Makar vs Mackinnon

[The Abusement Park]

Pretty much. Makar can be the best D but he’s not one of the top 3 players in the league.

I mean he’s not that far off. And clearly has the potential to get there over the next few seasons.

 

[Avsavsavsavsavs]

Mackinnon is phenomenal there is no doubt about that, but how long has it been since we've seen Mack take over a game the way Makar has the last 2. Obviously this is a 1a 1b situation, but with how frustrated and whiny Mackinnon has been the last 2 years, I'd take Makar any day.

Besides, a Mackinnon trade pretty much guarantees you a top 10 center, a 1st round pick, and a top tier prospect as well.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

MacKs game is built on being a more powerful skater than anyone else. Skating is one of those things that tends to go fast. His decline will be 12 times worse than Crosby.

I really dont agree at all.


With the amount of time and effort Mack puts into his off season regime, his meal plans, his training, etc. He will prove to be a guy who has a very slow decline. If his skating does slow down, he'll reinvent his game. Just like how Crosby has reinvented his game in his 30s.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Mackinnon is phenomenal there is no doubt about that, but how long has it been since we've seen Mack take over a game the way Makar has the last 2. Obviously this is a 1a 1b situation, but with how frustrated and whiny Mackinnon has been the last 2 years, I'd take Makar any day.

Besides, a Mackinnon trade pretty much guarantees you a top 10 center, a 1st round pick, and a top tier prospect as well.

Like a week or two?

I said Makar but let’s not pretend Mackinnon is going anywhere. He’s still playing peak levels of hockey.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

Trade em both while their value's still high!

Sakic missed the boat to permanently solve Colorados goalie problems by picking up Price when all humble Canadiens fans asked was Makar, Newhook, and a 1st

 

[atreyuavenged]

Take MacKinnon out of the equation and then we're running either Kadri or Newhook on the top line. Kadri had a good few games but he was looking like dog shit the previous 10-20 games so I wouldn't be too happy with him as C1.

Makar on the other hand has all the tools and the intangibles and he's a RD as well. Those are always in short supply and in need. Still voted for MacKinnon though but you couldn't go wrong with either and it's a good problem to have too many good guys then not enough.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Makar is the rarer talent for the position. He does shit that no other defenceman really does. I’m not even talking about points... the things he can do with the puck is so damn rare for a defenceman.

I’m glad to see more people recognizing the rarity of his skill-set, because I do feel defenceman tend draw more scrutiny than forwards.

MacKinnon is a beast and is probably still the better player by a small margin. He’s incredible and is having another fantastic season. I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see him win a Smyth in the next couple years.

In this scenario, I’d lean a little towards Makar because he’s three years younger. MacKinnon might be more valuable to the Avs because the centre depth on this team isn’t good, but if I was Seattle picking between the two, I’d take Makar.

I can’t imagine losing either guy right now though. Both of them are a treat to watch and make it incredibly fun to be an Avs fan.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Take MacKinnon out of the equation and then we're running either Kadri or Newhook on the top line. Kadri had a good few games but he was looking like dog shit the previous 10-20 games so I wouldn't be too happy with him as C1.

Makar on the other hand has all the tools and the intangibles and he's a RD as well. Those are always in short supply and in need. Still voted for MacKinnon though but you couldn't go wrong with either and it's a good problem to have too many good guys then not enough.

Good point. I answered this more of the mindset of starting a team from scratch. But yeah for this Avalanche team, Mackinnon is more important. I’d agree with that.

 

[Balthazar]

Mackinnon is phenomenal there is no doubt about that, but how long has it been since we've seen Mack take over a game the way Makar has the last 2.

Not long ago...but more importantly did you miss the last playoffs? Compare that to Makar having 4 pts in 2 games against a bottom feeder.

 

[Balthazar]

Makar is the rarer talent for the position.

I don't know about that. Being 100% honest here what Fox, Hughes and Heiskanen are doing are playing against him being that special (even if he's the best one of those 4).

Now had Makar joined the league 5 years earlier and putting up numbers like prime EK in his first 2 seasons my opinion would have been different for sure.

IMO Mack is up there with Sakic and Forsberg as the best 3 players in Avs history and we don't know yet where he'll rank. He's that good.

 

[Patagonia]

Mack. I agree it’s a lot closer than many realize. Makar game is getting better and could overtake Mack that many already consider the 2nd best player in hockey.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I don't know about that. Being 100% honest here what Fox, Hughes and Heiskanen are doing are playing against him being that special (even if he's the best one of those 4).

Now had Makar joined the league 5 years earlier and putting up numbers like prime EK in his first 2 seasons my opinion would have been different for sure.

IMO Mack is up there with Sakic and Forsberg as the best 3 players in Avs history and we don't know yet where he'll rank. He's that good.

What has Heiskanen done to be on Makar’s level? Makar was better last year, equally as good in the playoffs and WAY better this season. Hughes hasn’t even been close to Makar this year. I still think a lot of his upside, but the difference in play this year is huge. Fox has had a great year. Makar’s been better.

And Makar is putting up EK numbers, literally right now... in his second season.

I think both MacK and Makar are going to be two of the best all-time Avs. Like I said, the 3 year age difference is the biggest determining factor for me.

 

[Spirits]

What has Heiskanen done to be on Makar’s level?

Fair enough, but he was damn good against us last post season and MORE IMPORTANTLY he doesn't have a the Stars boards constantly pumping his tires. He is as advertised and I would say he is the 2nd best young D in the league, even if that doesn't put him in striking distance of God, I mean Makar.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Fair enough, but he was damn good against us last post season and MORE IMPORTANTLY he doesn't have a the Stars boards constantly pumping his tires. He is as advertised and I would say he is the 2nd best young D in the league, even if that doesn't put him in striking distance of God, I mean Makar.

Fox is better than Heiskanen. I like Dahlin and Hughes more long term too.

 

[Spirits]

Fox is better than Heiskanen.

Okay, reasonable.

I like Dahlin and Hughes more long term too.

This is a scorching hot take.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

I really dont agree at all.


With the amount of time and effort Mack puts into his off season regime, his meal plans, his training, etc. He will prove to be a guy who has a very slow decline. If his skating does slow down, he'll reinvent his game. Just like how Crosby has reinvented his game in his 30s.

I don't think MacK has the same head for the game to reinvent himself.

 

[Balthazar]

What has Heiskanen done to be on Makar’s level? Makar was better last year, equally as good in the playoffs and WAY better this season. Hughes hasn’t even been close to Makar this year. I still think a lot of his upside, but the difference in play this year is huge. Fox has had a great year. Makar’s been better.

So much recency bias going on in this thread. At the end of the playoffs last year a ton of people had Heiskanen ahead of Makar, including some people on this board that I won't name.

And Makar is putting up EK numbers, literally right now... in his second season.

Hence my "5 year earlier" comment.

 

[Balthazar]

This is a scorching hot take.

Wait. It's a "scorching hot take" to believe that Hughes and Dahlin will be better than Fox in the future?

Yep. The recency bias really is off the chart in this thread.

 

[Ararana]

MacKinnon because of the supporting cast.

MacKinnon + (Byram/Girard/Toews) > Makar + (Newhook/Jost/Kadri).

Thank god we don't actually have to choose though.

 

[avsfan9]

Fair enough, but he was damn good against us last post season and MORE IMPORTANTLY he doesn't have a the Stars boards constantly pumping his tires. He is as advertised and I would say he is the 2nd best young D in the league, even if that doesn't put him in striking distance of God, I mean Makar.

To be fair, if the avs win that game 7 against the stars I don’t think Heiskanen gets half the recognition that he gets. He hasn’t been a very impressive regular season player in the last two seasons

 

[Spirits]

Wait. It's a "scorching hot take" to believe that Hughes and Dahlin will be better than Fox in the future?

Yep. The recency bias really is off the chart in this thread.

You read this wrong, it is a scorching hot take to take Hughes or Dahlin over Heiskanen. Re-read it.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

So much recency bias going on in this thread. At the end of the playoffs last year a ton of people had Heiskanen ahead of Makar, including some people on this board that I won't name.



Hence my "5 year earlier" comment.

Just because he advanced further in one playoff, doesn’t mean he’s as good as Makar.

 

[flyfysher]

Just because he advanced further in one playoff, doesn’t mean he’s as good as Makar.

I went back and looked at comments right after Makar was selected. Compare that to nowadays!

 

[cgf]

Sakic missed the boat to permanently solve Colorados goalie problems by picking up Price when all humble Canadiens fans asked was Makar, Newhook, and a 1st

Sleepy Joe just doesn't know when to pull the trigger, what else is new?

 

[Richard Doll]

There are plenty of other guys I could send packing, I'm giving both the deals.