Taylor Makar call-up: Avalanche put Cale’s brother on NHL debut watch after strong AHL start

Bassyonni

ago 10 hours

Taylor Makar

The Avalanche added a fresh storyline to their Bay Area road trip by recalling Taylor Makar on Friday, positioning the 24-year-old winger for a potential NHL debut as soon as tonight in San Jose. It’s the first regular-season call-up for the 6-foot-4, left-shot forward and the latest step in a rapid year that began with a breakout senior season in Hockey East.

Who is Taylor Makar right now

Makar is best known to casual fans as Cale’s younger brother, but his 2025 resume stands on its own. After transferring for his senior year, he posted 18 goals and 30 points in 38 games and picked up late-season conference honors for a torrid February–March stretch. Colorado signed him to a one-year, entry-level deal on March 31, 2025 (runs through the 2025–26 season). He reported to the AHL on an amateur tryout last spring and opened this fall with the Colorado Eagles, producing 4 points (1G, 3A) in his first 9 games while handling penalty-kill and net-front duties.

Why the recall happened

Short-term insurance up front. With a forward’s availability in question, the club wanted a big, straight-line winger who can skate, forecheck, and keep the structure tidy on a fourth line if needed.
AHL form and role fit. Coaches have trusted Makar with defensive-zone starts and special teams, a sign he can survive NHL pace in limited minutes.
Organizational look. Early-season recalls often double as auditions. Even if he doesn’t debut tonight, banking reps on the trip accelerates the learning curve.

What Makar brings if he plays

North–south simplicity. Makar’s best shifts are honest ones—strong first three strides, direct entries, and pucks funneled low-to-high to invite point shots.
Net-front habits. He boxes out, takes cross-checks without drifting, and has a knack for inside positioning on rebounds and tips.
Penalty-kill utility. At 6-4 with a long stick, his routes can disrupt bumper looks on the kill; expect conservative reads and clean clears.

Translation: don’t expect fireworks. Expect safe touches, hard forechecks, and short shifts that keep five-man shape intact.

How he got here: the college arc

Makar’s college path featured steady gains rather than instant stardom. He arrived in the NCAA as a toolsy project, grew into a middle-six finisher with improved wall play and retrievals, and then spiked as a senior once his pace and decision speed caught up. The late bloom tracks with the organization’s bet: projectable size and effort plus an improving shot diet (more from the slot, less from the boards).

Draft note: Colorado selected him in the 7th round (220th overall) in 2021, a classic long-view pick that now puts a homegrown, bottom-six option within reach of the roster.

Depth chart context: why this matters for Colorado

Cap flexibility: A league-minimum ELC gives the team a plug-and-play wing during a travel-heavy stretch.
Penalty-kill rotations: If regulars are nicked up, Makar’s AHL kill minutes can cover a short-term gap while preserving top forwards’ legs.
Sibling symmetry (fun, not decisive): A debut alongside a two-time Norris winner would be a memorable moment—but the recall is about role trust, not optics.

What success looks like in a first NHL look

Break-even shifts. Zero catastrophic turnovers, good changes, pucks deep when pressure arrives.
Two or three hard retrievals. Winning races or pins that lead to quick point shots.
A clean penalty kill rep. One clear and one denial at the line is a solid night’s work.

If he doesn’t dress in San Jose, the recall still signals he’s first man up for injury insurance—valuable information for the next two weeks of roster juggling.

Contract and control

Makar’s one-year entry-level contract runs through 2025–26. He’ll be a restricted free agent next summer, giving the club team control if he establishes himself as a shuttle option or depth regular.

The Taylor Makar recall is smart, low-risk roster management with a dash of storyline magic. Whether the debut happens tonight or later on the trip, Colorado is testing a big, defensively responsible winger who just authored a strong senior year and a tidy AHL start. If he sticks to his identity—north–south pace, net-front grit, and safe exits—he can turn this look into more than a cameo.