Cale Makar's contract situation just took a real step forward, straight from one of the most connected voices in hockey.
Elliotte Friedman posted Wednesday that the "much-anticipated extension" for Makar and the Colorado Avalanche is closing in.
"Going to be a biggie, but a critical piece of business for the Avalanche," Friedman wrote before signing off.
That's a notable shift in tone. Just days ago, Avalanche voices were expressing confidence a deal would get done before the season. Now it sounds close to reality.
Makar posted 79 points in 75 games this past season, with 20 goals and a plus-32 rating. He's entering the final stretch before this deal reshapes his cap hit.
He currently sits at $9,000,000 against the cap, a number that ranks among the league's top defensemen but figures to climb significantly once a new deal lands.
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Cale Makar may be hours away from signing monster extension
Colorado finished the regular season 55-16-11, tops in the league with a plus-99 goal differential. Locking up Makar before camp keeps that momentum intact heading into a new year.
Friedman calling it a "biggie" isn't a throwaway line either. Deals reshaping a franchise's long-term cap picture rarely get described that casually by someone plugged in the way he is.
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Jared Bednar has leaned on Makar in every phase of the game, power play time, penalty kill duty, and closing shifts when games are tight.
Makar's playoff numbers back up that usage. He posted five points in 11 games this postseason, including four goals and a plus-5 rating.
None of this is finalized yet. Friedman himself signed off before laying out final terms, leaving fans to wait on the actual numbers.
But the direction is unmistakable now. What sounded like optimism a few days ago now sounds like a deal genuinely working its way toward the finish line.
For a fan base that's watched other markets drag out superstar negotiations into training camp chaos, this kind of momentum is exactly the signal Colorado wanted.
Whether the final number breaks any records for a defenseman remains the one piece nobody's confirmed yet.
Will Cale Makar's new deal make him the highest-paid defenseman in NHL history?
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