from Stephen Whyno of the AP,

Cale Makar won the Stanley Cup and earned playoff MVP honors after a season in which he was voted the NHL’s best defenseman.

He may be the best hockey player in the world, and still he looks around at Connor McDavid, Patrick Kane, Auston Matthews and Colorado teammate Nathan MacKinnon and marvels at all the talent.

“I just hope it’s fun for fans to watch,” Makar said. “It’s a great time for hockey.”

Hard to argue with that. The NHL is coming off its highest-scoring season in decades and a Cup final between the Avalanche and back-to-back champion Tampa Bay Lightning that was a showcase of the best playoff hockey can deliver.

Thanks to an unprecedented level of skill and speed on the ice, business is booming going into what’s expected to be the league’s first full season on a normal schedule since before the pandemic.

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