Cale Makar is having one of the best defenseman seasons from a rookie in a long time. The last time we saw a rookie defenseman hit 50 points was Vladimir Malakhov back in 1993. (Well, besides when Quinn Hughes did it a couple weeks ago.) Makar has been great thanks to the position the Colorado Avalanche put him in, and the New Jersey Devils need to be taking notes.
The Devils have their own defensive dynamo prospect in Ty Smith. Smith’s dominance of the WHL is similar to that of Makar’s dominance of the NCAA.