Who is the BEST player from the 2017 draft class?

“Colorado is going to be a scary team” - yes. They just won the Stanley cup, with Makar as the MVP and also winning the Norris trophy.

His first goal, on his first shift, in his first ever NHL game, with his parents in the stands...the Pepsi Center exploded with cheers. He started his career with a bang and I can't imagine that it will anything but hall of fame-worthy.

Watching this today, the day after Makar wins the Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup. It was nice to see his journey.

I went to school with this kid. I was even his defence partner one year when we were like 8. He has always been ridiculously good at hockey.

As a devils fan, I’m here to remind you that Nico was NOT a bust and has been super helpful to us as a team, he’s just no Makar.

Makar simply raised the level of this Avalanche team from the moment he stepped on the ice for his first game(in the playoffs) and just helped in a huge way getting this team back to the 3rd round in 20 years! #AllHailCale #GoAvsGo #FindAWay

Makar going to the Stanley Cup after a 5 point closeout game to sweep the Oilers. Dude is unreal.

As an old-school guy from the 70's and 80's who's literally talked Hockey in person with Bobby Orr-- you'll often hear guys from my generation not give credit to any of the younger players. But this kid is for real... A generational player. His vision of the moving chess pieces, his ability to keep his head up while stick handling, and his Hockey IQ. Just a special special player.

If it's about Cale I'm clicking

Reports have recently come out that in that draft Flyers scouts were telling Ron Hextal to pick Makar 2nd overall but Hextal chose Patrick instead against scout recommendations.

Avs fan here so obviously I agree. However, both Miro and Elias are right up there so really, 3,4,5 may be one of the best trio at those spots in Draft history. All 3 have a real chance at being the top player from that class.

Makar is so incredibly good on defense. He shut McDavid down while still producing crazy offense. Best D man in the league right now.

Thanks for the video, Rob. Well researched and well presented. Thanks for sharing your passion with us benders.

Cale is a really talented guy. Colorado have the craziest line-up now, looking better than what they have in many years. Surely another Stanley Cup is on the way within the near future... Great hockey.

I think this was your best video yet! I love this format!

Love how much support your channel is getting bro. You deserve it! Great video

It’s kind of a cherry picked stat that he was chosen so late in the WHL draft. It was known he was going the NCAA route, so it would have been a waste of a high pick. Late picks in major juniors happen all the time for players committed to the NCAA route.

Well, i know its a year late but comparing him to Karlsson is a slap in the face to Makar at this point, kids a legend in the making especially with his first cup under his belt

I enjoyed this video and really enjoyed learning about this new player I’ve been interested in lately. Thanks mate!!

Video looked great Rob. I am a pretty new subscriber to your channel. I like your enthusiasm and the way you come across. Some of the other guys have seemed to slip into a monotone limbo lately. Keep up the great work brother 👍🏻👍🏻

I saw him play in real life for UMass against AIC in Springfield. There was definitely a stark contrast in puck handling

to me, it looks like the AVs made a lot of good choices for Makar's development. Normally, teams are quick to put the player on the roster after the draft

Future legend in Makar, and as a life long Flyer's fan, it is a very difficult pill to swallow (glad I watched the video, I had not realized he played in a lower junior division league and that is why it was difficult for scouts to gauge exactly how good he was! Keep this video up, you are likely going to get A LOT of views over the years!

Hey Robbie I just saw this one I don’t know how I missed it great video buddy as usual thank you for putting these. I’m all balls and I really appreciate watching your channel

Colorado also had the luxury of a much more complete roster than the Devils, Flyers and Stars which allowed them to take a risk and draft Makar. The potential was there but due the the leagues he played in as this video mentions, I think that and his size scared some teams away. Good on Colorado to take the risk, paid off big time! This video really made me think of why drafting is so hard and it makes me think of the Devils drafting Luke Hughes. It's very hard for things to align like they did in order for a team like the Avs to be able to take a risk on Makar and not be hurt too badly if he didn't pan out. Same with the Devils, very hard to end up the place to draft your beat players younger brother whom happens to be the exact position you need most and who is considered to have one of if not the highest ceiling of any 1st rounder in 2021 due to being an underage draft pick and almost an entire year younger than the 1st overall. Great video though! Scouting/drafting is extremely fascinating

As an Avs fan I'll never forget watching the draft (I had to follow it on my phone) and I wanted Makar badly but didn't think he'd be there when the Avs picked. We all knew Patrick and Hischier were going 1/2, but I really thought the Stars would take Makar. I figured we were going to go with Cal Foote or even Brannstrom. When the Stars took Heiskanen I remember thinking "if we don't take Makar I'm going to be furious" and then we did. When he got his first shot to play with the Avs, in a playoff game, and looked so comfortable, I knew we had a really good player. Fast forward to now and he's absolutely one of our best guys and clearly the best defenseman on the team and among the best, if not the best in the league. Great video! Brought back some good memories.

Love your videos, super informative! Thanks Rob

Commenting on this in 2022 and you got this analysis bang on. Well done.

One year on from the making of this video, MAKAR!!! He's just getting going and already making seasoned pros look average to downright silly.

Cale was a pleasure to watch here in Brooks and yes he was that good then, there were NHL potential players on many teams during his time here. Brooks has been a training ground for many talented players in part due to the coaching,training and scouting staff we have. Just watch for more players to come out of here… GO BANDITS GO and GO AVS GO.

Very good video. Keep up the in depth looks at talent.

Love these vids keep em comin!!!

I saw Makar play in Penticton at the WCC. He was unreal. After the first game I saw him play, you could see the top 10 potential in him.

All 3 of 3-5 are arguably the best player. All of those teams made the right choice in who fits cuz dallas needed a good 2 way dman with klingberg already there avs needed a offensive dman cuz they had good defensive d and Vancouver for the last of the three and needed a good forward to replace the sedins. All around good for each team no matter who is the “best” player cuz they all are great and good fits.

I love the video, Rob! Keep up the fire. 🔥

Great video. Excellent content! 👍

Looking forward to seeing him on the Team Canada blue line at the next Olympics. Also hoping not to see any more "Dude where's Makar?" signs.

And Makar just scored in 2022 western conference finals, in game 4 to try and sweep the Oilers.

Congrats to you - you said your goal for 2020 was 40k subscribers - you’re now at 59k+ at the halfway point of 2021!

Loved this vid. Thanks !

I heard them talking this exact topic on NHL radio today. The best thing that happened to Colorado was dropping in the draft due to the lottery because if they had drafted #1, taking a Tier 2 player first overall would be a very hard sell to anyone, regardless of his talent. It's possible Makar was #1 on their list anyway. I read the Canucks had Makar #1 on their list as well in 2017.

gonna have to revisit this video when Hischier pulls a Mackinnon and starts to pop off after a few average years. Guy is really starting to find his stride this year and I expect a huge breakout season in 2022/2023 for him. He is by no means better than Makar, but people are starting to realize how underrated Nico is

Haven't watched the video yet, but all I can say is how thankful I am that Cale Makar honored his UMass commitment years ago. Changed the identity of our program.

Rob your headed for the #1 nhl content creator. Keep up the sick vids man

Makar and the likes remind me of a past when defenseman (think Orr, Coffey, McInnis, Bourque) were allowed to shine, then came years of defensive shut down hockey which was kind of boring. I hope defenseman like Makar and Hughes are the new norm as they make hockey so much more exciting and dynamic. Great video.

I hope Patrick can play again. He showed promise in his first seasons but it stings knowing we could’ve had Heiskanen or Makar

When I went back and watched the draft from the years Makar & Bowen Byram were picked, it actually sounded like the scouts were higher on Byram than Makar. Because of injuries we still haven't seen what Byram can do.

Nice video. Thank you!

The avs might have done it again with Alex Newhook! Overlooked because he played in the bchl, but then dominated college hockey this year😍

I'd still pick nico 1st. Dudes an absolute stud and has a 2way game that's hard to find in young players.

Great video mang

Very good video Makar and Heskianan

Best players from the 2017 draft so far.. Pettersson Makar Heiskanen Hishier as a Sens fan I can't wait to see how Josh Norris does this coming season

Hearing people talk bout "late growth spirts" makes me sad, i never hit one, been 5'5 since i was 13:( im now 23:/

wild watching this vid right before colorado plays in the stanley cup final. makar has gone from people saying he’s going to be the next karlsson, which ain’t shabby at all, to wayne gretzky saying he’s the closest thing he’s seen to bobby orr. it sounds weird to compare a forward and a d-man, but makar is literally the mcdavid of defenders right now, so fun to watch cale take over a game offensively while also being one of the best the other way of the ice as well

I live 20 minutes south of UMass Amherst campus, and I consider myself a huge hockey fan. Somehow I never heard of him until he made his nhl debut and he became a Western Mass legend because "the umass kid scored an nhl goal". I wish I could have watching him at UMass

I havent understood why being offensive in hockey is better than being a 2-way player in someones mind. Like Heiskanen and Makar doesnt have much difference who u play Heiskanen would get some less points but be better on your own side on the ice. Thats has allways been like that european players arent that much offensive as americans and canadians in hockey. Just my opinion sorry for bad english.

Miro Heiskanen that’s how

Sick vid bro

Lol watching this when this came out had to come back after he won the Conn Smyth

The kid is amazing and Bobby Orr is more appropriate of a comparison .... The kid plays like Bobby Orr..... The kid is sick...

I got to witness Cale's very first NHL goal a playoff goal. It was Beautiful 🏒 And now Stanley Cup Champion 🏆

Watching this now after the cup win just hits different

As a dallas fan I haven't decided if we made a mistake, Miro was a lock and not sure if he would have excelled in Dallas system as well. If we had to do it again think I'd still take Miro.

Happy with Miro :)

My two favorite players: Makar and MacKinnon. What a team the Avs have. Avs vs NYR (I hope) to play for the Holy Grail. LETS GO RANGERS

Maybe you could do a video on players who were drafted out of the lower leagues like the AJHL, BCHL, CJHL... and yet went on to have solid NHL careers. A few examples outside of Makar would be Kyle Turris and Jamie Benn.

I have a close friend who played in the AJHL. He confirmed that Makar was absolutely clowning everybody he played against. I’m pretty sure him playing in the AJHL was what scared teams away from picking him in the top three. Even though, in my opinion, he’s far better than Hischier and Patrick.

Love the format.. Makar is an unreal player. Watching him on the ice with MacKinnon is crazy. Those two have chemistry of scoring goals. Makar needs to win the Calder.

Makar is unbelievable but Miro Heiskanen is the best player from this draft class. He's amazing on the defensive side of the game and his offensive stats are great, too. We gotta remember that the Stars aren't a high scoring team and Miro is putting in those kind of numbers as a D. Incredible player.

Great video. I live in Brooks and am I huge Bandits fan. I get the argument that the jr a leagues are trash, but as someone who watches both jr a, and major jr I can honestly say they aren't that far apart. Lots of jr a players could easily hold down roster spots in the chl. Just like many chl players probably should be in jr a. I know back when makar played a handful of games as an 15 year old affiliate in brooks, that he was going to be a star.

Miro and Elias are going to be in the HOF someday. Cale has it in him to be a legit generational talent.

Joe Sakic has the uncanny ability to spot talented players from an early age. His first season and a rookie wins the Norris trophy and also the Hart as well. He so far advanced beyond his age. Can't wait to the start of the season.

Vasilevsky was drafted by TB at #19. Whats crazy is Slater Koekkoek was picked by TB at #10. I like to look at draft classes to see who got picked before the stars.

Funny story. The 2017 RBC Cup, which was viewed by a few teams as the perfect time to go scout him, was held in my town. The second to last game of the tournament, the Arizona Coyotes sent their scouts to that game specifically to scout Cale Makar.....who had been sat for that game, because they were worried they'd have to go up against the home town Cougars in the finals who were the first team to beat them in over 30 games earlier in the tournament. Needless to say, the Coyotes scouts were visibly pissed off in the arena as soon as they realized he wasn't playing that game. So much so that people in the arena noticed and could figure out it was the Arizona scouts

Based on what we know at the moment I'd say Miro Heiskanen is the best player from this draft

Awesome video Rob! Loved the format and the direction you are going. Best player from 2017 draft will be always and currently is Heiskanen. He is unreal. Also Cale Makar and Pettersen play on better offensive teams. The support and options are there in COL and VAN. Miro makes his own in DAL. (Also to note Hischer plays on one of the worst rosters and owes his work only to himself)

I went to school cale makar. He was such a stand-up guy. I remember times he would share his notes and do hw together.

Great time to be a fan.

Makar and Heiskanen is a toss up...I be happy with either guy...but obviously Philly and Jersey made a mistake passing on Makar and Heiskanen and Pettersson as well.

Remember Quinn Hughes went 7th over all to the nucks my team. Him and Makar are beasts already and going to make the pacific division exciting.

Another very good video!

"O fence, O fence... looks at the blue line O fence." 🤣

When are people gonna actually start viewing talent in the ajhl and bchl as actual stars i mean dion Phaneuf came from the ajhl as well as parayko and thats just a couple not even close to all the players that have been selected from that league

Sakic Wanted Miro Heiskanen he would have gone to the Avs if Dallas didn’t draft him Cale Maker was his second choice.

I remember watching him in my home town, of brooks, he was outstanding

You should really try this with goalies, ik its prolly a stretch but i would like to see if any goalies surprised the league.

imagine if the Flyers had drafted Makar instead of Patrick : (

I see Pettersson being the best overall in that draft. Only weaknes he has is a small gas tank. Makar is great but makes misstakes now and then. Hieskanen is already a flawless player. A norris candidate - this season. Imagine being the scouting org that put Makar at 20! But in general I think the draft is a bit over hyped. Just look what Kiviranta just did, a undrafted player!

I remember my dad watching the Usa Vs Canada game, didnt even know it was on. My dad straight up said "The Avs are so going to pick this kid up. There's no doubt in my mind." He said the same thing about Payton Manning once there was talk of trading him. I don't know how he keeps calling this stuff, but im down with it.

Players get overlooked all the time. Doug Gilmour (Hockey Hall of Fame 2011) wasn't selected until the 7th round, 134th overall. It wasn't because he was an unknown commodity, in his draft year, he finished with 70 goals and 107 assists for 177 points in 68 games and was voted MVP in the OHL. Always thought of as too small since his minor hockey days. Can't wait for Cale to represent Canada with the big boys.🍁

I'd rather have Heiskenen as he's more well rounded, defends better

Calling this dude "Erik Karlsson" is an insult to Makar. Most importantly.....he is his own person. Secondly, calling him Erik Karlsson would imply that this kid is gonna get paid and fall off a cliff and never meet expectations. Hopefully that will never happen to him. I can not begin to say how frustrating it is as a Sharks fan to remember what Erik Karlsson was and had never been since coming to San Jose.

Do a tier list for starting goalies

With out a doubt, picks 3 to 5 are already better players and have bigger impacts for their teams

As a Flyers fan, this draft turned out to be heartbreaking. 2nd overall pick was an absolute bust

Heiskanen was one of them, and is of the same caliber as Makar

Having the luxury of commenting on the video 3 years later, I of course have more information on how each of the top players developed and therefore, more information on their potential in the future. It was a much stronger draft class than originally thought of. There are 4 players who stand out above all others. Hischier, Makar, Heiskanen, Petersson - and each of them has Hall of Fame, and trophy winner potential! Makar is the prototype of the modern defender. The combination of his size, the league he played in, and the position he plays moved him behind the #1 and #2 picks. Building a strong team through the middle, a center is in the end most likely the more important position than a defender. Yet, he is a defender with almost unmatched talent, drive, grit (undersized player have to have grit to get that far), and almost perfect decision-making make him way above the defender he used to be compared to - EK. Makar has pride in defending as well as dynamics above EK65. But then again - EK65 has almost unmatched creativity and feel moving forward...

You can say the same thing about Cole Caufield, and the Habs drafted Lane Hutson, probably the next offensive Dman.