The Cale Makar era in Colorado is officially on the way.
College hockey's top prospect signed an entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday and will join the team in the middle of their playoff run. He could play as soon as Monday, when the Avs will host the Flames in Game 3 of their opening round series.
BREAKING: Avalanche top prospect Cale Makar has signed his ELC with the team and his deal starts this season, per a team spokesman. #Avs
— Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) April 14, 2019
The 20-year-old Canadian defenseman was drafted fourth overall by the Avalanche in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He's coming off a sophomore season at UMass Amherst in which he won the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA's top player and led the Minutemen to their first title game in program history. UMass finished as runner-up after losing to Minnesota Duluth in the championship on Saturday night.
Makar picked up 16 goals and 49 points in 41 games for UMass and had a plus-59 goal differential (82 goals for, 23 goals against) while on the ice this year. With great skating ability, an outstanding two-way skill set and high hockey IQ, Makar is considered to be one of the purest blue line talents to come out of the college hockey ranks in some time.
He'll join an Avalanche team that is currently knotted up 1-1 in their first-round playoff series with the West's top-seeded team in Calgary. Makar could potentially crack the Avs' lineup and have an immediate impact as they look to hang with the Flames.
However, Makar's signing is something of a gamble for the Avalanche. If he plays in a game for the club this postseason (which, again, is expected) then they'll burn the first year of his three-year, entry-level contract. Not only will that make Makar due to become a restricted free agent a year earlier, it also means the team will have to include him on its protected list for the Seattle 2021 expansion draft.
But signing Makar now and surrendering that year of his ELC sends a message from the Colorado front office: They're committed to this year's group and believe that Makar can be enough of an impact player from the jump to warrant the sacrifice.
