Cale Makar’s next contract could end up setting the market for the blue line in a way that reaches all the way to Matthew Schaefer.
Schaefer has already pushed his way into the conversation with the NHL’s best defensemen after just one year, but Makar still sits at the top of that class. And now, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Colorado Avalanche and Makar are getting close to an extension that’s expected to be massive.
That matters because Makar’s deal could become the number that everybody else points to next summer.
Over seven seasons, Makar has been a Norris Trophy force. He’s finished in the top three in voting six times, won the award in 2021-22 and 2024-25, and the only year he fell outside the top three was his rookie season, when he placed ninth. With this being the final season players can sign eight-year extensions before the new CBA trims the maximum term to seven years, an eight-year pact carrying a $20 million AAV is very much on the table.
That kind of number would ripple through the defense market, Schaefer included.
Schaefer is heading into his second pro season, which means he becomes extension-eligible next summer. The salary cap is still climbing, so a substantial raise is a given. The real question is how long the deal runs and how aggressive the money gets.
If Schaefer signs at 19 next summer, a bridge contract is one path. That kind of arrangement could carry him through the end of restricted free agency.
Another possibility is a longer bridge, similar to what the Islanders did with Noah Dobson, with a four-year deal that takes him to unrestricted free agency. Even that route would likely put Schaefer ahead of Bowen Byram’s current $12.5 million mark, and then set him up for a huge seven-year deal worth more than $20 million AAV after that.
There’s a long way to go before Schaefer reaches that point, but the contracts handed out between now and next summer could shape just how big his next one becomes.
In Other News...
Islanders Third Jersey Just Became A Bigger Long Island Story
The Islanders next third jersey is already taking shape as a Long Island statement piece, with the team leaning into a lighthouse theme that showed up again and again in fan entries. James Doyles Navy Lighthouse concept captured the spirit of the contest and tapped into one of the regions most recognizable symbols, giving the club a design that feels rooted in the place it calls home.
The jersey is still being refined, with matching pants, gloves and a helmet to be finalized before it is introduced next season. For Doyle, the win adds an extra layer to a project that clearly resonated with Islanders fans, and it now leaves the team with one more reveal to make once the full look is complete. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Just Sent A Clear Message About Player Development
The Islanders added two more pieces to their development infrastructure, continuing a quiet but clear emphasis on the work that happens away from the rink. Bryan Marshall is set to bring extensive experience in athlete development and performance coaching to the organization after being hired into a new role centered on strength and conditioning across the system, another sign the club wants its players handled with a more unified approach from top to bottom.
Andrew Kacsor is also coming aboard with a background built in professional hockey performance work, and he will join the staff in a role designed to support the day-to-day training process. For a team trying to sharpen every edge it can find, the move reinforces how much value the Islanders are placing on the people guiding players before they ever step onto the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Players Stepped Up For Long Island Kids In A Big Way
As summer slips toward the school year, the Islanders helped give local families one less thing to worry about by joining Northwell Health for a backpack giveaway at UBS Arena. Students in the Freeport School District got school supplies along with a day of activities, and the event had the kind of community feel the organization has tried to build around Long Island since moving into its new home.
Players and their families were on hand, underscoring that this was more than a photo opportunity and more than just another offseason appearance. For the Islanders, the event also served as another reminder of how closely the club and Northwell Health have tied themselves to supporting Long Island students, even as the details of this years effort keep that partnership moving in a familiar direction. [Read more 🡒]