Cale Makar Bio
Cale Douglas Makar, born on October 30, 1998, is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who serves as a defenceman and alternate captain for the Colorado Avalanche in the National Hockey League. The Calgary native was selected fourth overall by the Avalanche in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft after a distinguished junior and collegiate career. Makar won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie in 2020, captured the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league’s best defenceman in 2022 and 2025, and was a key contributor on the Avalanche squad that won the Stanley Cup in 2022.
Widely regarded as one of the top defencemen of his generation, Makar combines elite skating, puck-moving vision, and offensive production that is rare for his position. Internationally, he has represented Canada at the 2018 World Junior Championships and at the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025. He is also among the first players named to Canada’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Early Life and Background
Cale Douglas Makar was born on October 30, 1998, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is the son of Gary Makar and Laura MacGregor, and he was named after former NHL player Cale Hulse. Growing up in Calgary, Makar developed his love for the game while cheering on the hometown Calgary Flames, and he is of Ukrainian descent on his father’s side.
Makar began his organized hockey career within the Crowchild Blackhawks minor-hockey program before advancing to the Northwest Calgary Athletic Association (NWCAA) Bruins at the Bantam level in 2011. He also played bantam with the Calgary Flames before joining the NWCAA Stampeders at the minor midget level. His family connections to the sport run deep, as his father’s cousin, Tom Lysiak, was a notable professional player, and his younger brother Taylor later pursued his own NHL dream.
Path to Professional Hockey
Makar’s ascent through the junior ranks was swift and decorated. He was originally selected in the eighth round of the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft by the Medicine Hat Tigers, but chose to pursue a different development path. Returning to the Calgary Flames for the 2014–15 minor midget season, he led the team in scoring with 23 points in 34 league games and was named Most Valuable Player.
To maintain his NCAA eligibility, Makar joined the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) as an affiliate player at the end of that season. By 2015–16, he established himself as a standout defenceman with 55 points in 54 games, capturing AJHL and CJHL Rookie of the Year honors along with multiple RBC Cup awards. In 2016–17, he led all AJHL defencemen in scoring with 75 points and became the first player ever to be named RBC Cup MVP in back-to-back seasons, cementing his status as a top NHL prospect before the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
Cale Makar Career
College Career (2017–2019)
Despite his blue-chip prospect status, Makar honored his commitment to play collegiate hockey with the UMass Minutemen of Hockey East. As a freshman in 2017–18, he assumed a top-pairing role immediately and finished the season with 21 points in 34 games, earning co-Rookie of the Year honors from the New England Hockey Writers Association.
In his sophomore season of 2018–19, Makar elevated his game to another level. He became the first Minutemen player honored as Hockey East Player of the Year after leading the league’s defencemen in scoring and finishing second in the conference overall. On April 12, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA men’s hockey player. The following night, UMass fell 3–0 to the University of Minnesota Duluth in the Frozen Four final, but Makar’s college legacy was already secure.
NHL Breakthrough (2019–2021)
On April 14, 2019, the Avalanche signed Makar to a three-year entry-level contract. He scored his first NHL goal on his first shot in his debut during Game 3 of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Calgary Flames, becoming the first defenceman to score a playoff goal in his NHL debut. The following season, Makar made the Avalanche’s opening lineup and posted 28 points in 29 games before an upper-body injury briefly slowed his momentum.
On January 18, 2020, Makar set a new Avalanche franchise record with his 11th goal of the season, surpassing John-Michael Liles for most goals by a rookie defenceman. He finished the year as a Calder Memorial Trophy finalist alongside Quinn Hughes and Dominik Kubalík and ultimately won the award as the NHL’s top rookie. In 2020–21, he was named a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy and finished second in the voting.
Stanley Cup and Norris Era (2021–2023)
On July 24, 2021, Makar signed a six-year, $54 million contract extension with the Avalanche. By October 28, 2021, he had reached 100 career points in just 108 games, tying Sergei Zubov as the sixth-fastest defenceman to hit that milestone. On March 25, 2022, he scored his 24th goal of the season to break the Avalanche’s single-season record for goals by a defenceman, finishing the year with 28 goals and 58 assists.
Makar captured his first James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2022 and then powered the Avalanche through the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs with a team-leading 29 points, the fourth-most by a defenceman in a single postseason in NHL history. His dominant run earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, making him only the third defenceman to win both the Norris and Conn Smythe in the same season. In 2022–23, he reached 200 career points in just 195 games, the fastest pace for any NHL defenceman, and was named a Norris finalist for the third consecutive year.
Continued Dominance (2023–2025)
During the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, Makar received a one-game suspension, the first of his NHL career, after a controversial hit on Seattle’s Jared McCann. Despite the setback, he continued to produce at an elite level in subsequent seasons. On March 6, 2024, he recorded his first career NHL hat trick in a 7–2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, becoming the first Avalanche defenceman to accomplish the feat since Sandis Ozoliņš in 1999.
In 2024–25, Makar reached new offensive heights by recording his 30th goal on April 3, 2025, becoming only the ninth defenceman in NHL history to reach that mark and the second in the post-lockout era. He finished the season with 92 points, ninth in league scoring overall, and was named a finalist for both the Norris Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award. On June 11, 2025, he was awarded his second career Norris Trophy, receiving 176 of 191 first-place votes.
Driving Style and Strengths
Makar is widely regarded as a dynamic, offensively gifted defenceman whose elite skating and puck-handling allow him to drive play from the back end. He is exceptional on the power play, where his vision and shot generate consistent scoring chances, and he possesses the speed to transition seamlessly from defense to offense. His poise under pressure and ability to read the game at both ends of the ice have established him as a complete, modern-era blueliner.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Makar’s signature accomplishments are his 2022 Stanley Cup victory, his Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, and his back-to-back Norris Trophies in 2022 and 2025. He holds Avalanche franchise records for goals by a rookie defenceman and goals in a single season by a defenceman, and he reached 200 career points faster than any defenceman in NHL history. His Hobey Baker Award in 2019 further cemented his reputation as one of the most decorated players of his generation.
Cale Makar Career Wins
Throughout his professional career, Cale Douglas Makar has accumulated an impressive collection of individual awards and team championships. His honours include the Calder Memorial Trophy, two James Norris Memorial Trophies, the Conn Smythe Trophy, the Stanley Cup, the Hobey Baker Award, and a gold medal at the 2018 World Junior Championships. He also helped Canada capture the 4 Nations Face-Off title in 2025, adding a senior international trophy to his resume.
NHL Highlights
Makar’s first NHL win came in his debut during the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, when he scored on his first shot against the Calgary Flames. His rookie regular season culminated in the 2020 Calder Memorial Trophy, followed by his first Norris Trophy in 2022 and a Stanley Cup championship the same year. Most recently, he earned his second Norris Trophy in 2025 after a 92-point season that placed him among the league’s top scorers.
Junior and Collegiate Achievements
Before turning professional, Makar dominated at every level of his development. He won back-to-back RBC Cup MVP awards with the Brooks Bandits and was named CJHL Most Valuable Player in 2017. At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, he became the program’s first Hockey East Player of the Year and won the Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA men’s hockey player in 2019.
Cale Makar Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Cale Douglas Makar is the son of Gary Makar and Laura MacGregor, and he is of Ukrainian descent on his father’s side. He was named after former NHL player Cale Hulse. His younger brother, Taylor Makar, signed an entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche on March 31, 2025, after spending three seasons with the UMass Minutemen, and was originally drafted by the Avalanche in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. His cousin, Mark Logan, played collegiate hockey at the Rochester Institute of Technology from 2015 to 2019, and his father’s cousin, Tom Lysiak, was a notable professional player.
Personal Life
Makar married his longtime girlfriend, Tracy Evans, in August 2024. The couple resides in the United States, where Makar continues his career with the Colorado Avalanche under a contract that runs through the 2026–27 season.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 season represented another milestone campaign for Cale Douglas Makar and the Colorado Avalanche. He reached the 30-goal mark on April 3, 2025, joining an exclusive list of NHL defencemen, and finished the year with 92 points, ninth overall in league scoring. His elite two-way play once again anchored the Avalanche’s defensive corps and power play.
His dominant season earned him his fifth career Norris Trophy nomination and his first Ted Lindsay Award nomination as the NHLPA’s most outstanding player. On June 11, 2025, he was awarded his second career James Norris Memorial Trophy, receiving 176 of 191 first-place votes, confirming his place among the league’s premier talents.
Off the ice, Makar added a senior international title by helping Canada win the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025, despite missing a group-stage game due to illness. He was also among the first six players named to Canada’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics, signaling another major stage on the horizon for the Avalanche superstar.