Aarif Deen
With the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency in the rearview mirror, the bulk of the Colorado Avalanche’s offseason work is complete.
The biggest item still on the agenda is a contract extension for Cale Makar, one that would begin in 2027-28. You could argue it’s the organization’s most important piece of business since Nathan MacKinnon signed his eight-year extension in September 2022.
Makar is the main priority by a long shot. But he’s not the only one.
Another key piece of the group is also eligible for an extension that would begin in 2027-28. Artturi Lehkonen is entering the final season of his current contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent next July 1, just days before his 32nd birthday. Like Makar, Lehkonen is a priority for the Avalanche this summer despite having another year before free agency.
“We’re going to talk to their agents in the summer,” general manager Joe Sakic said ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft in late June. “All the extensions — once we get to mid-July, that’s when those talks start beginning. We’re definitely going to be looking to hopefully come to an agreement with Artturi as well. He’s such a big, important player for our team.”
Colorado acquired Lehkonen from the Montreal Canadiens ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, and he quickly became an integral part of the club’s Stanley Cup run. He scored the series-clinching goal in both the Western Conference Final and the Stanley Cup Final before signing a five-year extension that summer. His current deal carries a team-friendly $4.5 million cap hit, but his next contract will almost certainly come with a significant raise.
The Avalanche’s decision to trade Valeri Nichushkin earlier this summer only reinforced where Lehkonen stands in the organization’s long-term plans. Moving Nichushkin cleared salary and effectively signaled that Colorado views Lehkonen as the winger it wants to keep alongside its core.
If Lehkonen is looking for maximum term, there’s another incentive to get a deal done sooner rather than later. Sept. 15 is the final day players can sign eight-year extensions under the current CBA. After that, the maximum length drops to seven years.
Lehkonen has enjoyed the most productive stretch of his career since arriving in Colorado, posting his three highest goal totals, two best assist totals, and four highest point totals over his four full seasons with the Avalanche.