It’s common knowledge that defensemen in hockey take a bit longer to develop than forwards.
D-men have more defensive responsibility on the ice than forwards, so it checks out that teams choose to let their young blueliners develop a little more before giving them too much rein on the ice.
More and more though, it’s looking like that philosophy is going out the window.
Young defensemen are taking the league by storm, and when the Norris Finalists were announced today, Cake Makar, 22, and Adam Fox, 23, both got the nod.
The kids are alright!
What’s more interesting? Two years ago, this duo was up against one another for a different award: college hockey’s coveted Hobey Baker.
The Hobey Baker is awarded annually to the country's top men’s NCAA Hockey player, and that year, it was Makar that took home the accolade.
This type of d-man is definitely the defender of the future, and we smell a rivalry brewing between these two powerhouse players for a long time to come.
