Makar vs Hughes

[Luck 6]

Both of us are inherently biased, so I'll preface it at that. But Makar's physicality alone makes him more dynamic in my eyes. I don't see Hughes ever adding that to his skillset, but his elusiveness and stickchecking prowess in the defensive end is extremely good to offset his lack of size and physicality. Aside from that, Makar is a better lateral skater and has a deceptiveness to his movement that I haven't seen from Hughes. Don't get me wrong. At the end of the day, production is paramount and at the moment Hughes is exceeding Makar by a fair margin. If that continues Hughes will win the Calder and will deserve it. But regardless, from what I've seen from both I'd still prefer the more complete, dynamic skillset that Makar provides in the long term.

Makar is a better lateral skater and has a deceptiveness to his movement that I haven't seen from Hughes.

I agree with a lot of what you said about the physicality, but it’s comments like these that make me wonder how much you have truly seen Hughes play. I consider your outlined weaknesses as some of Hughes strongest points.

Oh well... Two great young defensemen... I’m happy the Canucks have one of them.

 

[Luck 6]

I don’t get the year older thing. Does everyone expect Hughes to make a big jump in production next year or something because he’s a year younger. They are both learning the nhl game together at the same level. Their both playing top mins on the top lines, top pp mins. I don’t see this ever being an issue till maybe the latter part of their careers. It’s not like Makar is 3 years older. I get that what Hughes is doing at a year younger is special but it has no barring going forward

I think it is just more impressive that Hughes is doing it at a younger age. It doesn’t necessarily forecast who will be the better overall player though as development isn’t linear.

 

[tony d]

Close but Makar.

 

[Halla]

Makar because he is a RHD but its close

 

[Fugazy]

Makar seems like the safer pick.

 

[34]

Makar and not close.

 

[cgf]

It's still a coin toss, so I homer voted...especially since I've been a big fan of Cale's since his draft year & he's one of those kids who you just fall in love with when listening to his interviews; he's always come off as being very mature & level headed...which was why I was so convinced that he would do everything possible to make the most of his (immense) potential, despite all of the polish that he lacked compared to your typical top 5/10 pick.

Can't go wrong either way. Cale is more explosive, but Quinn is even slicker/shiftier. Cale has the better shot, Quinn the more magical hands & greater bravado with the puck. Cale's defensive tools are better, but Quinn is more polished -- despite being a year younger & less physically developed -- and so the better defender this season. Both are amazing talents with plenty more room to grow; Cale's skillset lending itself more to the transition game while Quinn's helps him more when controlling the action in the opposing zone & on the PP.

Since I'm an avs fan & our team does so much of its damage in transition...while having MacK n Mikko around to help run the PP...Cale is probably the better fit for our needs & playings style. That said, if Vancouver wanted to send us Hughes for Byram I certainly wouldn't complain lol.

 

[Britton]

Makar seems like the safer pick.

Makar and not close.

So I'm just curious why people say things like this. Hughes is younger, has better analytics, has more points, and their points per game are basically even. What makes Makar a safer pick or a better player at this point. When it was early in the year I was pointing out that Makar was riding an insanely hot shooting percentage and it was unsustainable and sure enough that turned out to be the case. So why do people think he's safer, Hughes had a better draft year, he was better in his D+1, and his D+2 year he is matching Makar's D+3 year. There is nothing to suggest that Makar is a safer pick at this point or that he's somehow on another level. Right now they look about even but I would give the slight edge to Hughes based on age mainly.

 

[Los merengues]

Makar. Its not close at all.

 

[The Iron Goalie]

Where's the 'yes' option?

 

[nowhereman]

Makar. Its not close at all.

You would think this kind of nonsense would be dispelled by this point but alas...

 

[Ace of Hades]

Makar. Its not close at all.

Do explain.

 

[Mighty Makar]

Do explain.

One plays D, the other doesn’t?

 

[Los merengues]

Do explain.

Im not a homer like you.

 

[Ace of Hades]

One plays D, the other doesn’t?

Considering Hughes is better defensively than Makar, nice try.

Im not a homer like you.

I asked you to explain, not spout stupidity again. Your post has no bearing to anything relevant. Stay ignorant. Atleast have the decency to back up your statements.

 

[Love]

So I'm just curious why people say things like this. Hughes is younger, has better analytics, has more points, and their points per game are basically even. What makes Makar a safer pick or a better player at this point. When it was early in the year I was pointing out that Makar was riding an insanely hot shooting percentage and it was unsustainable and sure enough that turned out to be the case. So why do people think he's safer, Hughes had a better draft year, he was better in his D+1, and his D+2 year he is matching Makar's D+3 year. There is nothing to suggest that Makar is a safer pick at this point or that he's somehow on another level. Right now they look about even but I would give the slight edge to Hughes based on age mainly.

It’s because Hughes is under 6 feet. Defenceman under 6 feet will never get the respect they deserve and will always be seen as “specialists.” When people talk about D prospects they talk about “frame” and “NHL body” and that’s why you have guys like Griffin Reinhart and Luke Schenn going top 5 when they can’t even play hockey. In an opposite kind of way as Hughes a guy like Tyler Myers gets overrated because of his height. He’ll get labelled as a “two way defenceman” when most of his career he’s kinda been a soft puck moving defenceman, but his frame says otherwise.

Look at guys like Jared Spurgeon and Brian Rafalski. They never got the respect they deserve. These two guys are absolute studs. All around #1 defenceman who can do it all. But... they’re small, and as such they won’t ever get the respect they deserve.

 

[Mighty Makar]

Considering Hughes is better defensively than Makar, nice try.



I asked you to explain, not spout stupidity again. Your post has no bearing to anything relevant. Stay ignorant. Atleast have the decency to back up your statements.

Lmao! Some of you ‘Nucks fans are hilarious.

 

[Mighty Makar]

Eichel is considered to be one of the fastest/craftiest and best players in the league? Have a look at what #8 did to him last night. Eichel is still looking for his jock strap!

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Ooof, this is tough. For the Pens, they're set on RHD with Letang and Marino in the Top-4 for the next couple years, so probably Hughes. In a vacuum, probably take Makar.

 

[cgf]

Lmao! Some of you ‘Nucks fans are hilarious.

...they're right tho. Hughes is the better defender at this point, now Cale has a good chance to surpass him on that end, but Hughes is a lot more polished defensively right now.

 

[Mighty Makar]

...they're right tho. Hughes is the better defender at this point, now Cale has a good chance to surpass him on that end, but Hughes is a lot more polished defensively right now.

Lol. [mod]

 

[cgf]

Lol. [mod]

30 pounds of Ketamine actually...but I'm still not homering as hard as you

I don't get why such a big chunk of our fanbase is so insecure about other teams having special talents too. Do y'all not realize that we don't need to be petty homers anymore? We can be objective & still hype the s*** out of our core. We don't need to get butthurt about other teams having nice things; like we did when McDavid arrived on the prospect scene & stole all of MacK's thunder.

I prefer Cale and the explosiveness he brings to the table, but Hughes is a similarly extraordinary talent who is shiftier & more polished. It doesn't take many Vancouver games to see that.

 

[Mighty Makar]

30 pounds of Ketamine actually...but I'm still not homering as hard as you

I don't get why such a big chunk of our fanbase is so insecure about other teams having special talents too. Do y'all not realize that we don't need to be petty homers anymore? We can be objective & still hype the s*** out of our core. We don't need to get butthurt about other teams having nice things; like we did when McDavid arrived on the prospect scene & stole all of MacK's thunder.

We’re homer’s ‘cause we think Makar is better? Do you read what other NHLers say about Makar? Do you know how to read? Do you watch other players besides Draisaitl?

 

[cgf]

We’re homer’s ‘cause we think Makar is better? Do you read what other NHLers say about Makar? Do you know how to read? Do you watch other players besides Draisaitl?

Is english your native tongue? You seem to be having a lot of trouble with it in this thread, so I don't wanna be a dick.

You're being a homer because Hughes is objectively defending better than Cale this season and you are pretending like defense is an advantage for Cale.

 

[Mighty Makar]

Is english your native tongue? You seem to be having a lot of trouble with it in this thread, so I don't wanna be a dick.

You're being a homer because Hughes is objectively defending better than Cale this season.

Watch a hockey game! Hughes might move the puck better and have slightly better hands and that’s it. Care to explain why more people have voted for Makar in these polls? Do they see what you’re seeing?