Where do you rank Cale Makar’s 2022 postseason amongst other great playoff performances from defensemans in the 21st century?

[Nadal On Clay]

29 points in 20 games (8 goals), +7, led his team in points by 4. Solid defensively. Unanimous Conn Smythe.

Where does his playoff performance ranks amongst the likes of 2020 Hedman, 2017 Karlsson, 2002 Lidstrom, 2015 Keith, 2006 Pronger etc. ?

I personally think there’s a good argument for it to be at the very top of the list.

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[GMR]

Pronger has the advantage of being on a less skilled team than the other names mentioned. Meaning he carried the team more. Also, 2022 is the highest scoring season in 26 years. And Makar is still not great defensively. Those are arguments against Makar.

The arguments for Makar are his age and skill level. He's not supposed to be this good so early. Will be fun to see him develop.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

nvm, didnt see the "defenseman" part of the title

 

[K Fleur]

Makar is absolutely great defensively.

 

[VictoriaJetsFan]

To think 3 guys were drafted ahead of him.

 

[Big Phil]

I would say he takes the cake this century for sure. Pronger/Keith probably having the best shot and they certainly carried their teams as well, however it isn't as if Makar wasn't carrying the Avs also. Just because they have a strong team behind him, it doesn't mean he wasn't the driver.

I think you have to go back to Leetch in 1994 or MacInnis in 1989 to find a better postseason by a defender.

 

[Hockeyholic]

To think 3 guys were drafted ahead of him.

An instance where losing that lottery was a blessing in disguise.

Avs get the first pick and they likely take Hirschier or Patrick.

 

[buffalowing88]

I would say he takes the cake this century for sure. Pronger/Keith probably having the best shot and they certainly carried their teams as well, however it isn't as if Makar wasn't carrying the Avs also. Just because they have a strong team behind him, it doesn't mean he wasn't the driver.

I think you have to go back to Leetch in 1994 or MacInnis in 1989 to find a better postseason by a defender.

I agree in general but am still torn a little bit on 06 Pronger and 22 Makar for the best run. Pronger was physically just THERE. Every single time he was on the ice he was contacting another player or creating an offensive opportunity.

I'd even get weird and say that Pronger in 07, had he not been suspended, is up there, too.

But Makar did stuff tonight that was reminiscent of peak-Pronger without being too dirty and over the entire series I just think he stood out. We might be watching not just a great but a generational player start his peak without nearly as much of the fanfare.

I guess if it's past decade alone, it's:

Makar/Pronger
Keith
Doughty
Karlsson
and then a gap.

I can't quite compare everyone yet but that's my biased opinion.

 

[unknown33]

I don't know whether this belongs in here or not, but:

Would you vote for him as a Hall of Famer despite playing just ~2 seasons worth of regular season games played?
Clearly good enough as a hockey player, and he does have all the accomplishments you can expect from a defenceman.

The last six d-men who made it were Kevin Lowe, Doug Wilson, Sergei Zubov, Phil Housley, Nick Lidström and Chris Pronger.

 

[pearljamvs5]

Still behind McDavid these playoffs

Not if you go by Stanley Cups.

I don't know whether this belongs in here or not, but:

Would you vote for him as a Hall of Famer despite playing just ~2 seasons worth of regular season games played?
Clearly good enough as a hockey player, and he does have all the accomplishments you can expect from a defenceman.

The last six d-men who made it were Kevin Lowe, Doug Wilson, Sergei Zubov, Phil Housley, Nick Lidström and Chris Pronger.

No one is a Hall of Famer after playing 2 season. Ridiculous.

 

[sr edler]

His unit bled goals against in the Tampa series, especially the backend of the series, felt like every time Tampa scored it was on Makar & MacKinnon.

–4 overall in the series, –6 the last 4 games. Imagine if a less likable marquee player did this, we would never hear the end of it.

 

[Rengorlex]

He made some crucial mistakes in the last two games -- missed his coverage in front of the net in the game winning goal in G5, gave the puck away in the first goal in G6. Overall, it's a great run, and his high GA numbers are partly influenced by poor goaltending, but his historic production didn't necessarily come with rock-solid defence.

He was on ice for 22 5vs5 goals against, the 4th highest total of any playoff run since 2008. And he was only +3 at 5vs5.

 

[vikash1987]

What’s the consensus on Makar’s defensive play during these playoffs? I know his +/- slid into negative territory in the Finals. The high scoring nature or this year’s playoffs may have skewed things. But what an incredible, and historic, season for the kid!

 

[The Panther]

The unanimous vote result was a little shocking. Didn't see that coming.

 

[bobholly39]

The unanimous vote result was a little shocking. Didn't see that coming.

Where are vote results posted? I haven't seen those yet

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

best is a moving goalpost, but for most valuable i have makar behind both 06 pronger and karlsson’s ECF year

there were times when he looked elite defensively, and i think in a year or two he will be like peak duncan keith crossed with peak karlsson. but there were many other times when he looked very ordinary. which combined with his offensive game was still absolutely phenomenal overall, of course.

but i wouldn’t put him decisively above the lidstrom, doughty, 2015 keith, 2020 hedman tier.

for ex, last night, if vasi had shut the door, his giveaway to palat to set up the stamkos goal becomes a much bigger deal.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

It's between Prongers runs, Keith's 15, and Makar.

I'm kinda leaning Pronger 1, then Keith/Makar for #2.

Maybe it's unfair to Cale but this Avalanche team was such a machine, I think they had many guys step up at different times in the playoffs. He was their best player but didn't drag them like Pronger imo.

 

[Big Phil]

I don't know whether this belongs in here or not, but:

Would you vote for him as a Hall of Famer despite playing just ~2 seasons worth of regular season games played?
Clearly good enough as a hockey player, and he does have all the accomplishments you can expect from a defenceman.

The last six d-men who made it were Kevin Lowe, Doug Wilson, Sergei Zubov, Phil Housley, Nick Lidström and Chris Pronger.

No, not after just three seasons. I know that 2020 and 2021 were shortened years, and he played in the 2019 playoffs, but technically it is three seasons. But even then, no after three seasons.

That being said, is there a defenseman who has had such a great playoff start to his career? 60 points in 55 games. Judge the first 4 postseasons. For me it is only Orr. I wouldn't even say Coffey's first 4 were as good. You aren't supposed to be this good THIS young.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

No, not after just three seasons. I know that 2020 and 2021 were shortened years, and he played in the 2019 playoffs, but technically it is three seasons. But even then, no after three seasons.

That being said, is there a defenseman who has had such a great playoff start to his career? 60 points in 55 games. Judge the first 4 postseasons. For me it is only Orr. I wouldn't even say Coffey's first 4 were as good. You aren't supposed to be this good THIS young.

Leetch's 1st 4 playoffs

58 pts in 46 games
Cup
Smythe with 34 pts in 23 games

 

[Big Phil]

Leetch's 1st 4 playoffs

58 pts in 46 games
Cup
Smythe with 34 pts in 23 games

I thought of Leetch as well. But the Rangers missed the playoffs a couple of times in his first few years, so technically he was older in 1994 by a couple of years than Makar in 2022. But close enough.

 

[tabness]

No, not after just three seasons. I know that 2020 and 2021 were shortened years, and he played in the 2019 playoffs, but technically it is three seasons. But even then, no after three seasons.

That being said, is there a defenseman who has had such a great playoff start to his career? 60 points in 55 games. Judge the first 4 postseasons. For me it is only Orr. I wouldn't even say Coffey's first 4 were as good. You aren't supposed to be this good THIS young.

Well Makar started late, he was 21 his first season (20 his first playoff) and 23 this year. You look at Coffey, Leetch, Bourque, and so on at those ages, and at 23...