Cale Makar leaving distinctive mark for Canada in Olympic debut

MILAN — Sidney Crosby is serving as Canada’s captain for a fourth straight best-on-best tournament, with three Stanley Cups, two Art Ross trophies and over 1,400 NHL games of experience backing him. 

Connor McDavid might be making his Olympic debut along with 22 of his Canadian teammates, but his reputation as the world’s best player, with five Art Ross trophies and more than 750 games of experience, made him an easy choice for alternate captain. 

Then there is the 27-year-old Cale Makar, whose limited time in the NHL by comparison to the aforementioned players was inconsequential when the decision was made to stitch the ‘A’ onto his No. 8 jersey for both the 4 Nations Faceoff and the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.  

Canada’s Cale Makar reacts during the men’s preliminary round Group A Ice Hockey match between Canada and France at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan. AFP via Getty Images

His resume — as a Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe winner and two-time Norris Trophy winner — fits right in. 

Makar scored his first Olympic goal in Canada’s 10-2 win over France on Sunday while on the power play in the second period.

It capped his group play statistics at one goal and three assists. 

Asked what a 10-year-old Makar growing up in Calgary, Alberta, would’ve said if he heard he would score a goal on the greatest international stage, Makar showed why he’s considered a leader on such a loaded Canada roster. 

“Hopefully, that he can do it in an important game,” he said. 

The Canadians are on to the quarterfinals, where they will play the winner of Czechia and Denmark.

It’s difficult to imagine Team Canada struggling to reach the gold medal game, especially if its key players continue to produce as they have. 

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Tied with McDavid for the best plus-minus rating at plus-7, Makar has been a key piece of a Canada power play that is leading the tournament with four goals in three games. 

The Avalanche defenseman noted that while they’ve had success with the man-advantage, there is still room for improvement.

His elite ability to facilitate the puck on the power play makes the group, which also features Crosby, McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Reinhart. 

Cale Makar of Canada in action with Janis Moser of Switzerland. IMAGN IMAGES via REUTERS

Skating alongside his Avalanche teammate Devon Toews on the top defensive pairing, Makar has been just as effective over the last week as he is at the NHL level.

For Canada to have a top defensive pairing that also serves as the No. 1 duo for their respective NHL team, it has paid off in their apparent comfortability with one another.  

“We’ve played together for six odd years now, or whatever it is now, but we understand each other,” Toews said on Sunday after Canada captured the No. 1 spot coming out of the preliminary round. “He understands what I do well and when I need him, and I understand when he needs me, and I try to get the puck in his hands as often as possible because he’s so dynamic. He’s one of the best players in the world for a reason.” 

Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the NHL’s absence from the Olympics, Makar’s international appearances have been few and far between.

He competed for Canada at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, but he had only pulled on the Maple Leaf for the 4 Nations tournament before arriving in Milan.

Back at the 2016 World Junior A Challenge, an annual under-20 international tournament, Makar reaffirmed his status as a premier NHL draft prospect. 

With seven goals and 11 points in 10 games, Makar became the first defenseman in World Junior A Challenge history — and just the seventh player ever — to record five points in a single game.”

More international hockey accolades could be on the horizon. 

“Really looking forward to it,” Makar said of moving on. “Regardless of who the opponent is, we’re going to be playing somebody really good. So for us it’s just continue each of these days to get a little bit better and put ourselves in the right spot and right head space to be really good the next game.”