green. The Colorado Avalanche defenceman is the newest title holder as highest paid in the league, an eight-year extension at $20.4 million US of AAV and $163.2 million in total.
The club announced the deal late Friday, keeping the Calgary native in Denver until age 36. At his peak powers right now, Makar has won two James Norris Trophys as best defenceman, the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in the Avs’ 2022 Stanley Cup year and had announced himself a couple of years earlier as winner of the Hobey Baker and Calder.
In ‘25-26 he had 79 points in 75 games as Colorado lost the conference final to Vegas.
The salary cap website PuckPedia listed years one-to-three of Makar’s deal as a $4-million base with a $16.8-million signing bonus. Year eight, assuming he completes it, is a $1-million base and the apex of the bonus, $18.8 million.
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WHO ARE THE LEAGUE’S OTHER HIGHEST SALARIES?
This final summer of the league granting eight-year deals versus seven under the new CBA was in play with Makar, as well as contracts signed earlier this summer by centre Macklin Celebrini of San Jose at $18.8 million over five years, which followed the Anaheim Ducks matching the Philadelphia Flyers offer sheet for centre Leo Carlsson at $18 million for the same term.
Just as Makar benefitted from those signings, the upper range for defencemen could get even higher when Quinn Hughes, Zach Werenski and Matthew Schaeffer get around to their next extensions.
With the cap up to $104 million this season (a a rise of $8.5 million) and projected to reach $113.5 million by ‘27-28 and get above $120 million after that, bigger pay days will be the norm for NHLers who’ve lagged behind other pay scales in other major pro sports.
X; @sunhornby
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