Cale Makar

Ice hockey defenceman Cale Makar wasted no time making an impression in the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected by the NFL’s Colorado Avalanche with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 draft, he made an immediate impact debuting in the 2019-20 season, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. The next season he was nominated for the James Norris Memorial Trophy (awarded to the best defenceman in the league), and in the 2021-22s season he went one better and won the Norris. In 2022 he helped the Avalanche lift the Stanley Cup and won the Conn Smythe Trophy in the 2022 playoffs as the most valuable player. Makar has been widely cited as one of the best players of his generation and one of the best defencemen. The unstoppable Canadian has also played for Team Canada, capturing gold at the 2018 World Junior Championships.

Born in Calgary, Alberta, Makar played with the Crowchild Blackhawks minor-hockey program before transferring to the Northwest Calgary Athletic Association (NWCAA) Bruins and later the Calgary Flames at Bantam level. The hockey ace then committed to the UMass Minuteman program for his college career.

Described as a dynamic skater that creates offence whenever he is on the ice, Maker was snapped up with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by Avalanche, and scored his first career NFL goal with his first shot in the league against the Calgary Flames in the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Canadian has continued to impress ever since, and in 2022 became only the third defenceman in the history of the NHL to win the Norris and Conn Smythe Trophies in the same season.