The whole reason they felt they could trade Barrie is because Makar is going to step into that role.

Not right away, they've said that. Early there may be some issues defensively, but they're gonna be fine in the long run

I think he's ready to run the power play, even if they decide to shelter him 5v5.

You don't let a kid who's played 10 playoff games run your powerplay before he's played a regular season game. Just no. That is a disaster waiting to happen

So Shattenkirk makes it easier for the kid to make the jump over the course of the year.

I think you're underestimating Makar. He's really talented, and there are players you don't need to spoonfeed.

I agree, but D men... even Ekblad and Johnsen, 1st overall picks for D men, needed help. Even Dahlin needed the help this year, Makar is going to need it. D men aren't forwards, they need more time and more protection.

I just think that sheltering a player like that is more important at even strength. Put him on the 3rd pair with Cole or Zadorov, who can cover his ass. But when you have a player who can do what he can do offensively you need to give him every opportunity you can.

Put him on the second power play then, sure. Let him try to develop with the lesser unit, but you can't expect him to step into the 1st power play unit against teams top penalty kills and expect him to be a surefire producer. D men take longer to develop, all D men, even Cale Makar.

You paid too much for shateenkirk. He’s not that good and even if he was that contract is an albatross, and NYR are over cap. They should be paying you to take that contract.

Even today, Makar is better defensively and more physical than Barrie.

Trust me, I doubt he's better defensively. It's much more difficult to play D consistantly when you are facing a different top line every damn night, so to some regard it's easier to defend in the playoffs and it's why it's more grueling, I'm not saying Makar is a bad player, far from it, but I wouldn't be counting your chickens before they hatch here is all.

Makar is more than capable of quarterbacking a power play at the NHL level, and his speed lets him takes risk and recover quickly. It's common for teams to let forwards quarterback their power plays, and any defensemen in the NHL, no matter how little they've played in the NHL, is a better defender than a forward who's an NHL regular. Krug first hopped into the Boston lineup in the power play during the playoffs and quarterbacked it then as a rookie d man and has been in that role ever since.

He will most likely continue to be sheltered 5 on 5, but he has what it takes to be on a pp1 unit.

Shattenkirk is going to help how defensively? Worse than Barrie in that department. Bad contract and they'll let Makar grow into the role.

No. He really doesn't!

I think if they felt Makar isn't ready to take over Barrie's role, they'd try to get Gardiner on a 1 or 2 year deal with a higher cap hit instead of giving up assets.

Trust me, Makar is better defensively already. It's tough not to be. Will he make mistakes? Of course. Will he learn from them? Of course, IF he is given the time to make them!

Makar not shatty, he's sh*t

I don't think you've ever seen colorado's powerplay then. Barrie didn't think for himself at all. Our only play was drop it back to Mack and if that is not there barrie couldn't use his ability to get it in deep. Makar has already shown that he can think on the fly so we will take him over barries quaterback any day. Plus Rants and Mack don't even pass to the D half the time, they just look for the cross seam pass. Makar will be fine, he's been playing against guys older than him in college for 2 years and just had a grueling series against the sharks, he's had time to develop his body more from being a teen fresh out the draft. The only real thing will be him adjusting to a full season of hockey over a shortened college season.