"Not even the best player on his team": NHL fans debate analyst's take on whether Cale Makar ranks as league's second-best player following McDavid

By Ankit Kumar

Modified May 01, 2024 12:08 GMT

As the NHL playoffs unfold, one name that has sparked intense discussion among hockey enthusiasts is Colorado Avalanche defenseman, Cale Makar.

Makar has eight points and two goals in the last four games, helping his team take a 3-1 lead in the first-round playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets.

Spittin' Chiclets host Ryan Whitney took to X to pose a question about Makar's place among the NHL elite.

"Is Cale Makar the second-best player in the NHL? (Obviously McJesus is first). My vote is yes."

Whitney's tweet was accompanied by a poll, inviting fans to weigh in with their opinions.

However, as with any contentious topic in sports, opinions among NHL fans vary widely.

"Not even the best player on his team or best defenseman in the NHL this year," stated a fan.

"Makar is amazing and the best d man in the league but he’s not even the best player on his own team," one fan said.

"No. Makar is above McDavid. He absolutely shut him down in the 2022 WCF and made it look easy. Cale Makar > Connor McDavid," a fan said.

Some fans went on to explain their perspective.

"Best dman and it’s not that close. I do think a few players like Drai or Mack or even AM34 are arguably second best. I think there have been times this year where Mackinnon especially could have been argued as the best player in the world," a fan detailed.

"I believe that if McDavid played D he would master the position and still lead the NHL in scoring. Both him and Makar are unicorns," a fan commented.

"Honestly you could argue best. The gap between him and the 2nd best defenseman is miles. The gap between McDavid and Mackinnon or whoever you think is the 2nd best forward is not as big," a fan wrote.

Cale Makar contributed two points in 5-1 win

Valeri Nichushkin's two power-play goals and an empty-netter propelled the Colorado Avalanche to a decisive 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4. Artturi Lehkonen and Cale Makar also scored for the Avalanche, securing a 3-1 series lead. Makar added an assist.

Nathan MacKinnon assisted twice, while Nate Schmidt netted the lone goal for Winnipeg.

The Avalanche dominated, outshooting the Jets 35-26 and shutting down their offense effectively for a third straight game.

The Jets face a must-win situation going into Game 5.