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Colorado Avalanche: The Brilliance of Cale Makars Wrist Shot

By Karen Cherrett

DENVER, COLORADO - JANUARY 14: Cale Makar #8 of the Colorado Avalanche brings the puck off the boards against Alexander Radulov #47 of the Dallas Stars in the first period at the Pepsi Center on January 14, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - JANUARY 14: Cale Makar #8 of the Colorado Avalanche brings the puck off the boards against Alexander Radulov #47 of the Dallas Stars in the first period at the Pepsi Center on January 14, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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Cale Makar and his wrist shot are already on the way to becoming legends as a Colorado Avalanche player. It’s so destructive and beats players time again.

As any Colorado Avalanche fan knows Cale Makar made an impact, right from the very first game he played in last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Since then, during this years regular 2019-2020 season, up until the Corona Virus stopped play, he was a powerful piece of the Avalanche puzzle on the ice.

It’s his wrist shot that is part of that brilliance.

I’ve watched him come skating down the ice and pick that perfect spot, not far over the blue line where he just lets the puck go. And blow me down, it goes in. Whether that’s top-shelf in that square inch of open space in the top right-hand corner of the net, or whizzes past the goalies left ear.

It’s a shot that seemed to come so naturally to him.

And it was only after watching this video that I realized why. He’s been practising or using this shot for years.

They say that to perfect something you need to spend 10,000 hours doing it. Well, I’m guessing that Cale has spent well over that number of hours practising this shot.

He seems to do it so effortlessly.

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There’s no ‘trying’ in it.  Which makes it seem so easy.

Would I have any hope of doing it, skating down the ice at the speed he does? No way. And forget that I can’t even skate.

His talent with using this shot seems to have impacted his game. Watching the video I noticed the skill in his passing shots. And some of those shots are in the most ridiculous of situations.

In front of the next, three defensemen blocking the space and he finds room to shoot the puck cross-ice to Mikko Rantanen. Who does that?

This long-range wrister will be the Cale Makar signature shot.

It’s funny hearing Mark Moser call it. He uses the same phrase over and over. That’s the power of having a great shot that works.

You use it because you know you can.

And ‘GOAL’ … ‘GOAL’… ‘Colorado Avalanche wins the game’ or ‘Colorado Avalanche take the lead’ is what we love to hear.

This rookie defenseman is already making his mark on the hockey world at this elite level. That shot of his isn’t going anywhere.

And it will continue to be THE shot that supports the Avalanche to many wins in the future I believe.

Not only is it the shot that no one can hope to stop, but it also seems to be the shot that he can make from all angles without any detriment.

The NHL Commentator says that Makar will take over the spot as best defensemen in the NHL, from Eric Karlsson.  That’s a pretty great spot to be in.

Having listened to Cale speak though, it won’t be what he’s aiming for. His sole purpose during his time on the ice is to help his team win.

With that shot, he’s certainly doing that with and for the Colorado Avalanche.

Next. Playoff Predictions for Sam Girard. dark

I for one, am looking forward to this season being kick-started again, so I can continue to watch that Makar shot come off his stick and land in the net.

How about you?

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