Avalanche Defenseman Poised For Another Norris Trophy

The lead-up to Makar becoming this superstar-level defenseman was one that was a bit unexpected, though the Avalanche certainly felt they had drafted a special player.

While Makar was touted as a fantastic defenseman pre-draft, which earned him the distinction of being the second drafted defenseman in his draft class at fourth overall, just one selection after Dallas Stars superstar defenseman Miro Heiskanen.

Makar was okay in the junior rankings, while playing for the Brooks Bandits in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, but the speed at which he has established himself as one of, if not the top defenseman in the league is rather impressive. Over parts of three seasons, Makar participated in 111 games, posting 35 goals and 100 assists over that span.

In his draft year, the 2016-17 season, Makar had his most successful junior season, scoring 75 points in 54 games. This earned him the attention of the Avalanche. He followed that up with a solid freshman season, in which he recorded 21 points in 34 games.

Colorado was patient with Makar, and both sides agreed it was best for him to play out two full seasons in the NCAA, which allowed him to develop into a dominant collegiate defender. The move paid off, and when Makar arrived, he didn't look a touch out of his element.

Now, with his best statistical season coming last year, it's hard to doubt a guy who seems to be at the top of the sport and continues getting better. Now, in his prime, at 26 years old, Makar is a lock for the Canadian Olympic team for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games.

Makar has a Stanley Cup ring, and though the Avalanche haven't been able to get back to the Stanley Cup finals since their 2022 win, which appears to have the Calgary, Alberta native focused on getting back to the finals, which could go hand-in-hand with another brilliant regular season.