Cale Makar Tape Breakdown: The Best Defenseman in Denver (Part 1)

The Skating Genius of Cale Makar: A Cale Makar Tape Breakdown

What makes Cale Makar the best defenseman in Denver? It’s not just his speed or his offensive flair, it’s the way he turns skating into an art form. With deceptive crossovers, his ability to change speeds, explosive weight shifts, and unmatched inside edge control, Makar makes the ice his canvas and leaves defenders guessing at every turn. This Cale Makar tape breakdown highlights the key skating techniques that make him so difficult to defend.

Makar’s skating brilliance starts with his deceptive crossovers. He rarely skates in straight lines and in addition, he skates as well backwards as he does forwards. Offensively, when he has the puck,  you will see how he spots the puck into open space, allowing him to skate into the puck rather than carrying it flat, creating a ton of free movement and deception, keeping defenders off balance. This allows him to move more dynamically and efficiently, finding space where others see traffic.

Another layer of Makar’s skating genius is how he manipulates speed to create mismatches in tempo. He skates to his own drum.. He’s not always the fastest player on the ice, but he’s a master at changing speeds at exactly the right moment.

You’ll often see him slow down just enough to lull his opponent into thinking they have him covered, only to burst forward and leave them flat-footed. By varying his speed this way, Makar creates a mismatch in rhythm. When he’s accelerating, the defender is still adjusting; when he slows down, the defender is still trying to catch up. This constant shift in pace means that Makar is always dictating the play, forcing his opponents to react to him rather than the other way around.

For young players, the lesson here is that speed is not just about how fast you can skate; it’s about how you control your tempo in order to create space. By mastering the art of changing speeds, you can keep your opponents guessing and open up new opportunities on the ice. The real magic happens when he combines this with his weight shifts and edge control. Specifically holding that inside edge, which gives Makar an incredible posture to change direction explosively and leave defenders scrambling. Every fake, every pivot, is designed to manipulate opponents and create openings.

The takeaway is clear: Deking isn’t all about puck skills and dirty hands. Likewise, skating isn’t just about speed. It’s about how you combine the two; your edges, how you shift your weight, and how you create space even when there doesn’t seem to be any. This Cale Makar tape breakdown shows how his combination of crossovers and explosive agility is a masterclass in deception and efficiency.

But this is just the beginning. In the next part, we’ll dive into his vision and decision-making. We will breakdown how he sees the ice, anticipates, and dominates the play offensively with the same nuances he brings to his skating. Stay tuned! There’s a lot more to learn from the best defenseman in Denver, Cale Makar.

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