Makar v Hughes

[2for1PizzaPastuh]

Lots of debate this year about Makar vs Hughes, but we all know that player performance varies from year to year, sometimes drastically. Who would you rather take on your team for the rest of their career?

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[SillyRabbit]

One season is not nearly enough to undo the body of work that Makar has demonstrated.

So far nobody has been able to consistently play at Makar’s level year over year. He typically finds himself as a Norris finalist even in down year.

Hughes has been better this season. But you still take Makar here, expecting him to bounce back. He’s only one year older too, so age isn’t really concern.

 

[Love]

I think Makar rest of career is the better choice. Hughes has been better this season and had the better injury track record but it’s not enough to sway it for me. To me Makar is the best defenceman in the world while Hughes has had the best 23/24 season of any defenceman.

 

[Regal]

Hughes is great but I think the only reason not to take Makar long term would be health. He’s a better player and being right handed is also a plus.

 

[Rowlet]

The answer as of today is Makar, but his stat regression is concerning, it's been two years of getting worse now.

Hughes would have to keep up his level of play going forward but he's been this good for two years now, I think he can do it.

Still Makar but it's basically neck and neck at this point. If next season plays out the same I flip to Hughes being better.

Also, I don't think many Canuck fans sincerely think Hughes is better, just that he's having the better year, but yeah this poll's premise is pretty unfair to Hughes.

 

[LemonSauceD]

Hughes has surpassed Makar’s career high totals for points in fewer amount of games recently. Right now, Makar still has the edge, you can’t take that Conn Smythe away from him.

I think my opinion will change (or not) depending on how well Hughes plays during the playoffs. Hughes has gotten better every season since 2021, and this year is the first time we’ve seen a very noticeable decline in Makar’s defensive game.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Hughes has surpassed Makar’s career totals for points in fewer amount of games recently. Right now, Makar still has the edge, you can’t take that Conn Smythe away from him.

No he hasn’t.
Makar one more point in 50 less games.

 

[LemonSauceD]

No he hasn’t.
Makar one more point in 50 less games.

Career high season total* my bad

 

[Buck Naked]

Gonna sound like parrot here, but the only reason to think about Hughes here is Makar's health. Now he's apparently playing injured again and will probably require surgery.

If there was a too close to call option I probably would have picked it.

 

[Tralfamadore]

Hopefully Makar but Hughes is just so good as well.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Makar is washed.

Hughes going forward

 

[Bankerguy]

Canucks' fan here and i think i'd take Makar. going forward for the rest of their careers.
I like this explosive style more and he's a bit bigger.
I do think Hughes deserves the Norris this year. lots of points while keeping pucks out of his own net... but yeah, this thread is who i'd want going forward, Makar by a bit

 

[Aqualung]

Makar if this season is an outlier.

 

[BCNate]

Quinn Hughes season this year is awfully similar to Makars best season from 3 years ago. The growth in his all around game from last season to this season has been truly insane to watch. Up to this year the answer has obviously been Makar, but going forward it's likely a toss up. Not all that interested in that debate though, both are special players who probably end as first ballot hall of famers and all time great in their positions. We are just lucky to get to be able to watch then compete at the same time.

 

[Muffin]

It'll take more than 1 season to dethrone Makar. This will be his 4th Norris nomination in a row now.

 

[Buck Naked]

It'll take more than 1 season to dethrone Makar. This will be his 4th Norris nomination in a row now.

That kind of just devalues the whole award voting process though and make that accomplishment less impressive.

 

[M2Beezy]

Neutral fan here who has seen a lot of both guys careers so far. Makar and Hughes went back in forth before this year and this year Hughes really taken his game to the next level so for now he holds the clear edge, objectively speaking

 

[Raucherhusten]

For eternity, i'll take Makar. THIS year tho, it's Hughes. And i say that as an Avs fan.

 

[Muffin]

Neutral fan here who has seen a lot of both guys careers so far. Makar and Hughes went back in forth before this year and this year Hughes really taken his game to the next level so for now he holds the clear edge, objectively speaking

Not sure how they went back and forth? Makar was clearly better in the first 4 years. This season is the only one where this is even an argument.

 

[SuperScript29]

It's Makar for me, the offense between the two is equal, but Makar seems more well rounded.

 

[Rowlet]

It's Makar for me, the offense between the two is equal, but Makar seems more well rounded.

This year at least, the exact opposite is true.

 

[SuperScript29]

This year at least, the exact opposite is true.

Hughes has been better than Makar this year and he does deserve the Norris, but I look at their careers in general. Makar seems to be used in more situations on the ice. There are also certain metrics that for whatever reason or another, are not taken seriously when talking about defensemen, such as takeaways, giveaways, blocked shots, etc. All which Makar clearly edges Hughes in.

 

[Rowlet]

Hughes has been better than Makar this year and he does deserve the Norris, but I look at their careers in general. Makar seems to be used in more situations on the ice. There are also certain metrics that for whatever reason or another, are not taken seriously when talking about defensemen, such as takeaways, giveaways, blocked shots, etc. All which Makar clearly edges Hughes in.

Makar beats Hughes in a lot of those stats because Hughes has drastically higher puck-on-stick ice time than any other D in the league.

You can't block shots or perform hits or takeaways when you're always holding the puck, and you can't do giveaways when you never have it. I agree that as of now Makar is still the correct answer, but he's gotten considerably worse over the last two seasons, I think the Hughes > Makar for one season could have been made last year as well.

We'll see next season, that's the deciding season for me, if both Hughes and Makar continue to play this way, Hughes will be my choice going forward.

 

[82Ninety42011]

Maybe I'm being biased being a Canucks fan but Hughes has really taken another step this year. Makar if you asked me last year would be the answer moving forward but if this season is any indication I'm leaning Hughes now. There is no wrong answer here as both are phenomenal talents.

 

[SuperScript29]

Makar beats Hughes in a lot of those stats because Hughes has drastically higher puck-on-stick ice time than any other D in the league.

You can't block shots or perform hits or takeaways when you're always holding the puck, and you can't do giveaways when you never have it. I agree that as of now Makar is still the correct answer, but he's gotten considerably worse over the last two seasons, I think the Hughes > Makar for one season could have been made last year as well.

We'll see next season, that's the deciding season for me, if both Hughes and Makar continue to play this way, Hughes will be my choice going forward.

Hughes has coughed up the puck more though. As far as who has held on to the the puck longer, I don't know, I'd need stats for that which I can't seem to find.