Hughes vs. Makar Could Be NHL's Next Great Rivalry
Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar are not just two of the best defensemen, but they are two of the best players in the NHL right now.
Photo by Sammi Silber - The Hockey News - Hughes vs. Makar Could Be NHL's Next Great RivalryThroughout hockey history, there have been plenty of rivalries that have captivated the NHL. Usually, between a pair of forwards like Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, star players are able to battle it out year after year, using the other as motivation to keep getting better. Fast forward to the present, and while there are some strong rivalries among forwards like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, the most intriguing may feature two defensemen in Vancouver Canucks' Quinn Hughes and Colorado Avalanches' Cale Makar.
While they play different positions, the Hughes vs. Makar rivalry is very similar to the one between Crosby and Ovechkin. They are both separated by one draft class and in each scenario, the older player beats the younger player for the Calder Trophy. All four players also won major NHL awards before the age of 25 while setting multiple franchise records during their first six seasons. Overall, the two rivalries have started very similarly, which shows just how dynamic and historic Hughes and Makar have been since they joined the NHL.
Throughout the season, it felt like Hughes and Makar were joining lists on which only Bobby Orr and a few other Hall of Fame defenders were. Both are in the top ten for fastest defensemen to record 300 points in a career, while this year, they became the third and fourth defenders to record at least 90 points in a season since 2000-01. They each also set new franchise records for points by a defenceman this year, which, of course, they both already owned. Despite neither hitting the 375 games for their careers yet, both have established themselves as franchise greats and are both on track to one day have their jerseys retired by their organizations. The only real significant difference is that Hughes was named captain before Makar, which, based on Colorado's roster, may be an advantage Hughes holds for their entire careers.
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The one area where Hughes needs to catch up to Makar is Stanley Cups. The Stanley Cup imbalance is more of a team situation than player vs. player. Makar has been on a Stanley Cup-calibre team his entire career, while Hughes only made his second appearance in the playoffs this year. That being said, there is still plenty of time for Hughes to surpass Makar, which fans in Vancouver hope happens sooner rather than later.
In the end, Hughes vs. Makar is good for the NHL. Being able to track and compare these two superstar defenceman is a way to engage both the Canucks and Avalanches fanbases as well the league in total as everyone debates which player is better. The debate even made its way to the NHL Network this year as Makar and Hughes finished first and second on their list of "Top Defensemen Right Now." Whether the two see this as a rivalry or not, it is clear they are helping each other achieve greatness, which is a massive win for the NHL.
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