SECAUCUS, NJ – (July 24, 2021) – Brooks Bandits Captain and forward Taylor Makar has been selected 220th overall by the Colorado Avalanche at the 2021 National Hockey League Entry Draft, becoming the fourth player in team history to be drafted directly from the Bandits to an NHL team. He’s the second Bandit to be taken in the 2021 NHL Draft.
The UMass-commit joins brother Cale Makar (2017, 4th Overall – Colorado Avalanche), forward Parker Foo (2017, 144th Overall – Chicago Blackhawks), and defenceman Corson Ceulemans (2021, 25th Overall – Columbus Blue Jackets).
The 2001-born forward from Calgary, AB played three seasons for the Bandits, wearing the “˜C’ during the 2021-22 COVID-shortened season. In 104 regular season games, Makar scored 61 points (17G, 44A) and 185 penalty minutes.
In Makar’s rookie season (2018-19), he tallied 17 points (4G, 13A) in 43 games, helping the Bandits win the 2019 AJHL Championship and 2019 National Junior A Championship. The following season, the forward had 24 points (8G, 16A) in 42 games before the 2020 AJHL Playoffs were cancelled due to COVID-19.
During the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign, Makar was over a point-per-game, tallying 19 points (5G, 14A) in 16 games.
Makar was recruited to Brooks from the Northwest Calgary Athletic Association U18 AAA Flames.
He’s committed to UMass (Hockey East, NCAA Division