Is Cale Makar a generational talent?

[mattihp]

Was Hedman considered the best d man in the league at 22? Not even close

Generational player needs the hardware to back it up. Needs to be consensus more than best at the position and clearly so.

 

[Nate070]

Yes, without a doubt.

However there are too many trolls from HP* Boards here, so it will take a decade or two before it gets generally acknowledged.


*Hockey's Past

So actual defending is not part of a DEFENSEman´s job anymore?

 

[Gurglesons]

Yes.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Generational Dman? Yeah, I think so. When we look back in 20 years from now I think it will.be clear he was the best Dman the league has seen since at least Lidstrom, maybe even further back.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

This guy is going to have well over 100 playoff games under his belt by the time he hits 29-30 years old. The fact he's only 22 and already has 31 playoff points is insane. I bet when he retires he goes down as one of the most clutch playoff dmen of all time.

 

[Tryblot]

Generational Dman? Yeah, I think so. When we look back in 20 years from now I think it will.be clear he was the best Dman the league has seen since at least Lidstrom, maybe even further back.

Better than Lidstrom? Wow. We'll see I guess.

 

[Arto Kilponen]

I have a strong opinion that for a player to be considered
1) best of generation
2) best of NHL
3) best of his team

is that the given player should at the very least be the #1 in ice-time in his position in his own team. Like at the very minimum.

 

[Arto Kilponen]

So actual defending is not part of a DEFENSEman´s job anymore?

Oh come on. He played clearly over 30 seconds of penalty killing per game for Avalanche in playoffs. That's more than what Connor Timmins got. A top-5. Isn't that enough?

 

[wintersej]

See above for my thoughts on generational players. That’s McDavid.

Just seems weird to dismiss Makar’s chances at being the top defender of his generation. Not saying it’s going to happen, but it’s certainly possible with the way he’s started his career.

It’s extremely possible. It’s also a loaded group not seen since pre Lidstrom days IMHO.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

When he retires I think he will be known as a more offensive Scott Niedermayer. And I'm pretty certain that Scott Niedermayer was his role model growing up too.

Makar skates just like Scott Niedermayer.
His outlet pass is just like just like Scott Niedermayer.

Makar will get better defensively as his body continues growing.

 

[Regal]

I have a strong opinion that for a player to be considered
1) best of generation
2) best of NHL
3) best of his team

is that the given player should at the very least be the #1 in ice-time in his position in his own team. Like at the very minimum.

I'm sure those extra 28 seconds would make all the difference

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Stop letting your ass speak instead of your mouth

Well, is he?

 

[El Travo]

Generational has lost all meaning. So no, he's not generational as of yet. Makar is one of the best D in the game today, there's no doubt about that. Calling him the best of a generation after two shortened (and injury prone) seasons is a hell of a reach and it only leads to bickering.

Although, people who are dismissing his talent in order to diminish his standing as a top defender clearly don't know what they're talking about. People look at offensively gifted defenders all the time and assume that they have to be lacking in their own end of the rink. Blocking a bunch of shots because you can't get the puck out of your own zone doesn't make you a good defender.

 

[MettleMcOiler]

He has a chance to be. He just has to prove all the naysayers wrong.

 

[yeaher]

Lidström was closest to being generational since Orr. But I agree.

Lidstrom or Bourque have been the best d man since but I don't see either as a generational talent, especially Lidstrom, the guy just kept getting better and better. I remember Forsberg undressing lidstrom for a huge goal in the playoffs in 96, 15 years later that wouldn't have happened.

 

[UseTheBoards]

I have been watching the Avs since 98 or 99... he moves the puck better than anyone I've seen in Colorado since Sakic and Bourque... the kid is going to break 1000 assists.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

Erik Karlsson’s peak wasn’t that long ago.

Makar has been more impressive to begin his career then Karlsson was. While Karlsson was absolutely elite it ended early due to injuries unfortunately

 

[ted2019]

No.

 

[SUX2BU]

If the bar is set that high, I guess there hasn't been a generational talent on forward since Gretzky either.

Lemieux

 

[McAsuno]

No.
Enough said.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Makar has been more impressive to begin his career then Karlsson was. While Karlsson was absolutely elite it ended early due to injuries unfortunately

Well, let's see if Fakar can win the Norris in year three.

 

[wetcoast]

Makar won the Calder in a close vote.

This is a false equivalency here as Makar had 116 first place votes in the Calder the 2nd guy had 53. there was one other first place vote for calder that year.

In Norris voting this year Fox had 40 first place votes, Makar had 31 and Hedman 20. the other 7 first place votes were spit among 5 other players.

He lost the the Norris the following year in a close vote. He's not an all situations d-man.

we all know why he lost and how close it was and as far as situational it's not because he is a poor PK guy, his metrics are actually really good and he played almost a minute per game on the PK but it's rather how his coach deploys him.

He's not head shoulders scoring wise over the competition. How is that generational? If he wins a Norris you can say he's the best d-man in the league. Over time he may even prove to be the best d-man of his era but that still has to be proven.

No he wasn't head and shoulders in actual scoring among Dmen in the last 2 years.

NHL Stats

But he is a clear 2nd in PPG among regular Dmen and only behind John Carlson who had a freakish October in 19, otherwise there is no sunlight here.

Is there anyone really taking John Carlson over Makar next year?

 

[wetcoast]

Almost certainly. Sure. Its not like Makar was the frontrunner and then got hurt and Fox snuck past him. Fox was the the fav pretty much all season, dominant from start to finish and actually is elite defensively and plays all situations. People complain that the Norris has become the D-man Art Ross but then complain that Makar should have won because he had the highest P/PG?

I can say Fox would almost certainly won the Calder too if he got to man the PP his rookie year.

This part seems really unlikely as Fox was on the nice for 17 PPGF and Makar for 27, not a huge difference there.

Makar had 27 ESP in 57 games for the Calder and Fox had 29 in 70 games.

 

[GordonGraham]

we will know in 3-5 years

 

[Eltuna]

Health will be a huge factor for him going forward, he plays a high octane, power offensive game which is rare for a defenceman. Had he actually been able to stay healthy this year, he would have won the Hobey Baker, followed by the Calder, followed by the Norris, all while accumulating 31 points in 35 playoff games as a defenceman.

Tough to start much better than that as a D. I could see this coming season or the next as his highest offensive output which is a normal age for highly talented players to peak offensively. There hasn’t been a 90 point dman since the 90’s, would be cool to see another this season.