Avalanche’s Joe Sakic Has Much Smaller Margin for Error Thanks to Big Contracts

Building a winning team in the NHL might be fun and games, but when it comes time to keep that team together, business becomes much more difficult. Just ask the Colorado Avalanche, who handed out a record contract extension to superstar defenseman Cale Makar last week.

When Makar’s extension kicks in for the 2027-28 season, the Avalanche will have $65.254 million of the projected $113.5 million salary cap tied up in Makar, Nathan MacKinnon ($12.604 million), Martin Necas ($11.5 million), Devon Toews ($7.25 million), Brock Nelson, ($7.5 million), and Gabriel Landeskog ($7.0 million) – that’s six players accounting for 65 percent of the salary cap.

With nearly two-thirds of his budget wiped out, general manager Joe Sakic will have to get creative to find legitimate contributors in unlikely places. His margin for error has become razor-thin as the Avalanche attempt to keep their contention window open through the prime years of their superstars.

Superstars Are a Necessity…

It may seem imprudent to invest that much cap space in a handful of players, but it helps when those are some of the best players in the league. Sakic was right when he said, “You need superstars to win.” MacKinnon is the best player not named Connor McDavid. Makar is still the unquestioned top defenseman in the NHL.

The simple fact is that teams need a legitimate superstar to win the Cup, with only a few recent exceptions. The Carolina Hurricanes won the 2026 Cup with a few borderline stars (Sebastian Aho, Jacob Slavin), but no player who could be called a superstar. The St. Louis Blues won in 2019 without a true star. Ditto for the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, though Anze Kopitar was awfully close.

Of the last 10 teams to win the Cup – the Avalanche included – only those three teams didn’t have a certifiable superstar on the roster. They were also stocked top to bottom with very, very good players, some of whom fall on that “Hall of Fame” border.

…But Depth Is Critical

We will get an early look at how Sakic has handled his team’s depth with a few new pieces making their debut. He had to ship out the valuable if somewhat enigmatic Valeri Nichushkin, the overpriced Ross Colton, and the undervalued (but increasingly expensive) Jack Drury to make the contract situation tenable.

Every recent championship team had crucial depth pieces. Taylor Hall for the Hurricanes, Anton Lundell for the Florida Panthers, Ivan Barbashev for the Vegas Golden Knights, and Ondrej Palat for the Tampa Bay Lightning are just a few names that played big roles.

The superstars will get their pound of flesh from the opposition, but it is often the depth player who comes up big in big moments. With all the extra attention paid to the MacKinnons and the Makars of the world, depth is often the difference between an early tee time and hoisting 30 pounds of silver and nickel.

Can Sakic Unearth More Gems?

This regime has already found valuable contributors in unlikely places. Artturi Lehkonen has been an impactful addition. Logan O’Connor is one of the most valuable depth forwards in the league. Parker Kelly is coming off a career-high in goals. Sam Malinski played so well he forced Sam Girard out of town.

Make no mistake, finding superstars is extremely difficult. But one of the great challenges for an NHL general manager is finding those key depth pieces and fitting them under the salary structure. Sakic has already proven himself to be a very good executive after a Hall of Fame career on the ice. If he can steer the team to another Stanley Cup championship, it will certainly cement his legend both on and off the ice.