Colorado Avalanche: Cale Makar 2018-2019 Season in Review

Colorado Avalanche rookie defenseman Cale Makar made a big splash in his debut. Here’s his “season” in review.

Colorado Avalanche rookie defenseman Cale Makar… is a stud. That’s his season in review — he’s a hockey stud.

Ok, obviously there needs to be more than that.

Makar spent the majority of the 2018-19 season not playing for the Avs. Rather, he was still tearing it up at the NCAA level. Indeed, he helped put the UMass Minutemen on the map of elite college hockey.

Last season, Makar played 41 games with UMass. In that time he recorded 16 goals and 33 assists for 49 points. The Minutemen’s season concluded in the club’s first-ever Frozen Four and then championship series. Unfortunately, they lost to Minnesota-Duluth.

The championship game occurred on April 13. The day before, Makar was named the Hobey Baker winner as the top NCAA men’s ice hockey player in the nation. The following day, April 14, Cale signed his professional contract with the Colorado Avalanche.

And the following day he suited up to play in his first-ever NHL game which just, you know, happened to be in the playoffs. No pressure.

Not too much pressure because Makar recorded his first NHL goal in said game:

That’s right, just 16 minutes into his NHL career, Makar was tapping the ice letting, oh, you know, superstar Nathan MacKinnon know he, Cale, was open on the rush. And he scored that NHL goal.

With that goal, Makar became the first-ever defenseman to make his debut in the playoffs and score a goal in his first game.

I repeat: Cale Makar is a stud.

After two games in the Avalanche’s home barn, Makar and the team traveled to his hometown — Calgary. For Colorado was playing Makar’s home team, the team his parents had season tickets to and whom all his friends loved.

No pressure.

Still no pressure. Colorado would ultimately beat the Calgary Flames for a series win. Meanwhile, Makar himself earned an assist on the game-winning goal:

It was no fluke either — that was Makar shooting the puck for the opponent team in his childhood barn. Mikko “Please Sign with the Avs Soon” Rantanen banks it off the goalie for the GWG.

More from Mile High Sticking

Colorado played a seven-game series against the San Jose Sharks in round two. Cale Makar earned four assists in those seven games. In all, Makar played 10 total NHL games, all in the playoffs, and recorded a goal and five assists.

What. A. Stud.

Now, should we expect a continuation of that play from Makar in the upcoming season? Well, we certainly hope so. And he’s being touted as a Calder Trophy favorite despite the expected presence of Jack Hughes and Kappo Kaako next year.

A word of caution: Cale Makar is just 20 years old, and he’s entering his rookie season. If at first he doesn’t seem as studly as we’re all hoping after his playoffs debut, don’t throw him into the trash like many Avs fans want to do with 21-year-old Tyson Jost. Give the kid a chance.

Side note: Before the season ever even started, UMass tweeted out a picture of Cale Makar with his Minutemen teammates. I fretted because I saw k-tape on his knee — I’m well familiarized with the product since it holds my knee together. Well, turns out, according to an interview with The Athletic young Cale had over-worked the knee while training in the summer.

I was right to fret. But he’s good now, per the same interview.

dark. Next. Graves Ready for NHL Action

The Colorado Avalanche’s training camp starts in about a month, rookie camp much sooner. And players already have ice times at South Suburban. Hockey is nearly upon us, Avs Nation. We’ll get to see what Cale Makar can do in real life very soon.

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