Taylor Makar’s Evolution Has Him Closing in on His First NHL Goal
Can Taylor Makar cash in tonight?
Video Transcript
Well, my first question for you, Taylor, is, you know, is there any, is there any pressure from playing on this team just, just 'cause your brother's on the team, or is that something that you've gotten over?
I don't think it's pressure.
obviously, I put pressure on myself to, you know, do well, make plays, keep learning, and stuff like that.
But overall, I, I think it's just, to play my game and help contribute, do what I can, and keep, keep getting that experience so I can just keep getting better and better.
And earlier this year, when you, when you were recovering from, you know, from a setback earlier in the- during the off-season, you got a chance to work with Milan Hejduk, obviously, one, one of the greatest players in Avalanche history.
How, how was it working with him, and what, what was some What were some of the tips that you've utilized from him?
it's awesome working with him.
Like, he still comes to the Eagles and stuff like that.
We learn a lot, the new guys, stuff like that.
a lot of shooting tips, way to, where to place your puck on the- place the puck on your body, cut back, stuff like that.
Just a lot of little tips.
We try and ask him a lot of questions, and he's been nothing but amazing for us and helped a lot, and kinda just opened up a new perspective of goal scoring, and being a bit, bit of creative, a bit creative and add that creativity to our games.
And where do you feel like you've improved the most as a player, and you know, what, what's the next step for you to become, like, a permanent player on this roster where it's not even a question that you're gonna be in the lineup the next game?
I think just improving kind of the all-around game and stuff like that.
But, I wanna get bigger on the walls, become more physical.
I think, keep working on that speed and handling the puck, being able to pull up in the zone, skate with the puck, and hold pucks on the walls, win those board battles.
I think, it's something I'm really trying to work on, use my body, use my size to protect the puck, to keep those, those own pucks in play.
And I think, that'll do a lot for my game.
I know we've seen those board drills a lot through- throughout the season with certain players like Ross Colton.
We've seen Nicuor.
Is that, is that just something that, you know, is typical for a player your size, player like Ross, player like, like Valeri?
Def- definitely.
I think everyone- Yeah ... board, I mean, the pucks on the boards, whatever, is eighty percent of the game, seventy percent, so it's a massive part of the game, and I think if you're really good at that, if you're winning those board battles, it's just gonna bring more success to the team and you.
And from, from the players that are currently on the roster at the moment, who's been, I would say, the most I, I don't know if supportive would be the right word, would be the right word, but who's, who's giving you the best career other than Cale?
Honestly, everyone.
Juraj has been great.
I've got to play with quite a few guys.
Kels, he's been awesome, given me so many tips.
He talks a lot.
Juraj talks a lot.
Brins has been awesome.
being able to play with Barty, two big guys, it's, it's good.
I think, honestly, everyone.
Everyone's been supportive.
Trying to ask questions with the older guys, and just get as many little tips and stuff as I can while I'm here, so I can bring that into my own game and keep, keep growing.
And you just, you just mentioned Barty.
is it, is it easy to communicate with him, and does he, does he actually communicate, or is there, is there, like, a translator that helps you out?
Just gotta keep it simple with him.
Yeah, that makes sense.
He's definitely learning.
Obviously, it's so hard, like, I mean, incredibly hard to learn a new language, but he's doing great.
and he knows hockey talk, so that's great.
Oh, there you go.
Yeah.
Well-
