Colorado Locks in Makar's Future With Two-Year Deal; Depth Play Gets Runway

The Colorado Avalanche announced Monday that they've signed forward Taylor Makar to a two-year contract extension carrying an $875,000 NHL cap hit, keeping the 25-year-old within the organization through 2027-28. The deal's structure—a two-way contract in year one with a $300,000 guaranteed salary, then a one-way deal in year two—reflects a team comfortable with Makar splitting time between Denver and the AHL Eagles while maintaining organizational control.

Makar completed his rookie pro season with a productive campaign split between the AHL and occasional NHL appearances. His numbers in the minors were solid enough to warrant an extension, yet his limited action with the parent club suggests he remains on the periphery of Colorado's core depth rotation. The Avalanche are betting that another season of development yields either a reliable depth forward or a movable piece at the trade deadline—both outcomes improve their flexibility heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

From a betting perspective, Makar's extension carries no direct impact on near-term Avalanche totals or player props. His role is unlikely to expand significantly unless injury ravages Colorado's forward group or the team actively trades away current roster depth. The one-way contract in year two matters only if he forces his way into regular rotation, which would require either breakout performance in the AHL or a sudden opportunity in Denver. For now, he remains too far down the lineup to factor into game-to-game wagering. The extension is organizational housekeeping—a cheap depth lock that costs almost nothing against the salary cap while preserving rights to a young forward who may prove useful later.