Shadow his famous brother casts has not hindered Makar
Taylor Makar has heard all of the chirps.
Makar has chosen to follow in his famous brother’s footsteps, first playing for the Brooks Bandits in the AJHL and now at the University of Massachusetts. He’ll probably hear about it Thursday, when Umass plays the University of Denver in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA men’s ice hockey tournament in Springfield, Mass.
Yeah, he’s the younger brother of Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar. If that’s an opposing player’s plan to get inside his head, good luck with that.
“He had so many things said to him on the ice,” said Brooks coach Ryan Papaioannou, who has coached both brothers. “But the best part was, he came from the same family and he had the same mindset. He’s got lots of humility and he would laugh at it. Those guys would tell him like, ‘Your brother’s way better than you.’ He would laugh and go, ‘Of course he is. Good one.’”
The younger Makar is a junior forward for the Minutemen. That’s one difference. He’s also 6-foot-3 and pushing 200 pounds, which means Cale is looking up at him.
While his brother is a little more reserved, Taylor is outgoing, and his play on the ice has a loud, in-yourface quality to it. Finding his own way has always been part of the process for him.
“It wouldn’t be easy for anybody. It’s the hand he’s been dealt, and I’m sure it comes with pressure. I know it’s something he deals with, but he does extremely well. He’s a very consistent kid. Just fun-loving, high energy with a positive attitude every day. He’s been enjoyable to coach.”
The Avalanche drafted Taylor in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL draft. It’s another reminder that his path to a career in professional hockey was always going to be different from his brother, who was the No. 4 pick in 2018.
“Taylor has a lot of assets that make him unique. He’s 6-foot-3. He skates really well. He can play a big, fast, hard game,” Umass coach Greg Carvel said. “That makes him a pro prospect. He just needs to put it all together on a more consistent basis, and do a little more with the puck. He’s got a great attitude, great energy. When he plays, he really, really brings it.