Colorado Avalanche teammate pokes fun at Cale Makar following Norris Trophy win

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews took to social media to congratulate teammate Cale Makar on winning his second career Norris Trophy on Wednesday.

Toews, who is also Makar’s partner on the Avalanche’s top defense pairing, posted a heartfelt message on X, congratulating his friend and teammate, but managed to poke some fun at the 2025 Norris Trophy winner:

"Congrats to Cale on another well deserved Norris Trophy! The best in the game, a great human, and an amazing friend. Extremely proud of you buddy… although a real man would be walking not using a cart!"

The playful jab came on the heels of Makar taking part in a golf match when he was surprised with the news of his Norris Trophy win.

But Toews couldn’t let go of the fact that Makar rode a golf cart instead of walking to the next hole.

Fans won’t mind Makar taking the cart from hole to hole. If anything, fans are happy he does so he can save his legs for the ice, not the golf course.

Cale Makar wins Norris Trophy after season for the ages

Cale Makar had one heck of a season in 2024-25. He entered the season among the favorites to capture the best defenseman of the year award, but he didn’t just win the award, he torched the competition.

In 80 games this past season, Makar netted 30 goals and added 62 assists for 92 points. The 30 tallies were the first time a blue liner scored 30 since Mike Green of the Washington Capitals in 2008-09.

Moreover, Makar became just the ninth rearguard in NHL history to score 30 goals in a season.

That’s a pretty impressive accomplishment.

Makar has now won two Norris Trophies in his first six seasons. The award comes in addition to the 2020 Calder Trophy and the 2022 Conn Smythe. Plus, Makar has emerged as one of his generation’s best defensemen, scoring 116 goals and totaling 428 points in 395 games. He’s a plus-136 in his career, to go with 22 goals and 85 points in 79 playoff games.

The Colorado Avalanche superstar also added the gold medal at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February this year.

If Makar retired today, he would already have a compelling Hall of Fame case despite playing just six seasons. Of course, Makar is not leaving the game, so we can look forward to another few more seasons of total domination.

Barring any devastating injuries, Cale Makar become one of, if not, the NHL’s best blue liner in history. That’s a bold statement but it’s not hyperbole.

In my nearly 40 years of following hockey, I haven’t seen a blue liner like Makar. I saw Paul Coffey, Ray Bourque, and Brian Leetch, among others to suit up in the NHL. And, it’s easy to compare Makar to all of those former greats.