The Avalanche announced Sunday that they have signed defenseman Cale Makar to a three-year, entry-level contract, and he will immediately join the team for their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against Calgary.
The Avalanche tied the best-of-seven series 1-1 on Saturday with a 3-2 overtime win on a goal by Nathan MacKinnon. Games 3 and 4 will be played at the Pepsi Center on Monday and Wednesday, respectively.
Makar, 20, completed his sophomore season at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst on Saturday when the Minutemen lost 3-0 to Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA Frozen Four championship game in Buffalo.
The 5-foot-11, 187-pound Makar, a Calgary native, was named on Friday as the winner of the 2019 Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s best player.
The Avalanche’s first-round pick (No. 4) in the 2017 NHL draft, Makar had 49 points (16 goals, 33 assists) in 41 games this year. He was Hockey East Player of the Year, an AHCA First Team (East) All-American and the Leonard Fowle Award recipient as New England Player of the Year.
“Cale obviously had a tremendous season, winning the Hobey Baker and getting his team to the Frozen Four,… Colorado general manager Joe Sakic said in a release. “He is a game-changing type of player who made a lasting impact on the UMass hockey program. We are excited to have him join our team.…
Makar also helped UMass to its first No. 1 ranking in school history, set program records in wins and conference wins, and capture the team's first-ever Hockey East regular-season championship. Makar was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Northeast Regional.
Makar was the first defenseman to lead Hockey East in scoring, and he broke the UMass single-season school record for points by a defenseman, topping the previous mark of 41 set by Thomas Poeck in 2003-04. His 1.20 points-per-game average ranked eighth among all NCAA skaters.
As a freshman in 2017-18, Makar had 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) in 34 games. He was a Hockey East Third-Team All-Star and was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.
Makar helped Team Canada win the gold medal at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo when he was named to the tournament’s all-star team after collecting eight points (three goals, five assists) in seven games.
The highest drafted defenseman in Avalanche history, Makar was named the 2016-17 Canadian Junior Hockey League’s Most Valuable Player, Alberta Junior Hockey League Most Valuable Player and the AJHL’s Most Outstanding Defenseman in his final season with the Brooks Bandits. He led all AJHL defensemen in scoring with 75 points (24 goals, 51 assists) in 54 games.
He had 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 13 playoff contests to help the Bandits win their second consecutive AJHL championship.