All hail Cale: Avs Makar wins Calder Trophy

FILE – In this Dec. 27, 2019, file photo, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, left, looks to pass the puck as Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba covers in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Denver. Makar has won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

by: Dave Althouse

Posted: Sep 21, 2020 / 07:57 PM MDT

Updated: Sep 21, 2020 / 07:57 PM MDT

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DENVER (KDVR) — Avalanche rookie defenseman Cale Makar is the NHL rookie of the year, winning the Calder Trophy on Monday.

Makar finished the 2019-20 season second among rookies in scoring with 50 points in 57 games. The 21-year-old recorded 15 points in 15 games during the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Makar is the first defenseman in franchise history to win the award and the sixth player overall (Drury, Landeskog, MacKinnon, Peter Stastny, and Forsberg).

Selected by Colorado in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2017 NHL draft, Makar spent two seasons at the University of Massachusetts, where he became the first player in school history to win the Hobey Baker Award as a sophomore. Seventy-two hours after winning the award, the Avalanche called him up, scoring in his first game in a Game 3 victory over his hometown team Calgary Flames.

Makar received 1,538 points, beating out Vancouver Canucks defender Quinn Hughes (1,337) and Chicago Blackhawks forward Dominik Kubalik (554).