Leon Draisaitl's Contract Expected To Be Surpassed

Leon Draisaitl's massive extension with the Edmonton Oilers in 2024 changed the expectations for superstar contracts around the league. The deal secured one of hockey's premier forwards in the long term and reinforced Edmonton's commitment to its core.

Cale Makar's upcoming negotiations are drawing attention this NHL offseason, with projections suggesting he could soon move into the same financial neighborhood as Leon Draisaitl, and potentially beyond it.

The Avalanche star will become eligible to sign an extension on July 1, and Colorado has made it clear that retaining him is the organization's top priority. President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Joe Sakic expressed complete confidence in reaching an agreement.

Makar is not just another elite defenseman entering contract talks. He is a two-time Norris Trophy winner, a Stanley Cup champion, a Conn Smythe Trophy recipient, and one of the most productive blueliners of his generation.

After finishing the 2025-26 season with 79 points in 75 games, he continued to strengthen a resume that already places him among the NHL's most valuable players. In a recent Sportsnet column, NHL insider Rory Boylen explained why Makar's next contract could establish a new financial standard for defensemen.

The potential increase would also create significant cap management challenges for Colorado. Makar currently carries a $9 million cap hit, meaning his next contract could add somewhere around $6 million annually to the Avalanche payroll.

With major commitments already attached to stars such as Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas, Colorado may need to rely heavily on younger, lower-cost players to maintain roster balance. The most eye-catching projection from Boylen's analysis centers on a cap-share model previously used to evaluate Nathan MacKinnon's extension.

If Makar were to get the same 15.09 per cent against the expected $113.5 million upper limit in 2027-28, it would come out to roughly a $14.3-million AAV. He pointed out that such a figure would make him the second-highest paid player by AAV in the league, ahead of Leon Draisaitl's $14 million and behind Kirill Kaprizov's $17 million.

The confidence is understandable, given Makar's impressive resume and the organization's commitment to retaining him. As the NHL offseason heats up, all eyes will be on the Avalanche and Makar's upcoming contract negotiations.