NASHVILLE — Cale Makar has already won trophies for being the best defenseman in the league and the most valuable player during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the start of the 2023-24 campaign looks like a new level even for him.
Makar had three assists Monday night for the Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena — one shorthanded, one on the power play and one at even strength. At the 59-minute mark, Makar was going to be the story of the game in a 3-2 victory, or maybe 4-2 with an empty-netter. Instead, the Nashville Predators staged a swift, stunning comeback with two goals in 16 seconds to prevail.
That doesn’t diminish what Makar has already accomplished this season. The three assists in Nashville gave him 27 points in 17 games, which is second among defensemen in the NHL and tied for sixth overall.
That’s a 130-point pace over a full season.
“If you look at the shorthanded goal, (Andrew Cogliano) puts some pressure on the point, Cale steps up, picks off the pass and then a great move to spring the three-on-two,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said after the loss. “He’s skating and just heads up plays. Joining at the right times, leading the rush, joining the rush, defending hard.
“He’s got his game going right now, there’s no question.”
The only defenseman who has more points than Makar this season will also be at Ball Arena on Wednesday night. Vancouver Canucks star Quinn Hughes leads everyone in the NHL with 30 points in 19 games.
Makar was a near-consensus favorite to win the Norris Trophy in the preseason, but Hughes is having a huge year and has become the betting favorite on several prominent sports betting sites. The Canucks are third in the NHL standings, so it’s a big game for both clubs, but the two Norris hopefuls will likely take center stage.
Some of the numbers for Makar this season are staggering. He has collected three assists in back-to-back-to-back games. Three defensemen had accomplished that before in NHL history: Roman Josi in 2021-22, Ray Bourque in 1993-94 and Paul Coffey in 1987-88.
Makar already has five games with three or more points. The franchise record is seven, shared by Makar (last season) and Steve Duchesne, when the team was still in Quebec City. Makar also had six games with three or more points in 2021-22, when he won the Norris and Conn Smythe trophies. Tyson Barrie had five in 2014-15.
Makar currently leads all Canadians, regardless of position, in points with 27. He’s in the top 20 of the NHL in both even-strength points and power-play points, but he’s also tied for the league lead with three shorthanded points.
The only defensemen in the past 100 years to have 30 or more points in the first 19 games are Hughes this season, Al MacInnis in 1990-91 and Bobby Orr did it four times between 1969-75. Makar’s points per game number is slightly higher than Hughes’ and he can still become the fourth person on that list with at least three in the next two games.
Makar has already bested Hughes once this season. He became the fastest defenseman to reach 200 assists, doing it in nine fewer games than Hughes, the previous record-holder. He also set the record for fastest defenseman to 250 points (241 games), besting Orr’s previous standard by six games.
Tale of the tape: Makar vs Hughes
Colorado defenseman Cale Makar and Vancouver counterpart Quinn Hughes are both off to remarkable starts this season. Here’s a look at their numbers heading into Wednesday night:
| Cale Makar | Stat | Quinn Hughes |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Games | 19 |
| 4 | Goals | 8 |
| 27 | Points | 30 |
| 13 | Primary assists | 12 |
| 43 | Shots on goal | 58 |
| 8 | Multi-point games | 7 |
| 5 | Three-point games | 5 |
| 14 | Even-strength points | 16 |
| 10 | Power-play points | 14 |
| 3 | Shorthanded points | 0 |
| 23:56 | Time on ice/game | 24:27 |
| 56.02 | *Corsi for % | 54.45 |
| 57.11 | *Expected goals for % | 47.67 |
| 18 | *On-ice goals for | 23 |
| 12 | *On-ice goals against | 11 |
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