Photo Credit – The Hockey News:
In the winter of 2017 the late, great Montreal Canadiens? Western Canadian scout Elmer Benning, who fought hard to have his bosses draft goalie Carey Price No. 5 overall, was rhapsodizing about defenceman Cale Makar in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
?He?s way better than anybody I?ve seen in the Western League ? fantastic skater, great passer. Special, special talent,? said Benning, who has seldom given to publicly beating the drum for a player because amateur scouts like to keep their likes to themselves.
To watch Makar play today, with his dynamic skill set that has him with 18 points in 18 games for the Colorado Avalanche, is to think how very lucky they were to get him at No. 4 in the 2017 draft. He?s a rookie in name only. Hard to believe he fell into the Avs? lap after they lost the lottery after their 48-point season and tumbled from first to fourth in the pecking order.