Colorado Avalanche: Top 10 prospects entering the 2018 season

1. Cale Makar, D [19 years old]

Stats (UMass Amherst, NCAA): 34 gp, 5 g, 16 a, 21 p. T-50 scoring, T-54 goal scoring, T-51 assists, T-46 pts/g

21 points in 34 games don’t appear as good as the damage Timmins did. But the awards that Cale Makar picked up this season show how good he was as compared to the competition he faced, different competition than that of Timmins.

Makar was named to the NCAA (Hockey East) All-Rookie team, the Hockey East All-Star Third Team, the NCAA (New England) Rookie of the Year, the U20 World Junior Championships All-Star Team, and the WJC Top 3 Players on Team list. In the WJC, Makar scored the most goals and most points by a defenseman.

In addition, Makar was tied for 50th in scoring, 54th in goal scoring, 51st in assists, and 46th in points per game. Amongst defensemen under 20, Makar was tenth in scoring, tied for eighth in goals, was tenth in assists, and was eighth in points per game. That shows more the ability of Makar as opposed to the rest of his NCAA competition.

For a player who moves the puck incredibly well, who can skate and make quick decisions and who can jump into plays and make the defensive stops necessary, those are great signs. Makar will be one of the most dependable players on the Colorado Avalanche’s blue line since the Cups era. He’s not Ray Bourque, but if his ceiling is anywhere close, that’s an excellent thing.