Could it be possible that Makar pulls a ‘Hughes’ on Avalanche?

One of the most notable soundbites from the Colorado Avalanche’s end-of-year press conference on Thursday was Joe Sakic’s affirmation that superstar defenseman Cale Makar is going nowhere.

Considering that Makar’s next contract is going to be “pretty big,” and that the organization has to round out its roster to remain competitive while Makar and Nathan MacKinnon remain in their primes, that contract could become a major hurdle.

As such, what happens if Makar doesn’t get the payday he’s looking for? Moreover, what happens if this year’s Western Conference Final is as far as this core is going to get?

Those are factors that go into the calculus of a major superstar’s contract negotiations. If winning championships supersedes individual achievements, Makar will want to be with a team that gives him the best opportunity to win multiple Stanley Cups.

If money and personal accolades are the most important things, well, in that case, Makar will want to hit the market and go to the highest bidder.

Now, there is no indication whatsoever that Makar is a mercenary. He’s shown that he’s fully committed to the Avalanche and the organization’s success. That’s why I’m calling for a short-term deal, something in the three-year range that would ensure Makar gets paid, and still leaves him open to sign another massive deal.

But what if Makar pulls a Quinn Hughes and tells the Avalanche that he doesn’t want to re-sign in Colorado? As remote as it may seem, you would have to think that’s a possibility. It’s certainly something that has to be at the back of Joe Sakic’s mind.

And if we looked at things with a cold, heartless approach, this would actually be the worst offseason for the Avalanche to negotiate a contract extension with Makar.

Winning a Stanley Cup would have made re-signing Makar much simpler

Let’s head into an alternate timeline for a minute. Let’s suppose the Colorado Avalanche had gotten past the Vegas Golden Knights and were now on the verge of claiming the franchise’s fourth Stanley Cup.

Wouldn’t that situation have been the ideal scenario to re-sign Makar?

The Avs could have said, “Look, here’s what we got in mind for you,” and Makar could have said, “Sign me up for eight more years of this.”

Instead, the Avalanche had a historic season, and then crashed late in the playoffs. Makar was hurt for the tail end of the regular season and the entire playoff run. While some claim that the massive disappointment could become fuel for the team, that may not necessarily be the case.

Much of the offseason narrative last year was that the Avalanche would use the first-round exit at the hands of Mikko Rantanen and the Dallas Stars as fuel for a strong year this season.

Indeed, that was pretty much the case. But that situation did not culminate in a Stanley Cup. That’s why it would be surprising to see Makar have reservations about the team’s future. There might be a sliver of doubt regarding what the Avalanche have to do to get over the hump once again.

Think about it. The organization is running it back next season. So, what’s going to change to allow the Avalanche to win next year? Are they counting on opponents showing signs of backwardation? Is the organization thinking that Dallas and Minnesota won’t be as competitive next season?

Moreover, does the organization feel that the Pacific Division of the equation won’t be as strong next year?

Those are questions impossible to respond to. There are so many moving factors that handicapping what could happen next year is a fool’s errand.

Ultimately, you can only be sure about what you can control. That’s what the Avalanche are banking on. Makar will be back for one more season. But it might take a little bit more to convince the superstar blueliner that this core is still very much in its competitive window.

Until Makar inks an extension, hopefully this summer, there will always be some doubt as to his future and the team’s outlook, moving forward.