Has Cale Makar already surpassed a prime Erik Karlsson in just his first 4 years?

KingDeathMetal

Registered User
Jun 7, 2015
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Long Island, NY
Yes and it's not particularly close. Makar's going to be a 100 pt player real soon - was almost this year. He's a better defensive defenseman than Karlsson ever was, and more gifted offensively. Yes, he plays on a better team, but Makar is so talented he'd be putting up close to the same numbers on any team he plays. He makes his team better, too.

And please don't give me this crap about "EK was top 10 in points!" When, early 2010s when the leading scorer maybe had 100 pts if they were lucky? The league's overall talent level is significantly better than even just 5-10 years ago. Scoring is up, so it's harder for a d-man to crack the top 10 scorers.

Not only do I take Makar all day every day over prime Karlsson, I take Adam Fox too. These new generation d-men are on a whole different level.
 

Fixxer

Registered User
Jul 28, 2016
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I'm not sure how accurate that statement can be. Erik Karlsson was far and beyond the best offensive weapon for the Senators. Cale Makar is one star among a bunch containing guys like Mackinnon, Rantanen, Kadri, and a strong defense to play the rest of the way.

It's like comparing apples and oranges. Prime Karlsson with he current Avs team would be a beast! Let's see if Makar can avoid injuries, as opposed to Karlsson.
 

Golden_Jet

Registered User
Sep 21, 2005
26,063
13,461
Yes and it's not particularly close. Makar's going to be a 100 pt player real soon - was almost this year. He's a better defensive defenseman than Karlsson ever was, and more gifted offensively. Yes, he plays on a better team, but Makar is so talented he'd be putting up close to the same numbers on any team he plays. He makes his team better, too.

And please don't give me this crap about "EK was top 10 in points!" When, early 2010s when the leading scorer maybe had 100 pts if they were lucky? The league's overall talent level is significantly better than even just 5-10 years ago. Scoring is up, so it's harder for a d-man to crack the top 10 scorers.

Not only do I take Makar all day every day over prime Karlsson, I take Adam Fox too. These new generation d-men are on a whole different level.
Lmao, top 3 or 4 in points actually.led his team for 4-5 years.
Terrible take on why the league didn’t have 100 point scorers. Ever heard of Patrick Kane, Crosby, OV. Malkin, list goes on and on.
 

KingDeathMetal

Registered User
Jun 7, 2015
1,180
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Long Island, NY
Lmao, top 3 or 4 in points actually.led his team for 4-5 years.
Terrible take on why the league didn’t have 100 point scorers. Ever heard of Patrick Kane, Crosby, OV. Malkin, list goes on and on.

Slow down and read. Did I say there were no great players? No. But there are so many more ELITE, superstar level talents in 2022 than there was in the mid-2010s, and I don't see how that's even a debate. The league hasn't had this much young, elite talent since the early 90s.

Prime Karlsson in 2022, with points adjusted, would have needed considerably more points to approach Top 10 in scoring today.
 
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Golden_Jet

Registered User
Sep 21, 2005
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Slow down and read. Did I say there were no great players? No. But there are so many more ELITE, superstar level talents in 2022 than there was in the mid-2010s, and I don't see how that's even a debate. The league hasn't had this much young, elite talent since the early 90s.

Prime Karlsson in 2022, with points adjusted, would have needed considerably more points to approach Top 10 in scoring today.
Yep there are great players in every era, including the dead puck era.
You said there were no players capable of 100 points, when scoring was obviously down. EK65 was 5 points from an Art Ross and led league in assists, first time since Bobby Orr.
 

TheDawnOfANewTage

Dahlin, it’ll all be fine
Dec 17, 2018
12,937
19,137
Yes and it's not particularly close. Makar's going to be a 100 pt player real soon - was almost this year. He's a better defensive defenseman than Karlsson ever was, and more gifted offensively. Yes, he plays on a better team, but Makar is so talented he'd be putting up close to the same numbers on any team he plays. He makes his team better, too.

And please don't give me this crap about "EK was top 10 in points!" When, early 2010s when the leading scorer maybe had 100 pts if they were lucky? The league's overall talent level is significantly better than even just 5-10 years ago. Scoring is up, so it's harder for a d-man to crack the top 10 scorers.

Not only do I take Makar all day every day over prime Karlsson, I take Adam Fox too. These new generation d-men are on a whole different level.

Ya, and Dahlin too! Makar, Fox, and Dahlin.
 
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Stephen

Moderator
Feb 28, 2002
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I'm not sure how accurate that statement can be. Erik Karlsson was far and beyond the best offensive weapon for the Senators. Cale Makar is one star among a bunch containing guys like Mackinnon, Rantanen, Kadri, and a strong defense to play the rest of the way.

It's like comparing apples and oranges. Prime Karlsson with he current Avs team would be a beast! Let's see if Makar can avoid injuries, as opposed to Karlsson.

Cale Makar was drafted to a last place team and is outscoring Nathan Mackinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Nazem Kadri on this current Avs playoff run and is still on his ELC. He's a star that stands out on a roster full of stars.
 

avsfan9

Registered User
Jul 28, 2011
4,107
2,950
Yeah…. No doubt now. This is the changing of the guard. Makar is pulling away from Karlsson legacy and on to Lidstrom and Bourque!
 
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Regal

Registered User
Mar 12, 2010
26,463
16,358
Vancouver
Yep there are great players in every era, including the dead puck era.
You said there were no players capable of 100 points, when scoring was obviously down. EK65 was 5 points from an Art Ross and led league in assists, first time since Bobby Orr.

Karlsson was 24 points the Art Ross
 

Lafleurs Guy

Guuuuuuuy!
Jul 20, 2007
78,552
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If Colorado wins the cup, Makar will win the Smythe and deservedly so.

It's been interesting watching the finals though. Mackinnon has been pretty invisible and to a lesser extent, so has Makar.

Neither one of them were really effective offensively in game one. In game two they both had a nice chance at the end of the first together but beyond that I barely noticed Mackinnon. As for Makar, he came on at the end but it wasn't one of his better games.

But that's the thing with great players, they can have a mediocre or even a "bad" game and still pot a couple of points.

What's really scary for Tampa is that Colorado has been the better team WITHOUT their two best players playing at their best.
 
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Tralfamadore

Don't Panic.
Sep 25, 2011
8,923
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If Colorado wins the cup, Makar will win the Smythe and deservedly so.

It's been interesting watching the finals though. Mackinnon has been pretty invisible and to a lesser extent, so has Makar.

Neither one of them were really effective offensively in game one. In game two they both had a nice chance at the end of the first together but beyond that I barely noticed Mackinnon. As for Makar, he came on at the end but it wasn't one of his better games.

But that's the thing with great players, they can have a mediocre or even a "bad" game and still pot a couple of points.

What's really scary for Tampa is that Colorado has been the better team WITHOUT their two best players playing at their best.

What game did you watch? Makar had an exceptional game in his own zone and scored 2 goals.
 

TheRarestDangles

Registered User
Oct 1, 2019
1,510
2,588
Denver, Colorado, USA, Earth
If Colorado wins the cup, Makar will win the Smythe and deservedly so.

It's been interesting watching the finals though. Mackinnon has been pretty invisible and to a lesser extent, so has Makar.

Neither one of them were really effective offensively in game one. In game two they both had a nice chance at the end of the first together but beyond that I barely noticed Mackinnon. As for Makar, he came on at the end but it wasn't one of his better games.

But that's the thing with great players, they can have a mediocre or even a "bad" game and still pot a couple of points.

What's really scary for Tampa is that Colorado has been the better team WITHOUT their two best players playing at their best.
Why does it seem you dislike Makar? Seems like every post of yours is a bit passive aggressive and is some attempt to minimize/discredit his performances. He didn't have, by any metric, a mediocre or bad game. Did Makar hurt you or something? What gives?
 

Lafleurs Guy

Guuuuuuuy!
Jul 20, 2007
78,552
49,941
Why does it seem you dislike Makar? Seems like every post of yours is a bit passive aggressive and is some attempt to minimize/discredit his performances. He didn't have, by any metric, a mediocre or bad game. Did Makar hurt you or something? What gives?
I think Makar is superb. I think he could turn out to be the best blueliner since Lidstrom. He's not at his peak yet and will improve. I like him a lot.

But thread titles like this invite a pushback. He has to prove it. He hasn't done this yet. And when I hear people talk about how awesome he's been in the finals... I'm watching these games too man. He really hasn't been that great. YES his stat line tonight will look fantastic. But he really didn't pour it on until late in the game. He hasn't really been the player he can be.

And btw, I really like Mackinnon too. He's been invisible.
 
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WatchfulElm

Former "Domi a favor"
Jan 31, 2007
6,095
4,111
Rive-Sud
I think we are witnessing the most talented NHL defenseman since Bobby Orr.

It's too early to tell if he can be as well rounded and be effective for as long as Niklas Lidstrom, but in terms of talent alone, Makar is a really rare specimen.
 
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SeanMoneyHands

Registered User
Apr 18, 2019
15,269
14,602
If Makar wins the cup this year and the Conn Smythe, thats ummm something a prime Karlsson has never accomplished.
 

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