Cale Makar $163.2M for 8 years

[tom webster]

Everyone reporting that it’s close. I’m guessing three years, $20M AAV. 

Edited August 28 by tom webster

[Eleven]

@PASabreFan told me that it would be Ryan Miller who named his son "Cale," is all I have to input here.  And I suppose there's still time.  That post was one of his funniest.

[nfreeman]

As a related matter, I read recently that Quinn Hughes and Makar may each be waiting for the other to sign in order to have the benefit of a baseline market price.  But $20MM is probably enough for Makar to jump on it without waiting for Hughes.

The length of the contract is an interesting point.  Makar turns 28 in October, so a 3-year extension would run through his age-31 season, and someone giving him a contract after that would be paying for age 32 and older.  A lot could happen between now and then.  I'd probably advise him to go for a long-term deal and lock in that $160MM if Colorado is willing to pay it.

[Night Train]

Good for them but that's a real cap eater unless is spread out. 

[steveoath]

More than Dahlin and Power combined??? 
 

[SwampD]

Damn. Looks like I’m now going to priced out of going to hockey games, as well.

[mjd1001]

8 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Damn. Looks like I’m now going to priced out of going to hockey games, as well.

The Salaries go up because the cap goes up...but the cap only goes up when fans pay more. Pay more for cable/streaming to watch the games because. Pay more for Jerseys. Pay more for tickets, Pay more for concessions, parking, new stadiums, etc.

We take it as a given that 'the cap just goes up', but it is just as much of a given that watching/taking part in fandom is going to be costing fans more by the same rate.

So many people say there is a limit to how much people will pay, but so far there really hasn't.  It is why I have 'checked out' of so many sports though.  About a decade ago I stopped watching baseball totally (in my 20's I'd watch 100+ games a year).  NFL?  I went from never, EVER missing a Bills game and having any game that was televised on, at least in the background, to watching Zero games start to finish last year (no full Bills games, No superbowl, nothing). The NBA vanished from my radar about 15 years ago, and honestly I feel like I'm starting to slide down the same path with the NHL at the moment.

But for many/most...going to games, subscribing to cable or streaming to watch them, buying merchandise.....that part of their entertainment life is 'non-negotiable', no matter how expensive it has gotten. To each their own.  I have my own quirks with spending myself.

Edited August 27 by mjd1001

[PerreaultForever]

Well I think the Carlsson offer sheet/contract upped the levels more than the cap going up. I think it opened the idea of "we can ask for that much?" from agents and it's going to create a problem. I don't see hockey growing exponentially the way the salaries will now go. This will likely end up with a new CBA at some point and some sort of reset. 

But ya, in the meantime I suspect Makar and Hughes do get 20 m. 

[Pimlach]

It amazes me how much people will pay for NHL/NFL/NBA/MLB today.   

I thought I spent a lot taking my gaggle of millennial kids to games, and I did, but today is even more expensive.  

In the early 70's my Buffalo Evening News paper boy profits would easily cover a $5 orange ticket plus popcorn, Pepsi, and a Hockey News to study for the next week.  That is if you could actually find a ticket.  

[Archie Lee]

20 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

The Salaries go up because the cap goes up...but the cap only goes up when fans pay more. Pay more for cable/streaming to watch the games because. Pay more for Jerseys. Pay more for tickets, Pay more for concessions, parking, new stadiums, etc.

We take it as a given that 'the cap just goes up', but it is just as much of a given that watching/taking part in fandom is going to be costing fans more by the same rate.

So many people say there is a limit to how much people will pay, but so far there really hasn't.  It is why I have 'checked out' of so many sports though.  About a decade ago I stopped watching baseball totally (in my 20's I'd watch 100+ games a year).  NFL?  I went from never, EVER missing a Bills game and having any game that was televised on, at least in the background, to watching Zero games start to finish last year (no full Bills games, No superbowl, nothing). The NBA vanished from my radar about 15 years ago, and honestly I feel like I'm starting to slide down the same path with the NHL at the moment.

But for many/most...going to games, subscribing to cable or streaming to watch them, buying merchandise.....that part of their entertainment life is 'non-negotiable', no matter how expensive it has gotten. To each their own.  I have my own quirks with spending myself.

Related to rising costs for discretionary items:  When the kids were pre-school to middle-school age, some years we would take them out of school for a 8-10 days in January (then a low season) and head down to Disney World.  It's now been 6-7 years since we have been there (pre-covid).  I was cleaning out an old email folder and found the receipt from the first time we went in 2012.  Our 10 night trip at a Disney hotel with park passes and the free dining plan, came in at $3100.00 (USD). For amusement I went to their website and entered same dates, same hotel, same aged kids, as close as I could get to the same park passes, free dining isn't nearly as common today, and the cost was just under $9K (USD).  Nearly a 200% increase. As with major league sports, and concerts, and theatre tickets, etc., there appears to be no end to what people will pay for such experiences. 

[mjd1001]

45 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

Related to rising costs for discretionary items:  When the kids were pre-school to middle-school age, some years we would take them out of school for a 8-10 days in January (then a low season) and head down to Disney World.  It's now been 6-7 years since we have been there (pre-covid).  I was cleaning out an old email folder and found the receipt from the first time we went in 2012.  Our 10 night trip at a Disney hotel with park passes and the free dining plan, came in at $3100.00 (USD). For amusement I went to their website and entered same dates, same hotel, same aged kids, as close as I could get to the same park passes, free dining isn't nearly as common today, and the cost was just under $9K (USD).  Nearly a 200% increase. As with major league sports, and concerts, and theatre tickets, etc., there appears to be no end to what people will pay for such experiences. 

It is the 'higher end' experiences that are in demand and the price is skyrocketing.

I agree with you on the comparison to Disney.

We go to movies a lot. Like 20-30 times a year at the theater.  

We get matinee tickets (usually go on weekends, early show so we have the evening free) for about $26 for both of us for tickets.  We get by without snacks there usually.  My wife will OCCASIONALLY buy the overpriced popcorn as a way to 'support the theater', but we often eat out after the movie or just come home and eat.  Plus, go as much as we do and you earn 'reward points' that give you a free popcorn once a month or a free movie ticket every couple of months.

Every movie isn't great, but we enjoy the vast majority. I look at it this way...a move is MADE to be enjoyable. The best Writers, producers, actors, directors, have one job..make a 2 hour movie that people will like. With sports, if your team loses 1/2 of the time, 1/2 of the time you are going home 'not happy'.  And the teams job is to win...there are many teams that TRY to slow the game down, try to play the trap in hockey, try to grind the clock in football....all things that are not enjoyable for me to watch.

I know many disagree, but going to a sporting event now can be a multiple hundred dollar event isnt' as worth it as my wife and I  enjoying a movie together for well under $50.  I used to watch sports a LOT more, I used to like sports more, but its just not worth it anymore.  In sports, the betting, the commercials, the 'lets separate money from our fans at all costs to keep the Billionairs pockets lined and players salaries growing not to mention the the 'hot take' mentality and fan vs fan behavio.... It has worn me down.

On the other hand, with professiona sports and Disney and concerts, it wouldn't make sense for the owners/businesses to charge less.  If you are charing "$X" for your product, and people are willing to pay "$2X" than it would be silly for them not to I guess.

Edited August 28 by mjd1001

[Archie Lee]

10 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

It is the 'higher end' experiences that are in demand and the price is skyrocketing.

I agree with you on the comparison to Disney.

We go to movies a lot. Like 20-30 times a year at the theater.  

We get matinee tickets (usually go on weekends, early show so we have the evening free) for about $26 for both of us for tickets.  We get buy without snacks there usually.  My wife will OCCASIONALLY buy the overpriced popcorn as a way to 'support the theater', but we often eat out after the movie or just come home and eat.  Plus, go as much as we do and you earn 'reward points' that give you a free popcorn once a month or a free movie ticket every couple of months.

Every movie isn't great, but we enjoy the vast majority. I look at it this way...a move is MADE to be enjoyable. The best Writers, producers, actors, directors, have one job..make a 2 hour movie that people will like. With sports, if your team loses 1/2 of the time, 1/2 of the time you are going home 'not happy'.  And the teams job is to win...there are many teams that TRY to slow the game down, try to play the trap in hockey, try to grind the clock in football....all things that are not enjoyable for me to watch.

I know many disagree, but going to a sporting event now can be a multiple hundred dollar event isnt' as worth it as my wife and I  enjoying a movie together for well under $50.  I used to watch sports a LOT more, I used to like sports more, but its just not worth it anymore.  In sports, the betting, the commercials, the 'lets separate money from our fans at all costs to keep the Billionairs pockets lined and players salaries growing not to mention the the 'hot take' mentality and fan vs fan behavio.... It has worn me down.

On the other hand, with professiona sports and Disney and concerts, it wouldn't make sense for the owners/businesses to charge less.  If you are charing "$X" for your product, and people are willing to pay "$2X" than it would be silly for them not to I guess.

I so agree with the  bolded. We are selective about concerts and theatre tickets. We basically go when we know it is something we will love.  You could pay the same for a sporting event and have it be a 3 hour snooze-fest, or worse.

[mjd1001]

26 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

I so agree with the  bolded. We are selective about concerts and theatre tickets. We basically go when we know it is something we will love.  You could pay the same for a sporting event and have it be a 3 hour snooze-fest, or worse.

Yeah, could you imagine if you went to a concert or a movie, and there was a person there who's job it was to make the product less enjoyable for the paying customers?

In the NHL, you have coaches where their entire job is to slow the game down and make sure there are less chances. Players and coaches that are there to make sure McDavid is cross checked or hooked every chance he can be, Coaches and pitchers to 'pitch around' or outright walk guys like Barry Bonds years ago, or Aaron Judge now.  In Football, lets have DB's hold the top WR's, lets give the star QB and extra 'shot' to see if we can rought him up.  

Yep, coaches and players in sports actually EXIST to make the product less enjoyable for fans..but do so to make a name for themselves.

[EM88]

Just now, mjd1001 said:

Yeah, could you imagine if you went to a concert or a movie, and there was a person there who's job it was to make the product less enjoyable for the paying customers?

In the NHL, you have coaches where their entire job is to slow the game down and make sure there are less chances. Players and coaches that are there to make sure McDavid is cross checked or hooked every chance he can be, Coaches and pitchers to 'pitch around' or outright walk guys like Barry Bonds years ago, or Aaron Judge now.  In Football, lets have DB's hold the top WR's, lets give the star QB and extra 'shot' to see if we can rought him up.  

Yep, coaches and players in sports actually EXIST to make the product less enjoyable for fans..but do so to make a name for themselves.

That exists in the universe of Concerts and Movies also. They are called critics and youtube bloggers.  Their entire schtick is to be negative and bring down shows, movies, concerts, and performers to get a few more clicks and views.

[Weave]

47 minutes ago, EM88 said:

That exists in the universe of Concerts and Movies also. They are called critics and youtube bloggers.  Their entire schtick is to be negative and bring down shows, movies, concerts, and performers to get a few more clicks and views.

Yeah, but none of them actually inhibit the performance of the actors and musicians 

[tom webster]

On 8/27/2026 at 5:21 PM, mjd1001 said:

The Salaries go up because the cap goes up...but the cap only goes up when fans pay more. Pay more for cable/streaming to watch the games because. Pay more for Jerseys. Pay more for tickets, Pay more for concessions, parking, new stadiums, etc.

We take it as a given that 'the cap just goes up', but it is just as much of a given that watching/taking part in fandom is going to be costing fans more by the same rate.

So many people say there is a limit to how much people will pay, but so far there really hasn't.  It is why I have 'checked out' of so many sports though.  About a decade ago I stopped watching baseball totally (in my 20's I'd watch 100+ games a year).  NFL?  I went from never, EVER missing a Bills game and having any game that was televised on, at least in the background, to watching Zero games start to finish last year (no full Bills games, No superbowl, nothing). The NBA vanished from my radar about 15 years ago, and honestly I feel like I'm starting to slide down the same path with the NHL at the moment.

But for many/most...going to games, subscribing to cable or streaming to watch them, buying merchandise.....that part of their entertainment life is 'non-negotiable', no matter how expensive it has gotten. To each their own.  I have my own quirks with spending myself.

Wow, over $20M and 8 years. I didn’t think he’d get both

[PASabreFan]

To borrow a line from The Beatles, did Zach Benson not notice that the lights had changed? Or as LGR suggested, does he not care about the money?

[tom webster]

5 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

To borrow a line from The Beatles, did Zach Benson not notice that the lights had changed? Or as LGR suggested, does he not care about the money?

There are going to be a lot of players unhappy with their agents.

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, tom webster said:

Wow, over $20M and 8 years. I didn’t think he’d get both

It probably makes sense for Colorado to go to 8 years if he is getting $20m per.

Forwards tend to 'slow down' quicker than D-men as they age. At the end of his deal, He'll be what, 36-37 years old?  Not ideal, but I'd rather have a 36-37 year old D-man on a big contract than a forward that age.

Who knows what the cap will be near the end of it. I'm guessing by the end of it this thing might only be 10%-12% of the cap (equivalent to $10-$12.5m in todays dollars), which is still not good for someone that age. But again, not as bad as it could be.

Overall, I don't like giving that money and term  to someone who will be 29 years old when the deal starts, especially when the other important teammates will be on the wrong side of 30 (McKinnon wil be 32 when Makars new deal starts, Toews will be 34, Brock Nelson 36, and Landeskog 34 going on 35), but you need to sign him if you want to be in the mix as a cup contender for the next 3-4 years, and this is the cost of doing that.

[K-9]

4 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

Related to rising costs for discretionary items:  When the kids were pre-school to middle-school age, some years we would take them out of school for a 8-10 days in January (then a low season) and head down to Disney World.  It's now been 6-7 years since we have been there (pre-covid).  I was cleaning out an old email folder and found the receipt from the first time we went in 2012.  Our 10 night trip at a Disney hotel with park passes and the free dining plan, came in at $3100.00 (USD). For amusement I went to their website and entered same dates, same hotel, same aged kids, as close as I could get to the same park passes, free dining isn't nearly as common today, and the cost was just under $9K (USD).  Nearly a 200% increase. As with major league sports, and concerts, and theatre tickets, etc., there appears to be no end to what people will pay for such experiences. 

Fortunately, increasing wages have kept up with inflation. 

Yeah, right.

[Broken Ankles]

[K-9]

46 minutes ago, Broken Ankles said:

[SabreFinn]

This contract also means that Artturi Lehkonen probably will be on the market. He is a player with a rare ability to score in important moments. Adding a player like him to our left wing would be fantastic.

[LGR4GM]

12 hours ago, K-9 said:

Fortunately, increasing wages have kept up with inflation. 

Yeah, right.

Saw something the other day where the US wages compared to goods is at the point it was in 1928. But at least nothing happened then... also the wealth gap between what the bottom 90% have and the top 10% is equivalent to France in 1789.

But hey! At least we aren't run by an unserious con man with more bankruptcies than Bills fans. 

[LGR4GM]

14 hours ago, tom webster said:

There are going to be a lot of players unhappy with their agents.

Yea but not Benny. I don't think that it's money isn't important to him, I just think it doesn't hold sway over him. Like Bombadil and the 1 ring.