MacKinnon: Makar 'might be the best player in the league right now'

Nathan MacKinnon believes Cale Makar may be more than just one of the top defensemen in the NHL.

"He might be the best player in the league right now," MacKinnon said after the Colorado Avalanche's series-clinching win over the Nashville Predators on Monday night.

"The way he dominates from the back end is amazing - all season, but (in) these playoffs, he's taken another step with his leadership in the room, being more vocal, and obviously on the ice. ... He might be one of the best (defensemen) to ever play by the end of his career at this rate," MacKinnon added.

Makar notched a goal and two assists in Monday's 5-3 victory, giving him 10 points in these playoffs - the most in NHL history by a blue-liner through four games of a postseason. He entered Tuesday as the NHL's playoff points leader.

The 23-year-old is a finalist for the Norris Trophy. He topped all of the league's rearguards with 28 goals and ranked second at the position with 86 points while producing excellent underlying numbers this season.

Makar led the NHL among defensemen and ranked eighth among all skaters in both wins above replacement (four) and goals above replacement (22.7), according to Evolving Hockey. He also posted stellar expected goals for (57.05) and scoring chances for (57.44) percentages at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.

The Avalanche standout narrowly lost the Norris Trophy to Adam Fox of the New York Rangers last campaign after claiming the Calder Trophy in 2019-20.

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