In likely their biggest payday of the summer but probably the least in doubt, the Colorado Avalanche announced they had locked down star defenseman Cale Makar for six years.

The deal runs through the 2026-27 season. Bartlett Hockey — thanked by Makar after the contract was announced — tweeted that he’s due to make, by year: $8 million, $9 million, $11 million, $10.6 million, $8.7 million and $6.7 million.

Makar was second in voting for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top defenseman, last season at just 22. Through 101 regular-season games, the Calgary native’s 94 points make up the sixth-highest total by a blue liner in NHL history.

Already one of the league’s premier defensemen, Makar’s contract was in line with his peers’. The $9 million average annual cap hit would make him the team’s second-highest paid player behind Mikko Rantanen at $9.25 million per CapFriendly.

“Obviously we wanted something that would work and be realistic as well. This is a team that has a potential to win and to win now,” Makar said. “Obviously you don’t want to get in the way of any of that.”

The Hobey Baker winner was signed out of the University of Massachusetts during the 2019 postseason. He won the Calder Trophy as the league’s rookie of the year in 2019-20.

“To me, I feel like I’ve done nothing yet,” Makar said. “That’s kind of the outlook that I have — it’s just never be satisfied.”

Makar was the only defenseman in the NHL to average a point per game last season. He had 44 (8 goals, 36 assists) while missing time due to injury.

Makar said he never considered signing an offer sheet elsewhere, a rare event. But he is, as general manager Joe Sakic put it, a “franchise defenseman.” It would have been an “easy match” anyway.

“At least we know Cale’s number, which is big for us going forward,” Sakic said.

Unrestricted free agents Gabriel Landeskog, the captain, and Philipp Grubauer, the starting goaltender, will hit the market Wednesday at 10 a.m. if the Avalanche can’t agree on a deal before then.

“We’re hopeful we can come to terms as well and have them signed to be part of us as well,” Sakic said.

“They’ll probably, I’m assuming, look at where they are in in marketplace. They have to make that decision.”

Makar echoed Sakic’s hopes.

“We want all of us back. Especially Landy and obviously Gruby, they’re such key pieces to our team,” he said. “Those are definitely guys I’d love to see back and hopefully the club can work out something with them.”