University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass’ Cale Makar Signs With Colorado Avalanche
April 14, 2019 | Hockey
The 2019 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner helped elevate Massachusetts hockey to unprecedented success in 2018-19 with the program’s first-ever Frozen Four appearance.
DENVER, Colo. – University of Massachusetts hockey sophomore defenseman Cale Makar has signed with the Colorado Avalanche, forgoing the final two years of his collegiate eligibility, the organization announced on Sunday. Makar, who was drafted by Colorado fourth overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, the highest draft pick in UMass history, will join the Avalanche for their Stanley Cup Playoff run.
The 2019 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner helped elevate Massachusetts hockey to unprecedented success in 2018-19 with the program's first-ever Frozen Four appearance. He finishes his collegiate career with 70 points on 21 goals and 49 assists over 75 career contests and as the record holder for career plus-minus at +41.
"On behalf of the UMass hockey staff and players, we want to congratulate Cale on a magnificent collegiate hockey career and we are excited to see him excel at the professional level," said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. "Cale represented UMass Hockey in a first-class manner at all times and in every situation. He was a great teammate and we will miss him off of the ice as much as we will miss him on the ice. He helped build our culture and elevate our hockey program. Cale will forever be remembered as one of the greatest Minutemen. Thank you and good luck!"
Chosen as the Hockey East Player of the Year by unanimous selection, Makar, a native of Calgary, Alberta, also received the Leonard Fowle Award as New England Player of the Year and the Bob Monahan Award (New England's Best Defenseman) in addition to being named a Hockey East First-Team All-Star and a New England All-Star this season.
"I'm very excited to start the next chapter of my hockey career," said Makar, "I can't wait to see what it has in store."
Makar was the at the center of a historic run for Massachusetts hockey in 2018-19, including program records in wins, conference wins and the team's first-ever Hockey East Regular Season Championship.
The first defenseman in history to lead Hockey East in overall scoring with 49 points in 40 games, Makar finished the year eighth the nation in points per-game (1.20), sixth in assists per-game (0.80), third in defenseman scoring and second in plus-minus (+32). He was voted the Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA Ice Hockey Northeast Regional after leading UMass to a Northeast Regional Championship with a goal and an assist and a +3 rating in 4-0 shutouts of Harvard and Notre Dame. In the national semifinal, Makar logged his 33rd assist of the season and helped the Minutemen earn a spot in the NCAA Championship game for the first time in program history.
Makar broke UMass' single-season records for points by a defenseman and assists by a defenseman in 2018-19, marks previously held by UMass Hall of Famer Thomas Poeck. He is second in program history for single-season assists, as well, second in plus-minus and fifth for single-season points.
Makar totaled 30 points in 24 Hockey East games on eight goals and 21 assists, ranking second in points per-game (1.25) and first in plus-minus (+21). He was recognized as Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week three times this season, Player of the Week three times and was the Hockey East Player of the Month in October.
The 2018-19 Massachusetts alternate captain has guided the Minutemen to their first No. 1 ranking in school history in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls, and the No. 4 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. His 16 tallies this season bolstered UMass' highest goals total (151) in the program's Hockey East era. Nationally, the Minutemen ranked third in scoring offense (3.68), tied for seventh in scoring defense (2.02), third in scoring margin (1.66), first in power play percentage (28.5) and fifth in penalty kill (86.9).
Makar was named No. 1 on ESPN's list of Top 50 NHL Drafted Prospects this March. As a freshman in 2017-18, Makar was a Hockey East Third-Team All-Star and an All-Rookie Team honoree and won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he was one of Canada's three Players of the Tournament and a World Junior Media All-Star Team selection.
The 2019 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner helped elevate Massachusetts hockey to unprecedented success in 2018-19 with the program's first-ever Frozen Four appearance. He finishes his collegiate career with 70 points on 21 goals and 49 assists over 75 career contests and as the record holder for career plus-minus at +41.
"On behalf of the UMass hockey staff and players, we want to congratulate Cale on a magnificent collegiate hockey career and we are excited to see him excel at the professional level," said UMass head coach Greg Carvel. "Cale represented UMass Hockey in a first-class manner at all times and in every situation. He was a great teammate and we will miss him off of the ice as much as we will miss him on the ice. He helped build our culture and elevate our hockey program. Cale will forever be remembered as one of the greatest Minutemen. Thank you and good luck!"
Chosen as the Hockey East Player of the Year by unanimous selection, Makar, a native of Calgary, Alberta, also received the Leonard Fowle Award as New England Player of the Year and the Bob Monahan Award (New England's Best Defenseman) in addition to being named a Hockey East First-Team All-Star and a New England All-Star this season.
"I'm very excited to start the next chapter of my hockey career," said Makar, "I can't wait to see what it has in store."
Makar was the at the center of a historic run for Massachusetts hockey in 2018-19, including program records in wins, conference wins and the team's first-ever Hockey East Regular Season Championship.
The first defenseman in history to lead Hockey East in overall scoring with 49 points in 40 games, Makar finished the year eighth the nation in points per-game (1.20), sixth in assists per-game (0.80), third in defenseman scoring and second in plus-minus (+32). He was voted the Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA Ice Hockey Northeast Regional after leading UMass to a Northeast Regional Championship with a goal and an assist and a +3 rating in 4-0 shutouts of Harvard and Notre Dame. In the national semifinal, Makar logged his 33rd assist of the season and helped the Minutemen earn a spot in the NCAA Championship game for the first time in program history.
Makar broke UMass' single-season records for points by a defenseman and assists by a defenseman in 2018-19, marks previously held by UMass Hall of Famer Thomas Poeck. He is second in program history for single-season assists, as well, second in plus-minus and fifth for single-season points.
Makar totaled 30 points in 24 Hockey East games on eight goals and 21 assists, ranking second in points per-game (1.25) and first in plus-minus (+21). He was recognized as Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week three times this season, Player of the Week three times and was the Hockey East Player of the Month in October.
The 2018-19 Massachusetts alternate captain has guided the Minutemen to their first No. 1 ranking in school history in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls, and the No. 4 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. His 16 tallies this season bolstered UMass' highest goals total (151) in the program's Hockey East era. Nationally, the Minutemen ranked third in scoring offense (3.68), tied for seventh in scoring defense (2.02), third in scoring margin (1.66), first in power play percentage (28.5) and fifth in penalty kill (86.9).
Makar was named No. 1 on ESPN's list of Top 50 NHL Drafted Prospects this March. As a freshman in 2017-18, Makar was a Hockey East Third-Team All-Star and an All-Rookie Team honoree and won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he was one of Canada's three Players of the Tournament and a World Junior Media All-Star Team selection.
Players Mentioned
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