The Colorado Avalanche may have lost to the Chicago Blackhawks Monday night but their two superstars continue to light it up as October nears its end. Cale Makar assisted Nathan MacKinnon’s second-period goal as both players extended their season-opening point streaks to 10 games in the 5-2 loss.
Makar became the fourth defenseman in NHL history to record a point in each of his team’s first 10 games of a season, joining Hall of Famers Bobby Orr, Doug Wilson and Guy Lapointe. Wilson and Lapointe’s streaks both ended at 10, while Orr’s stretched to 15 during the 1973-74 season, per NHL.com
Makar has three goals and an NHL-leading 14 assists through 10 games, a ridiculous 139-point pace for a full season. MacKinnon is right behind him with 16 points. The reigning league MVP scored his fifth goal of the season off Makar’s pass. MacKinnon became the eighth player to record a 10-game point streak to begin multiple seasons.
While their point streaks continue, the Avalanche’s five-game win streak came to an end. The Avalanche got off to a brutal start a few weeks ago, dropping their first four games while allowing 25 goals. A comeback OT win over the Anaheim Ducks sparked the winning streak as the defense started to show up. The Avalanche limited opponents to 11 goals in their five wins.
Cale Makar is a rare breed
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) controls the puck in the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks at Ball Arena. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Few defensemen in the NHL possess the type of two-way skill Cale Makar does. The sixth-year star turns 26 on Wednesday and continues to prove he is in a league of his own among blueliners.
Makar is coming off his best offensive season yet after he potted 21 goals to go along with 69 assists for a career-high 90 points in 2023-24. Those are insane numbers for a defenseman, but Makar is so much more than the label of his position.
Makar’s vision across the ice is incredible, regardless of whether he has the puck on his stick. He’s as disciplined as they come and remains on the ice, rarely taking a penalty (no more than 30 penalty minutes in a season).
While 139 points is a stretch, reaching triple digits this season isn’t out of the realm of possibility for Makar. Only six NHL defensemen have notched 100 points in a single season. Erik Karlsson (101 in 2022-23) is the only one to do it in the 21st century.
Perhaps this point streak is only the beginning of a career year for Cale Makar. The 2022 Conn Smythe Winner has already accomplished so much in a short time in the NHL. It’s only a matter of time before he knocks down more feats and climbs the all-time leaderboards as an Avalanche great.
This article first appeared on NHL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.
