Avalanche lock up Cale Makar in a massive move for their future

The wait appears to finally be over for Avalanche fans.

Word is spreading that Colorado and superstar defenseman Cale Makar are getting close to putting pen to paper on a new contract extension, and the buzz around it picked up fast on Wednesday.

According to Elliotte Friedman, momentum is building toward a resolution, and the sense around the league is that this is no longer a matter of if, but when.

Makar is entering the final year of his current six year, $54 million deal, which carries a $9 million cap hit, and he's eligible to sign an extension right now.

Given everything that's been reported this summer, this tracks.

Joe Sakic has repeatedly said Makar will finish his career in Colorado, and Friedman has echoed that same confidence on NHL Tonight, pointing out that term, not money, is likely the last real sticking point between the two sides which appears to now be getting resolved.

There's also a real deadline pushing things along.

Under the new CBA, teams can only offer their own players an eight year extension through September 15.

After that, the max drops to seven years.

That gives Colorado a strong incentive to get this wrapped up soon rather than risk losing a year of control.

As soon as full contract details come through regarding salary and term, we'll have everything you need to know right here.

Once the official number is out, it could make Makar one of the highest paid defensemen in NHL history.

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