Avalanche signs Cale Makar to six-year, $54 million extension

Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar signed a six-year hold Saturday morning, the squad announced. Per a league source, it’s worthy $54 million, and the $9 cardinal yearly headdress deed makes him Colorado’s second-highest-paid subordinate down Mikko Rantanen ($9.25 million).

Makar, 22, was the 2020 Calder Trophy victor arsenic NHL rookie of the twelvemonth and a 2021 Norris Trophy finalist arsenic the league’s champion defenseman.

“In conscionable implicit 2 seasons, Cale has already established himself arsenic 1 of the premier defensemen successful the National Hockey League,” said Avalanche Executive Vice President / General Manager Joe Sakic. “His quality to play successful each situations and astatine some ends of the crystal makes him genuinely unsocial and we are excited to person him anchor our blueline for years to come.”

Makar has 94 points (20 goals) successful 101 vocation regular-season games, the sixth-highest full by a defenseman done 101 contests successful NHL history. He has added 31 points (seven goals) successful 35 vocation playoff games, and his 0.89 points-per-game mean is the seventh-highest successful league past among defensemen (minimum 30 games played).

Makar was named a 2021 first-team NHL All-Star, and lone 4 different defensemen successful the past 50 years person made that squad earlier their 23rd birthday: Erik Karlsson (age 21 successful 2011-12); Dion Phaneuf (22 successful 2007-08); Ray Bourque (19 successful 1979-80, and 21 successful 1981-82); Denis Potvin (21 successful 1974-75 and 22 successful 1975-76).