Makar looking to join rare group of Canadian NCAA stars
Cale Makar has shown flashes of brilliance on the big stage before.
The fourth overall pick by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Makar picked up six points in five games at last season’s RBC Cup with the Brooks Bandits, after 16 points in just 13 games during the AJHL playoffs.
However, as he was playing Tier-II Jr. A in order to maintain his NCAA eligibility, many questioned whether he’d be able to translate his game to higher levels of competition.
Now a freshman at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, the 2018 World Junior Championship could be his biggest test yet.
Known for his smooth skating ability and offensive talent, Makar’s been joined at selection camp by teammate Mario Ferraro, as well as fellow NCAA players Dante Fabbro (Boston University) and Colton Point (Colgate University).
But while there’s a group of four collegiate athletes vying for a spot on this year’s roster, the NCAA traditionally has not had a major imprint of the Canadian team. In the past five tournaments, just three NCAA players have laced up their skates for the Canadians.
While it may not be the most frequent occurence, there is precedent for Makar to have a chance to stand out for the Canadians. Here’s a look back at five of the most notable performances at the World Juniors by Canadian college athletes:
Kyle Turris, 2008
A freshman at Wisconsin at the time, Turris dominated at the 2008 World Juniors in the Czech Republic. The third overall pick in the 2007 draft led the Canadian team in scoring with eight points on the way to their fourth gold medal in a row. In the semifinals against the USA, Turris set up Karl Alzner’s eventual game winning-goal in a 4-1 win. In the round-robin, Turris had a pair of two-goal games over Denmark and Slovakia.
Jonathan Toews, 2006-2007
For Canadians, the current Chicago Blackhawks captain might have produced the quintessential World Junior moment of magic while he was enrolled as a sophomore at the University of North Dakota. At the 2007 tournament in Leksand, Sweden Toews scored three times over the United States in a seven-round shootout in the semifinal to secure a 2-1 victory. In the gold medal game, Toews scored a power play goal to put Canada up 3-0 over the Russians in what was an eventual 4-2 victory.
Jason Botterill, 1994-1996
A former University of Michigan Wolverine and the current general manager of the Buffalo Sabres, Botterill only managed 88 NHL games. However, his rarest distinction is being the only player in Canadian history to win three World Junior gold medals, winning in each of the 1994, 1995, and 1996 tournaments, held in Ostrava, Red Deer, and Massachusetts respectively.
Paul Kariya, 1993
While a freshman at the University of Maine in 1992-93, Kariya made headlines by scoring 100 points in just 39 games. Returning to the World Juniors after playing previously as a member of the Penticton Panthers the year prior, Kariya finished second in team scoring with two goals and six assists in seven games as Canada managed a 6-0-1 record to be awarded the gold medal.
Troy Murray, 1982
The captain of the 1982 team, Murray (along with teammate James Patrick) was the first Canadian college player to represent Canada at the tournament. Murray picked up eight points in seven games, en route to Canada’s first ever gold medal at the tournament. Murray would go on to play 915 games in the NHL for five separate teams, becoming both the captain of the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets along the way.