Cale Makar to wear number 8 for the Colorado Avalanche

When he signed his ELC yesterday morning the big mystery became; which number would Cale Makar wear for the Colorado Avalanche. The reigning Hobey Baker winner has worn No. 16 with UMass for the past two seasons but that number is already taken by big Nikita Zadorov.

So the guessing game began.

He wore number 7 with team Canada:

Eight with the Brooks Bandits:

The team gave him 59 at development camp:

There was even some speculation that he’d go back to the day he first put on an Avalanche jersey:

This morning the question was answered. Cale Makar is going back to his roots and will be the seventh player in history to wear No. 8 for the Colorado Avalanche.

Makar joins some pretty high-end company with this number. Sandis Ozolinsh, Teemu Selanne, Wojtek Wolski, Kevin Shattenkirk, Jan Hejda, Jack Skills, and Joe Colborne have all worn the number for the Avs in the past. Colborne, who like Makar was also born in Calgary - was the last player to wear 8 for the Avs. Colborne went on to score a hat trick in his Avs debut - no pressure Cale.

We won’t have confirmation until the game day skate in a few hours, but Makar is expected to suit up tonight against the team he grew up cheering for.

Makar spent the season dominating the NCAA as the best prospect in hockey. A prospect no more, he is set to become one of the most exciting young defenders in the NHL. I’m not sure the league is ready for him.