Prospect Info: Cale Makar - D [4th Overall]

[tigervixxxen]

His thread on the prospects board is pretty positive now but I know you'll get a lot of stat watchers during the season. I'm not sure what I expect on that front, but obviously we are most concerned with his game developing because I really do think they might give him an AHL trial at the end of this season.

 

[Metallo]

Amherst has been bad and faces incredibly difficult competition (BU, Boston College among others). He made the commitment early to the program before his profile as a prospect skyrocketed. He stayed loyal, which is admirable.

I think the NCAA will be a fine place for him to develop, but I do wonder about the adversity he will face. On the positive side, he will get enormous amounts of ice time in all situations, which can only improve his game. On the negative side, he will face many losses and I am not sure what his point totals will be like. He may be playing with teammates that lack some of the higher skill to capitalize on the chances he creates.

It very well could be the case that he plays well and develops rapidly next year, but his point totals will be lacking on a bad team. As a result, it would not surprise me for many on these boards to downgrade him as a prospect, which will be a mistake IMO.

Thanks.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I'll be very happy if he puts up 18-22 pts on that team. Anything above that will be gravy for me.

We all knew by the start of the WJSS that he had outstanding skating and offensive skills but what really impressed me his last two games I saw was his defensive game. His D-game against top junior players was really good. His great mobility and active stick obviously helps him a lot but once he gets stronger, I think he will be pretty darn good defensively.

 

[Foppberg]

I was iffy about him originally, but he looked really good last night. Is there anymore games to be played?

Looking forward to following him this season for sure.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I was iffy about him originally, but he looked really good last night. Is there anymore games to be played?

Looking forward to following him this season for sure.

Nope, the camp is over now.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

His thread on the prospects board is pretty positive now but I know you'll get a lot of stat watchers during the season. I'm not sure what I expect on that front, but obviously we are most concerned with his game developing because I really do think they might give him an AHL trial at the end of this season.

If that happens that means one of two things: Makar somehow skyrocketed up through his development (very unlikely) or the Avs, in a desperate attempt to placate fans, signed another 1st rounder out of college earlier than they should have. The latter is most likely.

Yes I think Jost could have done with another year in college and then got signed at the tail end of this year.

 

[tigervixxxen]

If that happens that means one of two things: Makar somehow skyrocketed up through his development (very unlikely) or the Avs, in a desperate attempt to placate fans, signed another 1st rounder out of college earlier than they should have. The latter is most likely.

Yes I think Jost could have done with another year in college and then got signed at the tail end of this year.

Probably but I think he's open to the AHL. I don't think it's the worst thing to do if he's not ready then he spends a year in the AHL.

 

[McMetal]

I'm not as concerned about the quality of his teammates on a poor UM-A team than I am about the quality of the other team. He needs to prove he has a defensive game, too, and IMO it's all the better for him if the ice is tilted away from him a good amount of the time and he's forced to play without the puck.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Could not help but think that Makar wont be seeing much change in quality of teammates when I read this. Seems to me that he is going from the best AJHL team (51-5-4, 106 points in 60 games) to the worst NCAA D1 team (5-2-29, 5 points in 36 games)

I don't know how much you can judge that team off their previous record. There is supposed to be a ton of turnover from everything that is written about them. The coaching staff is new. I'm not sure if that's this off-season or last, but Makar mentions them making a change after he committed in past interviews, if I'm remembering right.

Hopefully it won't be that bad lol.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I'm not as concerned about the quality of his teammates on a poor UM-A team than I am about the quality of the other team. He needs to prove he has a defensive game, too, and IMO it's all the better for him if the ice is tilted away from him a good amount of the time and he's forced to play without the puck.

I really don't understand where this quality of competition concern is coming from. It's a tough and loaded conference.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I don't know how much you can judge that team off their previous record. There is supposed to be a ton of turnover from everything that is written about them. The coaching staff is new. I'm not sure if that's this off-season or last, but Makar mentions them making a change after he committed in past interviews, if I'm remembering right.

Hopefully it won't be that bad lol.

They were there last year but the players will turnover this year.

 

[CobraAcesS]

They were there last year but the players will turnover this year.

Ok, that's what I was thinking. Thanks

I need to get more familiar with College hockey. Especially with U of M 10 minutes away. I'm just now getting into the benefits of living in an area that has so much in the way of hockey development though.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

If that happens that means one of two things: Makar somehow skyrocketed up through his development (very unlikely) or the Avs, in a desperate attempt to placate fans, signed another 1st rounder out of college earlier than they should have. The latter is most likely.

Yes I think Jost could have done with another year in college and then got signed at the tail end of this year.

In the Avs's defense, Jost wanted to become pro as much as the Avs wanted him to so let's not put all the blame on them for signing him after only one year of college.

As for Makar if he is ready to at least play AHL after only one year of college as well then he is ready. Lots of top-10 picks get signed by their team after only one year of college so again let's not blame them for something that 1) hasn't happened yet and 2) lots of other teams do as well. I guess I forgot that it is the Avs and they do everything wrong.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

In the Avs's defense, Jost wanted to become pro as much as the Avs wanted him to so let's not put all the blame on them for signing him after only one year of college.

As for Makar if he is ready to at least play AHL after only one year of college as well then he is ready. Lots of top-10 picks get signed by their team after only one year of college so again let's not blame them for something that 1) hasn't happened yet and 2) lots of other teams do as well. I guess I forgot that it is the Avs and they do everything wrong.

Did Jost look NHL ready to you when he played at the end of the year? Of course he isn't going to turn down a chance to live out his dream, what, do you think that I think he should have rejected the contract?

I saw a player that still needs time to get stronger and iron out the kinks in his game and grow his confidence level. There was no need to rush him, he wasn't as refined ad Mikko was after his draft year but they were smart with Rants at least and let him play in the AHL and didn't rush him.

The Jost signing just seemed like a desperate move by a desperate GM looking to get some sort of life injected into the lineup, but it was too late by then and utterly pointless since the team minus a few players had long since packed it in.

But no, you're right, the Avs and Sakic are doing just fine and aren't as bad as people say. Our core will just magically put it all together one day and click. Last season was a fluke, the same group of players and HC can't possibly be any worse even though nothing has really changed.

The apologists here think that people down on the team are just moany haters, but really they're worse than the people who actually give legitimate and well thought out concerns about the team.

 

[GeniusSuperior]

I have no problem with Jost signing and playing last year and fully expect him to be in the NHL all of next year as well. It's not like kids stop developing in the NHL, and it's possible that it is actually the best place for their development. It's there that they have the best access to high level coaching (minus the Avs), training, diet, video, teammates, etc.

I expect and hope that Makar follows the same path, though it depends on how he looks throughout the year, and he is a defenseman which might also change things.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Did Jost look NHL ready to you when he played at the end of the year? Of course he isn't going to turn down a chance to live out his dream, what, do you think that I think he should have rejected the contract?

I saw a player that still needs time to get stronger and iron out the kinks in his game and grow his confidence level. There was no need to rush him, he wasn't as refined ad Mikko was after his draft year but they were smart with Rants at least and let him play in the AHL and didn't rush him.

The Jost signing just seemed like a desperate move by a desperate GM looking to get some sort of life injected into the lineup, but it was too late by then and utterly pointless since the team minus a few players had long since packed it in.

But no, you're right, the Avs and Sakic are doing just fine and aren't as bad as people say. Our core will just magically put it all together one day and click. Last season was a fluke, the same group of players and HC can't possibly be any worse even though nothing has really changed.

The apologists here think that people down on the team are just moany haters, but really they're worse than the people who actually give legitimate and well thought out concerns about the team.

Those 6 games were gold for Jost. He really got to see what he had to work on. Was he NHL ready? Of course not but he wasn't that far off. He has all summer to get stronger and a little faster.

And yes it is getting a little old to hear all the time that the Avs can't do anything right. They would find a way to get McDavid and Werenski and some people would find something negative about it.

 

[McMetal]

I really don't understand where this quality of competition concern is coming from. It's a tough and loaded conference.

Sorry, that wasn't very clear. I'm definitely encouraged by the fact that he's going to be playing against very good teams that are loaded with NHL prospects. And being on a lesser team only makes it more likely that he'll be forced to defend a lot, which is exactly what I hope to see out of him.

 

[McMetal]

Jost is NHL ready. He may not be a fully realized NHL top six forward yet, but he can play in this league and not be blown away by the competition. I don't buy this idea that just because a player isn't done developing yet that they don't belong anywhere near the big club.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Did Jost look NHL ready to you when he played at the end of the year? Of course he isn't going to turn down a chance to live out his dream, what, do you think that I think he should have rejected the contract?

I saw a player that still needs time to get stronger and iron out the kinks in his game and grow his confidence level. There was no need to rush him, he wasn't as refined ad Mikko was after his draft year but they were smart with Rants at least and let him play in the AHL and didn't rush him.

The Jost signing just seemed like a desperate move by a desperate GM looking to get some sort of life injected into the lineup, but it was too late by then and utterly pointless since the team minus a few players had long since packed it in.

But no, you're right, the Avs and Sakic are doing just fine and aren't as bad as people say. Our core will just magically put it all together one day and click. Last season was a fluke, the same group of players and HC can't possibly be any worse even though nothing has really changed.

The apologists here think that people down on the team are just moany haters, but really they're worse than the people who actually give legitimate and well thought out concerns about the team.

Lets look at players in and out who will replace a majority of games played this coming season.

In : Compher (21), Jost (6), Yakupov, Wilson, Ghetto (19), Barberio (34), Nieto (43), and likely two of Lindholm, Mirronov, Bigras. As well as possibly some games from Greer, JCB, and Meloche later in the season.

Out : Iginla (61), Beauchemin (81), Mitchell (65), Tyutin (69), Grigorenko (74), Martinsen (55), Bourque (65), Weirdo (57), Goldbuff (33). Even Gelinas played in 27 games last season.

That's 10 players who played a lot of games for us last season. I'm not even really one of these so called apologists, but if you are going to come off that hot, and make those kinds of accusations. You should keep the completely false statements out of it. Hell the only two pieces of trash left are Soderberg and Colborne, and one of them will likely be scratched regularly. Soda's contract will not easily be moved, and I don't think anyone wanted us paying assets to get rid of it either. Hell I am somewhat impressed they actually bought out FB. Sakic has done the basic **** right for the most part.

They even finally drafted defense with their top two picks. Which was one of my biggest complaints.

 

[McMetal]

Lets look at players in and out who will replace a majority of games played this coming season.

In : Compher (21), Jost (6), Yakupov, Wilson, Ghetto (19), Barberio (34), Nieto (43), and likely two of Lindholm, Mirronov, Bigras. As well as possibly some games from Greer, JCB, and Meloche later in the season.

Out : Iginla (61), Beauchemin (81), Mitchell (65), Tyutin (69), Grigorenko (74), Martinsen (55), Bourque (65), Weirdo (57), Goldbuff (33). Even Gelinas played in 27 games last season.

That's 10 players who played a lot of games for us last season. I'm not even really one of these so called apologists, but if you are going to come off that hot, and make those kinds of accusations. You should keep the completely false statements out of it. Hell the only two pieces of trash left are Soderberg and Colborne, and one of them will likely be scratched regularly. Soda's contract will not easily be moved, and I don't think anyone wanted us paying assets to get rid of it either. Hell I am somewhat impressed that actually bought out FB. Sakic has done the basic **** right for the most part.

They even finally drafted defense with their top two picks. Which was one of my biggest complaints.

Does any of that really matter though when it FEELS so true?

 

[CobraAcesS]

Does any of that really matter though when it FEELS so true?

Watch Sakic sign like 3 different PTOs over 30 now.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Leafs fans(And I mean a lot of them) are already considering Liljegren the best D prospect from this draft.


Saying he easily outplayed Makar, Foote, Brannstrom, etc. at the Summer Showcase.


That fan base is something else

 

[Foppberg]

I have the Liljegren thread on the Prospect main boards muted, Leafs fans are insufferable.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Leafs fans(And I mean a lot of them) are already considering Liljegren the best D prospect from this draft.


Saying he easily outplayed Makar, Foote, Brannstrom, etc. at the Summer Showcase.


That fan base is something else

Alot of insecurity amongst those posters. Just be happy for your guy. Everyone I talked to said Brannstrom was easily the best defender and it seems to be backed up here so thats prolly true.

 

[Balthazar]

Leafs fans(And I mean a lot of them) are already considering Liljegren the best D prospect from this draft.


Saying he easily outplayed Makar, Foote, Brannstrom, etc. at the Summer Showcase.


That fan base is something else

Someone on their board suggested that Liljegren did good but a bit below Brannstrom, Makar and Dahlin. It didn't go well.