NHL analyst believes Avalanche star Cale Makar needs to step up his game once Olympic break ends after recent slump

For years, Cale Makar has remained one of the Avs' best defensemen and, by extension, one of the best in the league. With two Norris trophies and one Conn Smythe, Colorado’s star blueliner has been considerably slow this season, especially since the new year.With a PPG of just 0.75, his pace has been pale compared to his torrid early-season pace. The slump has created unexpected drama in the race for the NHL's best defenseman with less than two months remaining in the regular season.

Colorado Avalanche will need Cale Makar to be in top form once season resumes

The Avalanche enter the Olympic break with a 37-9-9 record and 83 points, sitting atop the Central Division. But their recent 3-3-0 stretch over the past six games suggests something has shifted.

Questions are mounting about whether key players will rediscover their dominant form when NHL action resumes February 25.Makar has managed just 12 points in 16 games during the new year, a dramatic drop from his early-season dominance. According to The Athletic's Sean Gentille and Dom Luszczyszyn in their latest power rankings, Makar has been "just average at five-on-five" during this stretch."That's well below his usual standard and has opened up the Norris Trophy race considerably," the analysts wrote.

"Makar was on a tear to start the season. He's got to get back to that level."The slump represents a rare glimpse of ordinary play from a defenseman widely compared to Bobby Orr. Makar leads all NHL defensemen with 56 points in 54 games, but Columbus Blue Jackets defender Zach Werenski has closed the gap considerably with 61 points in 51 games, including 19 goals.The analysts noted Colorado doesn't have a single player who hasn't exceeded expectations this season, which makes Makar's recent struggles stand out even more.

"Everyone has been that good," they wrote in explaining why Makar was selected as the player who needs to step up.Colorado faces a brutal schedule immediately after the Olympic break. The Avalanche play five games in seven days beginning with a road contest at Utah on February 25, followed by home games against Minnesota on February 26 and Chicago on February 28.With the March 6 trade deadline approaching quickly and playoff seeding on the line, the Avalanche need Makar operating at his typical elite level. His performance over the final 27 regular-season games could determine whether he captures his third Norris Trophy and whether Colorado can maintain their historic pace toward the Presidents' Trophy.