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The Personification of Positionless Hockey: Cale Makar

Gavin Daly / NHL / May 12, 2021

The Personification of Positionless Hockey: Cale Makar

When I played youth fútbol in Ireland, I could often tell who the best player on each team was before the game started. They always played midfield and would often sit the deepest of all the players so they could easily pass the ball to teammates upfield or weave their way through the defense for a goal. Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalance applies this “best player” style of play to hockey instead, and he has become a pioneer of positionless hockey in the process.

Despite his listed position as a defenseman, Makar’s quickness and trickery are more comparable to an NHL forward or even a center. The Canadian averaged more than a point per game all season, but Makar’s first real opportunity to showcase his positionless skillset came in a set against the Los Angeles Kings. It was announced that Nathan MacKinnon, star center for the Avalanche, would not be suiting up, forcing Makar to step in and step up. He did just that.

The Avalanche are not letting up in their pursuit of winning the West and with another set against the Kings on the horizon, Makar will have another chance to wake up the hockey world to his unique combination of talents. MacKinnon returned in Monday’s 2-1 win over the Las Vegas Golden Knights, but his performance was not a memorable one. MacKinnon was forced to leave the game and headed to the locker room in pain (although he would return a short time later). MacKinnon’s post-return struggles have been a cause for concern in the Avalanche front office, and it would be unsurprising if Makar suited up for the remaining regular-season games in MacKinnon’s stead and unleashed his positionless playstyle on the opponents of the Avalanche.

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Maybe I am just listening to Jeff Marek’s ideas too intently, but it is within the realm of possibility that Cale Makar ushers in an era of positionless hockey.