Cale Makar has developed into one of the most talented defensemen in the NHL since being drafted in 2017. Now Makar can add cover athlete to his resume as EA Sports announced Monday that Makar will be featured on the cover of NHL 24.
Makar is just the second Avalanche player to appear on the cover of the popular video game franchise. Peter Forsberg donned the cover of the game back in 1998.
All Hail Cale 🥬 #NHL24
— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) August 14, 2023
Stanley Cup Champ, Norris Winner, and your official NHL 24 Cover Athlete
See the full reveal 8/16
➡️ https://t.co/PM1LlFQRAu pic.twitter.com/OFLox3Fym8
EA Sports will release a trailer for NHL 24 on Wednesday.
Makar is just the third defenseman over the past 20 years to be featured on the cover of the video game franchise. Dion Phaneuf appeared on the cover of NHL 09, while P.K. Subban was the cover athlete of NHL 19. Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras and Canadian women's national team star Sarah Nurse were featured on the cover of NHL 23.
Makar is coming off of a season in which he registered 66 points (17 goals and 49 assists). The Colorado star dealt with a concussion and a lower-body injury during the 2022-23 campaign, which limited him to just 60 regular-season games. Even though his time on the ice was limited, Makar still finished sixth in goals (17) and ninth in points (66) among NHL defensemen.
The 24-year-old was originally selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. Since entering the league, Makar has racked up 246 points (65 goals and 181 assists) across four NHL seasons, while earning a ton of accolades during his young career.
Makar won the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman in 2021-22 after registering a career-high 86 points (28 goals and 58 assists). The former top-five pick also won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 2019-20, the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2022, and has earned All-Star honors twice.
