Cale Makar enters the 2026-27 season with a new contract, another Norris Trophy chase and the full weight of Colorado’s blue line resting on his shoulders. The Avalanche star was the clear choice in an early staff projection for the League’s top defenseman, collecting 70 points and 11 of 15 first-place votes.
Makar sets the early Norris pace
Makar finished second in last season’s Norris Trophy voting, but he begins this campaign as the leading pick to take home the award for a third time. Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild placed second in the projection with 51 points and two first-place selections. Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, the reigning Norris winner, was third with 36 points.
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin received the other three first-place votes. The voting used a 5-4-3-2-1 points system.
- Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche: 70 points, 11 first-place votes
- Quinn Hughes, Minnesota Wild: 51 points, two first-place votes
- Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets: 36 points
- Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres: 29 points, three first-place votes
- Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens: 24 points
- Matthew Schaefer, New York Islanders: 14 points
- Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers: seven points
- Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars: three points
- Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators: three points
- Moritz Seider, Detroit Red Wings: two points
- Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning: one point
A record-setting deal and a complete resume
The 27-year-old Makar signed an eight-year, $163.2 million extension on Aug. 28. The deal starts this season and carries a $20.4 million annual cap hit, putting him in position to become the NHL’s highest-paid player.
Colorado general manager Joe Sakic said keeping Makar in Denver for the long haul was a major moment for the franchise and its market, calling the defenseman’s on-ice ability “special” and pointing to the security of having him under contract for the next nine years.
Makar already owns a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe Trophy, a Calder Trophy and two Norris Trophies. He has been a Norris finalist six times, a résumé that has arrived alongside production rarely seen from a modern defenseman.
- 79 points in 75 games last season
- 20 goals and 59 assists
- 24:51 average ice time per game
- Plus-32 rating
- 29 power-play points, third among NHL defensemen
- At least 20 goals in each of the past three seasons and four times in five years
Colorado felt his absence in the spring
The Avalanche had been rolling through the playoffs before Makar missed the opening two games of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights. Colorado lost both games. Makar returned for the final two contests, though he was not fully healthy, and the Golden Knights completed the sweep.
Sakic described the loss of Makar as a major factor in the series, noting that the Avalanche can deploy him for 30 minutes and organize the rest of their defense behind him. Against an elite opponent in the conference final, Sakic said, Colorado needed its top players available and at their best.
Makar’s value runs through every situation. He drives offense, handles shutdown work, plays on both special-teams units and has remained remarkably productive throughout his career. His 510 points in 472 NHL games work out to 1.08 per game, trailing only Bobby Orr at 1.39 and Paul Coffey at 1.09 among defensemen with at least 200 games played.
“We’re never going to find another one,” Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon said, adding that he believes Makar can become the greatest defenseman ever and praising the likelihood that he will spend his entire career in Colorado.
Makar says the team remains the priority
For all of the individual hardware on his shelf, Makar pointed back to the Avalanche when discussing his success after signing the extension. He said personal awards are tied to the club’s style of play and the team results Colorado produces.
The new contract does not appear to have softened his own expectations. Makar said he already places considerable pressure on himself to perform every season, and believes the deal could push him to raise that internal standard even further.
With a healthy Makar back on the Colorado blue line, the Norris field has a familiar player to chase from the opening puck drop.
