
Taylor Makar aims to follow in his brother's footsteps, join Cale Makar on contending Avalanche
Cale, of course, is already well-established as one of the league's top defensemen and coming off a season in which the UMass product won the Norris Trophy. Taylor keeps working his way toward the NHL. He started last year at the University of Maine before joining the Avalanche's American Hockey League affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, for the remainder of the season.
Get Starting Point
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.
Enter Email
Sign Up
When big brother speaks, Taylor carefully listens.
Advertisement
'I learn a lot from him,' said Taylor, who's taking part in the Avalanche's development camp this week but not skating as he rehabs from an upper body injury. 'Obviously, we train together. Do everything. It's just cool.'
Related
:
The Makar brothers are highly competitive in whatever hobby, activity, or sport in which they challenge each other.
By Taylor's scorecard, he reigns over Cale in cribbage, basketball, board games, and video games. He gives Cale the edge on the golf course and sometimes in tennis.
Advertisement
To hear Cale tell it, though, the rules sometimes get bent.
'He's the feisty little brother that would cheap-shot you when everything was said and done,' Cale recently said. 'I'd usually win and then for some reason I'd call it quits, and he kind of gave me cheap shots. As kids, we had a lot of fun like that. It definitely brings back a lot of memories. I think it's helped us later in life in competitiveness.'
Cale Makar scored on his first NHL shot, during the 2019 playoffs, and has been a star in the league ever since.
Gareth Patterson/Associated Press
Cale made his NHL debut in the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs — two days after his Minutemen made
No surprise, Cale was
Now this was a surprise — the secret celebration his younger brother helped spring to commemorate the achievement. Taylor played a role in organizing a golf outing for the unsuspecting Cale as family and friends gathered in the backyard for the trophy presentation.
When the group stopped by during their round, everyone was waiting.
'It turned out well, and he was pretty excited,' explained Taylor, a seventh-round pick by Colorado in 2021. 'It was a cool, special moment for all the people that are really close to him and our family to share together.'
Advertisement
For Taylor, there's no added pressure having 'Makar' on the back of his sweater given his brother's success. In fact, it's 'pretty cool,' he conceded.
Big brother's biggest piece of advice?
'Just be myself,' Taylor said.
Taylor Makar (left) helped Maine win the Hockey East tournament last season for the first time since 2004.
Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Cale, 26, certainly is proud of his younger brother. The 24-year-old Taylor is coming off a season where he scored 18 goals and had 12 assists in 38 games for the Black Bears. He then
'I think he's got a lot of intangibles that, once he puts them all together, he's got a really bright career ahead,' said Cale, who was the fourth overall pick by the Avalanche in 2017. 'It's cool to be able to have family this close now.'
In April, Cale ventured up to Loveland, Colo., to watch his brother play for the Eagles. Of course, there were extenuating circumstances — Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog was with the Eagles on a conditioning assignment in his recovery from a serious knee injury. It marked Landeskog's first professional game since Colorado's Cup run in 2022.
'First time I've seen [Taylor] play live at least since [youth hockey],' said Cale, who along with teammate Nathan MacKinnon was part of Team Canada's first six players chosen to take part in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Taylor's road to making the Avalanche roster to start the season figures to be difficult. Colorado is a bona fide title contender and stacked at forward.
'Just keep working hard, keep learning,' Taylor said. 'Got a ways to go, but just put everything out there.'
Advertisement

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Boston Globe
37 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
‘I want to be able to win a Beanpot': Bruins prospect James Hagens confirms he's headed back to BC
'I want to be able to win a Beanpot, be able to win a national championship,' Hagens, who is currently playing for Team USA at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Minnesota, told Morreale. 'Everyone has their roles, but our team goal is winning. That's what we want to do. We fell short last year, but it's hopefully going to happen this year.' Hagens's career path after getting selected No. 7 overall in the 2025 NHL Draft offered plenty of intrigue after his impressive showing at Warrior Ice Arena during camp. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Speaking to reporters earlier this month, the 18-year-old Hagens was candid about his hopes of playing NHL hockey this upcoming season. Advertisement 'I want to be a Boston Bruin,' Hagens said earlier this week. 'I want to be a Boston Bruin really bad. That's the conversation that I have to have with the staff and management. … But, just to be able to get the draft over and know what team that you're putting your heart and soul into, it's a lot better.' There stands a chance that Hagens might still don a black-and-gold sweater in 2025-26. Granted, it will now come in March or April 2026, after the Eagles' season wraps up. Advertisement As tempting as it might be to roll out Hagens on Oct. 8 to kick off a new season, the Bruins are opting for a more cautious approach by watching the center play out his sophomore season at Chestnut Hill. Rather than go through growing pains against bruising NHL competition during a potential bridge season in Boston, Hagens should have the opportunity to build off the promise he showcased last season (11 goals, 26 assists in 37 games) as the Eagles' go-to offensive threat. With former BC standouts Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault now in the pros, Hagens will be tasked with being more assertive as the Eagles' top scoring conduit in 2025-26 — giving the New York native a prime opportunity to build up his confidence and stuff the stat sheet in Hockey East. If Hagens makes that progression as a dominant player in the college ranks this season, an entry-level deal with Boston may not be far behind once the Eagles' season comes to a close. 'There will be no hurry to try and fast-track James [but] I'd say that about every player,' Don Sweeney said in June of the timeline of Hagens' arrival to the pro game. 'If somewhere between now and then that changes, and we feel differently about it as we're evaluating, we may make that decision. I know he'd like to play right away. 'I'm sure every guy that was drafted [in the first round] thinks they might be able to play in the National Hockey League, but we'll allow that to take a more natural course and make the right decision for James and the organization.' Advertisement Conor Ryan can be reached at


USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
3 Colts players among highest rated players at their positions in Madden 26
Three Indianapolis Colts' players are among the highest rated at their respective position groups in Madden 26. Three Indianapolis Colts players are among the highest rated at their respective position groups in Madden 26. With the Madden 26 release nearing, EA Sports has revealed the 10 highest-rated players at each position group. Making an appearance for the Colts was Jonathan Taylor, who was ninth among running backs with an overall score of 88. DeForest Buckner is the 10th highest rated defensive tackle with an overall score of 88, and long-snapper Luke Rhodes ranks third among his position group with a score of 79. Taylor was one of the most productive backs in the NFL last season finishing fourth in rushing yards, which included a dominant final month of the season. While all eyes are often on the quarterback position, Taylor's success on the ground is vital to the overall consistency of the offense. Having a strong run game to lean on keeps the offense out of predictable passing situations and can open up opportunities through the air, helping to take some of the burden off the quarterback and others. Buckner continues to be one of the game's most disruptive defensive tackles, doing so against both the run and pass. Compared to his position group last season, Buckner ranked seventh in PFF's pass rush win rate, 12th in pass rush productivity, and ninth in run-stop rate. Like Taylor, Buckner's impact goes beyond his own production with his presence and the attention he draws benefitting those around him. Rhodes, meanwhile, has been incredibly consistent at the long-snapper position.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Matt Rempe, Gabe Perreault go from players to counselors at Rangers Summer Camp
Matt Rempe and Gabe Perreault will be among the younger players on the ice when the New York Rangers begin training camp in September. But in July, they've been the two old guys on the ice showing kids from age 6-12 how it's done at the Rangers Summer Camp. Last week's session was held at the team's training facility in Tarrytown, New York; the second week concludes Friday at Montclair State College in New Jersey. Also on hand is Rangers alumnus Brian Mullen, a forward who grew up a mile or so from Madison Square Garden and averaged 25 goals during his four seasons on Broadway (1987-88 through 1990-91). He represented the Rangers at the NHL All-Star Game in 1989 and finished his NHL career with 622 points (260 goals, 362 assists) in 832 games. It was hard to say which group was having more fun – the kids or the counselors. 'There are 60 kids at camp, 30 in the younger group and 30 in the older group' Mullen said. 'I played a game with the younger guys and had some fun with them.' To Mullen, being at camp with the kids was more than just a chance to maintain some ties with his old team. 'I've been involved with this program since the beginning,' he said. 'It's important for me to give back because I'm a New York City kid.' Gabe Perreault, Matt Rempe teach kids at Rangers Summer Camp Perreault is 20 and was the Rangers' first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He turned pro in April after two seasons at Boston College. He's not a lot older than many of the campers, but the Rangers are hoping he'll show at training camp that he's ready for the NHL. If not, he'll start the season with AHL Hartford; however, the Blueshirts are hoping he'll be a contributor before the season gets too far along. But for now, Perreault looked like he was having as much fun as the kids he was instructing. 'Me and Remps were just out here (trying) to have some fun and enjoy it with these guys,' the son of former NHL center Yanic Perreault said. 'It's really cool for us to be out here and have them ask us questions.' At 6-foot-8, Rempe towered over even the tallest camper, at one point joking with one of the kids that 'I'm so tall. You're so small.' The campers got a big dose of the charismatic personality and the sense of humor that has turned him into a favorite among the Blueshirt Faithful at Madison Square Garden. Like Perreault, Rempe looked like he was having a blast. 'We were buzzing around with a bunch of kids, having a lot of fun,' he said. 'I was their age once, and I think it looked pretty cool whenever I saw an old player out there.' The seriousness of trying to earn a regular spot with the Rangers at training camp will come soon enough for Perreault and Rempe. They are different types of players – Perreault figures to make his living as a top-six forward who provides offense, while Rempe, who signed a two-year contract with an average annual value of $975,000 earlier this summer, has shown he can play with the kind of energy and physicality a fourth-liner is counted on to provide. But for a couple of weeks in the summer, they were just kids again. Related Headlines Rangers Daily: Blueshirts polling booths open; Wild, Marco Rossi at contract standstill How healthy Brett Berard could crack Rangers opening-night lineup What Rangers want to see from EJ Emery, Malcolm Spence at 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase Rangers Daily: Back on Blueshirts beat; 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase underway