The Wraparound: Cale Makar is unmatched

The Wraparound is your daily look at the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. We’ll break down the NHL playoff games today with the all-important television information.

• Be sure to check out all of Friday’s Stanley Cup Playoff action in the Rink Wrap right here. 

• The Penguins will be without goalie Casey DeSmith for the remainder of the playoffs after he underwent successful core muscle surgery on Friday. 

• Another Blues defenseman gets injured. 

We do not know how the NHL’s award voting is going to play out this season (votes have already been submitted) but the Norris Trophy was pretty much a two-player race between the Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar and the Nashville Predators’ Roman Josi. Both players had magnificent offensive seasons, are top defenders for playoff teams, and just so happen to be facing off in the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Through two games the story has been Makar and the Avalanche.

Colorado enters Game 3 on Saturday night with a commanding 2-0 lead in the series with Makar playing a starring role.

The numbers are about what you would expect from him given what he has done in the early part of his career.

He already has two goals, four total points, 14 shots on goal, and dominant possession numbers, with the Avalanche completely controlling the game in every aspect when he is on the ice. But it’s not even about just the numbers. Everything about the way he plays is simply mesmerizing to watch.

Just look at the skating, puck control, and the perfectly placed shot in Game 1 to help bury the Predators in the first period.

How many players in the league can pull that off and make that play? Or make it look that easy? He is three years into his career and is still averaging more than a