Cale Makar has already carved out a place all over the Avalanche record book, and the numbers keep stacking up.
Among defensemen in franchise history, Makar now sits first in regular-season goals with 136, assists with 371, points with 507, power-play goals with 45 and power-play points with 208. His playoff résumé is just as loud: 26 goals, 64 assists, 90 points and six game-winning goals, all tops among Avalanche defensemen.
His impact goes beyond Colorado’s own record books, too. Since arriving in the league, Makar leads all NHL blueliners in goals with 136, points with 507 and playoff goals with 26. He also ranks second among Avalanche defensemen in shorthanded ice time with 832:36.
The start was immediate. Makar scored just 16:02 into his NHL career, finding the net in Game 3 of the First Round in 2019.
He followed that by winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie in 2019-20, then became a Norris Trophy finalist in each of the last six seasons. He won the award in 2022 and 2025.
One of his biggest scoring peaks came in his second Norris Trophy campaign, when he became the first defenseman to score 30 goals in a season since Mike Green in 2008-09. And during Colorado’s 2022 Stanley Cup run, Makar delivered 29 points, with eight goals and 21 assists, in 20 games while averaging 27:04 of ice time per night before being voted the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
In Other News...
Avalanche Just Made A Franchise-Defining Cale Makar Commitment
The Avalanche have locked in the centerpiece of their roster for the long haul, agreeing to an eight-year extension with Cale Makar that begins in the 2027-28 season. It is the kind of move that signals exactly where the franchise sees itself going, with one of the NHLs premier defensemen now tied to Colorado well into his prime after becoming a defining force for the team since 2019.
The deal carries an average annual value of $20.4 million, making Makar the highest-paid player in NHL history and putting his cap hit right near the upper limit allowed under the collective bargaining agreement. For Colorado, the broader significance is obvious: this is not just about rewarding a star, but about ensuring the Avalanche continue to build around a player whose awards, production and impact have already shaped the teams identity. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche May Have A Late-Blooming Prospect Closer Than Fans Think
TJ Hughes has become one of the more interesting names in the Avalanche pipeline, not because he fits the usual blue-chip prospect mold, but because his path has taken a little longer to come together. The 24-year-old center/left wing was ranked No. 6 on Colorados Top 25 Under 25 list for 2026 after wrapping up his college career at Michigan, where he finished as a Hobey Baker finalist and Big Ten Player of the Year. He also signed an entry-level contract with the Avalanche that begins in the fall of 2026, giving the organization a clear next step with a player who has already built a strong rsum.
Hughes may also be closer to NHL relevance than some fans realize because of what he did with the Colorado Eagles in the AHL playoffs. He produced points, logged top-line minutes and looked like a player comfortable handling important shifts in a meaningful setting, which only adds to the case that his arrival could come sooner than a typical late-blooming prospect. For a team that is always looking to find value wherever it can, Hughes has put himself in the conversation as someone worth watching closely over the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Predators Roster Squeeze Could Matter More To Stars Fans Than Expected
The Predators have spent the offseason adding forward depth and bringing in one defenseman as they get ready for the NHL preseason, and all of those moves have turned camp into an early test for the players already on the bubble. For an organization trying to sort out its next version of the lineup, the competition is centered on names like Reid Schaefer, Ozzy Wiesblatt and Joakim Kemell up front, along with Ryan Ufko on the back end, each of them trying to prove there is room for him when the games start to count.
For Avalanche fans, the larger point is that this kind of roster squeeze in Nashville can ripple beyond a single camp. The preseason will decide who sticks, who gets more development time and who heads elsewhere for now, and those decisions can shape how the Predators deploy their depth at the start of the year. With several players fighting for limited spots, the next few weeks should tell a lot about how ready this group really is. [Read more 🡒]