For the fifth year in a row, one name sits atop the NHL Network's annual ranking of the league's best defensemen. Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar was selected by NHL Network as the best defenseman in hockey for the fifth straight year, beating out Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes on the list chosen by the network's producers and analysts.
The recognition adds to what has become a sustained case for Makar's place among the game's all-time greats at the position. Analyst and former NHL defenseman Ken Daneyko drew a striking comparison, saying, "We were talking a couple years ago about Cale Makar and Bobby Orr in the same breath. I mean, that's just unheard of because Bobby Orr for all intents and purposes is the best defenseman to ever play the game; he changed the game. And Cale Makar has been that dominant since he has come into the National Hockey League. … He's still the best defenseman in the world, for my money."
The on-ice numbers back up the praise. Makar finished last season third among NHL defensemen with 79 points and was a plus-40, and after being named a Norris Trophy finalist, he joined Bobby Orr as the only defensemen in NHL history to be named a finalist for six of his first seven seasons in the league. He also became just the 11th defenseman in NHL history to score 20 goals in three consecutive seasons and was the first to accomplish that feat in over 30 years.
Off the stat sheet, Makar's contractual situation looms as one of the more closely watched stories heading into the new season. The 27-year-old is entering the final year of a six-year contract he signed in 2021 and could receive the highest cap hit for a defenseman in NHL history on his next deal.
Makar was not the only Avalanche blueliner to earn recognition on the network's list. His defensive partner Devon Toews came in at 20th, and both Toews and Makar represented Team Canada at the Winter Olympics, playing together as the country's top defensive pair. Last week, Avalanche forward Martin Necas was also recognized by the network, chosen as the 15th-best winger in the league.
Makar and the Avalanche are expected to report for training camp September 16, at which point contract extension talks and the team's early-season performance will draw renewed attention from fans and analysts alike.