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After a gruelling 2024-25 season that saw Cale Makar play 80 games for the Colorado Avalanche and another four for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, the superstar defenseman has enjoyed a rare week off as he prepares to do battle with the Dallas Stars in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“I'm feeling good,” Makar told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview on Wednesday afternoon. “It's obviously been a long year, especially for guys that went to 4 Nations, you don't really get too much of a break, so it's been pretty tough.
“You want to make sure you're ready to go going into playoffs, I think everybody's getting there. It's just nice to have this little break here before, make sure everybody is dialed in and ready to go.”
Besides finding time for much-needed rest and relaxation, Makar had the chance to take in a couple of Colorado Eagles games — the Avs' AHL farm team — and watch a familiar face in action. His brother, Taylor, was signed by the organization to a one-year deal at the end of March.
“It's awesome to be able to have him here,” Makar said. “Really nice to be able to watch him this weekend and see a couple of games, it's the first time I've watched him live in a long time. He's definitely got all the intangibles, it's just once he puts them all together I think he's going to have a great career.”
Cale hopes his brother has a long professional career, one that can be reflective of the legendary one he is carving for himself with the Avalanche. After being drafted fourth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, Makar won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022, capturing the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP after posting 29 points in 20 games.
He's just the third blue liner in the last decade to win the award, and first since Victor Hedman was bestowed the honor in 2020. And Makar has been even better in 2024-25, scoring an eye-opening 30 goals along with 92 points.
It's the first time in 15 years that a defenseman has scored 30; Makar is also just the ninth defensive player in league history to accomplish the feat. It's probably not too bold to assume a second Norris Trophy is coming his way this June — he was just named the league's best defenseman by the NHLPA, after all.
“Very honored to be mentioned in that category, any time it comes from guys you play against and play with is pretty special,” Makar said. “Knowing that they see you on a nightly basis and watch that and vote for you to be up there with the best is pretty cool. Definitely very honored and humbled by everyone mentioning me in that.”
Cale Makar could be the difference in powerhouse Avalanche-Stars series
The honors are nice, but what Makar really wants is another Stanley Cup. And to get there, the Avalanche will have to take out Mikko Rantanen and the Stars in what could be the marquee matchup of the first round.
“It's gonna be tough. Personally since I've been here, been kicked out of the playoffs twice by Dallas and they're a very tough team to beat,” he explained. “They have a lot of good playoff players and a lot of great depth down the lineup. For us, it's going to be finding little things we can expose, they have so many threats on their team up and down the lineup, so it'll be a tough test.”
It will be a huge challenge for Colorado, but with a revamped roster, including a new starting goaltender and a few savvy trade deadline acquisitions, Makar is confident. It definitely won't hurt to get captain Gabriel Landeskog back, either, who hasn't played an NHL game since lifting Lord Stanley in June of 2022.
“I think confidence should be really high, we haven't even played a game it seems like this year with everyone in the lineup,” Makar told ClutchPoints. “The turnover that we've had is pretty special, for management to have that faith in us and bring in all those guys to give us the best chance to succeed is pretty cool.”
Along with Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, Makar has partnered with Great Clips this season, the Official Hair Salon of the NHL and NHLPA. The company is giving away a trip and tickets to the 2025 Stanley Cup Final as part of the ‘Check-In to Win' campaign, a place the 26-year-old is hoping to return to for the second time in four years.
“Definitely since I got the haircut there, and did the shoot and things, my game has taken a bigger step after that, that's for sure,” Makar said with a smile. “Haircut seemed to help the points and the game and help me play better.”
Whatever it is, it's working for Cale Makar. Still the league's best defenseman in 2025, Colorado is going to go as far as the Calgary, Alberta native takes them this spring.
