Colorado Avalanche defender Cale Makar has been crowned the top rookie of the 2019-20 campaign.
The Calgary, Alta., native logged a monstrous effort to earn the Calder Memorial Trophy win in his first big-league go-round, skating more than 21 minutes per night and amassing 50 points through 57 games in the process.
While his Calder win comes as a result of his regular-season success, Makar’s already proven to be a clutch playoff performer as well. After debuting in the NHL during the 2019 playoffs with six points through 10 games in his first-ever run in an Avalanche sweater, Makar put up 15 points through 15 games this time around, while skating a team-leading 23:41 minutes per night.
Makar beat out fellow dynamic defenceman Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks – who put up 53 points during the regular season himself and 17 in the post-season, albeit both in more games than Makar – and Chicago Blackhawks 30-goal-scorer Dominik Kubalik.
The 21-year-old Makar joins teammates Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog as Calder winners on the Avalanche roster, with the forwards winning in 2014 and 2012, respectively.
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