DENVER (KDVR) – At 22 years old, Cale Makar is leaving his mark in hockey.
On Tuesday, the NHL named the Colorado Avalanche defenseman as one of three finalists for the Norris Trophy, which is awarded annually to the league’s top defensive player.
He joins Adam Fox from the New York Rangers and Victor Hedman from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the nomination.
Makar finished the 2020-21 regular season with eight goals and 36 assists totaling 44 points in the 44 games he played.
Drafted in the first round by the Avalanche in 2017, he made his NHL debut in the 2019 playoffs against the Calgary Flames, scoring a goal on his first shot.
Makar becomes the second Avalanche player to be named a finalist for a league award, joining goaltender Philipp Grubauer who was named as a finalist for the Vezina trophy.
The Norris Trophy winner will be revealed during the Stanley Cup Semifinals and Stanley Cup Final, with exact dates, format and times to be announced.