Cale Makar suspended for one game but NHL fans think he should have been penalized more - "Should have been atleast 3"

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar has been suspended for one game for his interference with Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann in Game 4 on Monday night.

Makar, who won the Norris and Conn Smythe trophies last year, will miss Game 5 of the series, which is currently tied 2-2. The hit occurred in the first period after McCann registered a short-handed shot.

Makar delivered a late hit along the boards with no puck in play. McCann was down on the ice for several minutes before being helped to the bench and did not return. Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol confirmed that McCann has been ruled out of Game 5.

Fans took to Twitter to express their opinions on Makar's suspension. One fan tweeted:

"Can't wait to BOO tf out of Cale Makar on Friday when it's his first game back from suspension on home ice,"

Another fan tweeted, expressing their disbelief at the suspension length:

"ARE U JOKING HOW IS CALE MAKAR SUSPENDED FOR ONLY ONE GAME,"

Another fan suggested that the suspension should have been longer, pointing out that Kraken forward Michael Bunting received a three-game suspension earlier in the playoffs for a similar hit:

"Should have been 3 games. Especially if that's what Bunting got"

Makar, for his part, called the injury to McCann "unfortunate" and expressed his hope that McCann was okay. The Avalanche will have to play Game 5 without Makar, which could potentially impact their chances of winning the series.

A look at Cale Makar's NHL career

Cale Makar is a rising star in the NHL. He wasted no time making an impression, scoring the game-winning goal in his NHL debut with the Colorado Avalanche in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

After being selected fourth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Avalanche, Makar signed an entry-level contract with the team and joined them for the playoffs. He made an immediate impact, becoming the first defenseman and seventh player overall to score a playoff goal in his NHL debut.

Makar's rookie season in 2019-20 was outstanding. He won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie after finishing with 50 points in just 57 games. He followed that up with an impressive 2020-21 season, finishing as a finalist for the Norris Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL's top defenseman.

But his historic 2021-22 season was truly remarkable. He set an Avalanche/Nordiques record for points by a defenseman in a single season with 86 and became the first Avalanche/Nordiques defenseman to win the Norris Trophy.

But his biggest accomplishment was helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup, where he was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player of the playoffs.