As Cale Makar prepares to reset the market with a historic extension, Edmonton’s front office must brace for Evan Bouchard’s inevitable—and expensive—demands for a massive payday.
The Edmonton Oilers will be watching closely to see how the imminent Cale Makar extension shakes out in Colorado. Reportedly close to being a done deal, everyone is waiting to see if Makar goes long-term and signs for close to the max allowable, or if he elects to go short-term, ensuring he's got another big payday in front of him.
Why would the Oilers care? The answer is Evan Bouchard.
Say what you want about Bouchard when comparing him to Makar; many will argue the two aren't comparable. At the same time, Bouchard is Edmonton's Norris Trophy candidate, most elite defenseman, plays huge minutes and racks up a ridiculous amount of points. He'll be looking at what Makar signs for and planning accordingly in 2028 when his deal can be extended.
Currently, Bouchard is making $10.5 million per season on a four-year deal. He just completed year one. Opting for a shorter-term so he could capitalize again at the age of 29, it appears he was ahead of the curve when it comes to how deals are trending. The salary cap is exploding and for anyone who believes Bouchard is overpaid, just wait.
Makar is likely to make anywhere from $18.5 - $21 million per season on this next deal. Some believe he'll go team-friendly. Others believe he'll align himself with Nathan MacKinnon. He could sign for eight years and earn $160-plus million, with 60% paid out in signing bonuses.
That deal will make Bouchard's deal look like chump change. Even if fans are right to suggest that Bouchard isn't on the same elite level as Makar, it will mean Bouchard gets a hefty raise.
The factors that play into all of this are fascinating. Makar might be thinking about staying in Colorado. Maybe he's trying to maximize his value. If he wants to align with other players and leave himself options, that's a possibility too. This is the kind of thing elite players are thinking about as more control winds up in the hands of the NHL's biggest stars.
Make no mistake, Bouchard is among them.
Perhaps he's a tier down. He's still legitimately a potential 100-point defenseman. He ranked second among defenseman in 5-v-5 points last season (ahead of Makar). He runs the power play and penalty kills. He's got defensive warts, but so does Makar -- anyone who plays as much as these guys do are bound to make mistakes.
Bouchard is elite. He's well paid, but the Makar deal guarantees he's set to be paid nearly double what he's making today.
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