Cale Makar signs richest deal in NHL history with $163.2 million Avalanche contract extension

There’s a new biggest contract in NHL history — again. Avalanche superstar Cale Makar agreed to an eight-year, $163.2 million contract extension on Friday, the team announced. The deal carries a $20.4 million average annual value and will make the two-time Norris Trophy winner the highest-paid player in league history and the first-ever to make more than $20 million annually. Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar looks on during the third period of a game against the Minnesota Wild on May 13, 2026, at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Makar still has one season remaining on the six-year, $54 million deal he signed in 2021. His new extension will kick in for the 2027-28 season and keep him in Colorado through 2034-35. “I am so excited and humbled to continu