Matthews McDavid Makar: Fast Track to Hockey Immortality

The present state of Makar’s career is impressive.

By the age of 25, Makar’s points-per-game as a defenseman are second only to Orr. This stat is boosted by his later start in the NHL at age 21, skipping the early teenage years. Despite starting late, his debut season was stellar, winning the Calder Trophy and setting a high pace for future seasons.

Last season, Makar missed five games and didn’t quite hit his usual two-way dominance. Even so, he scored a career-high 90 points, earned another Norris finalist nod, and racked up 15 points in 11 playoff games. On a weaker Avs team, his defensive stats dipped while Hughes took off with the Norris trophy . If this “underwhelming” version is top-three in his position, imagine what a fully resurgent Makar could do.

Fans might think that if he stays healthy and consistent, he could be one of the best ever.

Future Prospects

In just five seasons, Makar has outpaced many peers like Heiskanen and Sergachev in adjusted points. By age 26, he’s projected to surpass several Hall of Famers including Serge Savard with an estimated 437 adjusted points. Roman Josi was already trailing him by 130 adjusted points at this same age.

Looking ahead, career projections estimate Makar could reach around 958 points—potentially joining an elite group of defensemen with over 1,000 career points. This despite starting later than most fourth overall picks and missing some games due to injuries last season. If he can stay on the ice consistently, becoming the best defenseman since Lidstrom isn’t out of reach for him.

Closing Thoughts

Instead of celebrating these incredible performances people often focus on what athletes haven’t achieved or blame them for team shortcomings. It’s easy to criticize contracts or nitpick their game but doing so masks their magical displays on ice.

The starts for players like Matthews, McDavid and Makar are unmatched in today’s game—and even across generations! Staying healthy and excelling in such a competitive league isn’t guaranteed so let’s appreciate these talents while they’re here.

What do you think? Are we witnessing greatness?