The Avalanche’s Cale Makar dilemma may not be as simple as locking him up right away.
For the last couple of months, the push has been for Colorado to get an extension done as soon as possible. That logic is easy to understand: in any business, cost certainty matters, and the NHL is no exception. But there’s another side to the argument, and it starts with two other names on the roster - Artturi Lehkonen and Nic Roy.
Both forwards are set to become free agents after the season, and together they carry a $7.5 million cap hit. Add that to Makar’s current $9 million number, and the total lands at $16.5 million. That figure sits right in the range Colorado would need to work with to keep Makar on a deal that fits for the world’s best defenseman.
That’s where the uncertainty comes in. If the Avalanche want both Lehkonen and Roy back, they need clarity on what those contracts might look like before they commit to Makar’s next deal. Otherwise, the financial picture gets complicated fast.
Lehkonen, at his best, looks like a true top-six winger. He’s also shown he can deliver when the games get tight, which has made him a reliable playoff piece over the years.
But health is the big issue. He’s dealt with significant injury absences during his career, and while he played 70 games last season, he still hasn’t completed a full season in Colorado.
That makes his next contract a tricky call. If the Avalanche believe he’s worth keeping, would that number be around $4.5 million against the cap?
And if he’s willing to take less to stay in Colorado, the rising cap could help make that possible. Still, he’s one of the players who could find himself on the bubble this season if a younger player pushes for a spot and makes him more expendable.
Roy presents a different kind of decision. His $3 million cap hit buys Colorado a versatile middle-six center/winger, and that flexibility is exactly why the Avalanche gave up a first-round pick to get him.
But keeping him after this season could get expensive in a hurry. Roy could easily command twice his current salary on the open market, especially with so many teams looking for center help.
So yes, Colorado could still find a way to re-sign Makar while holding onto Roy and Lehkonen. But the case for waiting is clear enough: if the Avalanche want to know exactly where they stand with those two forwards, delaying the Makar extension until those situations are sorted out may be the smartest move.
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