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One of the biggest debates this season has been who the best defenceman in the NHL is. While there have been a handful of names mentioned, the majority of conversations have focused on two names, Vancouver Canucks’ Quinn Hughes and Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar. While we won’t know the true answer until the end of the season, here is a look at how Hughes and Makar stack up against each other through the first month of the 2024-25 season.
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The best place to start with the comparison is basic counting stats. These statistics show a good overview of how each player has done so far this season. Below is a look at Hughes’ and Makar’s stats as of November 10, 2024
|
Quinn Hughes |
Cale Makar |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Games |
13 |
15 |
|
Time On Ice |
24:52 |
24:08 |
|
Goals |
6 |
3 |
|
Primary Assists |
7 |
9 |
|
Secondary Assists |
5 |
9 |
|
Points |
15 |
24 |
|
Plus/Minus |
+6 |
-6 |
|
Shots |
49 |
44 |
|
Hits |
2 |
14 |
|
Blocked Shots |
17 |
21 |
|
Giveaways |
12 |
21 |
|
Takeaways |
3 |
14 |
Overall, the counting stats favour Makar through the first month of 2024-25. The Avalanche defenceman is on pace for over 130 points this season, which, if he stays on this pace, would be one of the greatest seasons by a defender. That being said, Hughes does hold some advantages, including more shots taken and fewer giveaways on the season.
The other way to compare the two is by using analytics. While analytics don’t usually decide the Norris Trophy winner, they are a good way of displaying how impactful a player is on the ice. Below is a comparison using Natural Stat Tricks’ even strength analytics using per-60 rates.
|
Per 60 Rates |
Hughes |
Makar |
|---|---|---|
|
Even-Strength Time On Ice Per Game |
20:36 |
18:08 |
|
Shots For |
37.41 |
34.18 |
|
Shots Against |
21.95 |
25.58 |
|
Goals For |
4.03 |
3.09 |
|
Goals Against |
2.24 |
4.41 |
|
Scoring Chances For |
35.84 |
37.49 |
|
Scoring Chances Against |
18.59 |
24.04 |
|
High-Danger Scoring Chances For |
14.78 |
13.89 |
|
High-Danger Scoring Chances Against |
8.96 |
11.25 |
The analytics are the complete opposite of the counting stats, as Hughes has the advantage in every single category listed. Whether it is in the offensive or defensive zone, Hughes finds a way to impact the game at even strength. While Makar does have some solid analytics, it is the reigning Norris Trophy winner who gets the edge in this category.
The debate between Hughes and Makar really comes down to what stats a person wants to use. If counting stats is used, Makar wins the discussion, but if the conversation revolves around analytics, Hughes is the clear winner. Ultimately, this is a debate that will take years to solve, with the real winner being the hockey community, which gets to watch these two superstars put on a show night after night.
