Cale Makar avoids focusing on milestones, even though he often finds himself in the spotlight. The Colorado Avalanche defenseman isn’t one to seek attention, despite his impressive achievements.
On Saturday, Makar reached a new milestone by scoring his 100th career goal in his 362nd NHL game. This made him the fifth-fastest defenseman to reach that mark since the 1943-44 season. Only Hall of Famers Bobby Orr (299 games), Paul Coffey (300), Ray Bourque (329), and Denis Potvin (348) reached it faster.
As usual, Makar downplayed the significance of the milestone. Two days before reaching the 100-goal mark, he said, “I guess just another thing along the way. I don’t really look at (milestones) like that. I wish it would come and go.”
However, his teammates are quick to praise him. Mikko Rantanen, who has played alongside Makar since his debut in the 2018-19 playoffs, said, “You kind of forget how special he actually is. He’s one of the best ‘D’ ever to play the game.”
With 101 career goals (he scored twice on Saturday) and 287 assists, Makar has an average of 1.07 points per game. If he keeps this pace, it would put him among the best defensemen in NHL history, joining players like Orr (1.39) and Coffey (1.09) for the highest career points per game.
“I’m a little biased, but you’re watching one of the best defensemen that’s ever played the game,” said coach Jared Bednar, who coached Makar to a Stanley Cup in 2022 and described him as the best of the best. “The league has a handful of guys that are super-dynamic right now. I think that’s a trend that we’re going to see moving forward. But in my opinion, he’s the best of the best.”
Makar is also a key player for the Avalanche, averaging 25 minutes and 37 seconds of ice time per game, which is the third most in the league.
“The stuff he does on the ice, it’s incredible,” said fellow defenseman Keaton Middleton. “He’s one of a kind.”
Middleton, who is trying to score his first NHL goal, listens closely to Makar’s advice on generating offense. “If he’s saying, ‘Try and shoot here,’ I’m going to be like, ‘OK, I’m listening to him.’ Just try and learn as much as I can,” said Middleton.
“I’m not going to try and play like him, because that’s not my role. But I definitely could take what he knows and his knowledge and his skill and try to apply it to myself.”
Makar’s skill was on full display when he scored his 100th career goal on a power play during a 6-3 win over Dallas. Positioned at the top, Makar passed the puck around before getting it back from Nathan MacKinnon. Makar then fired a rising wrist shot past Dallas goalie Casey DeSmith.
“It’s certainly impressive,” said Bednar of Makar’s milestone. “We’ve talked about that for years now, some of the milestones that he hits, and the timing of him, how quickly he hits them.”
Makar, who will participate in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament for Team Canada next month, is also having another strong season. He’s already recorded his fifth 50-point season, the most by a defenseman in team history. He started the season on a 13-game point streak, which is the second longest streak by a blue-liner to start a season, behind only Orr’s 15-game streak in 1973-74.
“It’s fun to watch,” Middleton said of his teammate. “I don’t know what (other) words I can use to describe him. I guess I’ve got to get a thesaurus.”
