The NHL’s salary landscape has been shaken to its core by Kirill Kaprizov’s record-breaking $136 million extension with the Minnesota Wild. And while the ink is still drying on that deal, many around the league are already asking the same question: who’s next to reset the market?
Has Kirill Kaprizov Just Redefined What NHL Superstars Are Worth?
For many insiders, the answer is Cale Makar. According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Avalanche have been mapping out their future around Makar’s next contract, aware that it could rival the league’s richest deals.
Speaking on The FAN Hockey Show, Friedman said, “Assuming McDavid doesn’t go to market…the only guy I really look at who’s in that $17m range right now, if he wants to be…is probably Cale Makar.”
The Colorado Avalanche defenseman, widely regarded as one of the best players in hockey, remains under his six-year, $54 million contract signed in 2021. That deal runs through the 2026-27 season, but on July 1, 2026, Makar becomes eligible to sign a new extension. It could make him the highest-paid defenseman in NHL history.
Kaprizov’s contract has set a new benchmark for elite players across all positions. The 28-year-old winger’s eight-year, $136 million extension, carrying a $17 million annual cap hit, is now the richest in league history. It is more than double Sidney Crosby’s $8.7 million AAV and higher than even Connor McDavid’s current number.
That seismic shift in market value has executives and agents recalculating what true generational talent is worth. Analysts believe Makar could become the next to benefit.
Speaking on Daily Faceoff Live, Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton predicted that Makar’s future deal is “going to be Kaprizov-plus” if his performance continues on its current trajectory.
“Makar has got to be licking his chops at home, knowing the way this market is rolling, knowing that he is the best defenseman on the planet and what he’s going to get paid. There is a wow factor, but this is the way the cap is going,” Hutton noted.
Colorado Bracing for a Massive Payday
The Avalanche front office has reportedly been planning for this for months. While other teams scrambled to adjust to the rising cap, Colorado has been quietly managing its payroll, knowing Makar’s next contract will redefine the upper limit for defensemen.
At just 26, Makar has already built a résumé few can match with a Norris Trophy, Conn Smythe, Calder Trophy, and a Stanley Cup championship. His ability to control play at both ends of the ice makes him a franchise cornerstone in every sense.
If he stays healthy and maintains his current production, insiders believe his next deal could exceed $140 million in total value, making him the NHL’s first blueliner to cross that threshold.
With the league’s salary cap expected to rise significantly over the next two years, the timing couldn’t be better for Colorado’s star defenseman. And while Kaprizov’s $136 million deal turned heads, Makar’s next contract might be the one that truly resets the market once again.
