"Championship is going to separate them": NHL analysts deliver honest opinions on whether Quinn Hughes is better than Cale Makar

NHL analysts Frankie Corrado and Carlo Colaiacovo weighed in on the ongoing debate between Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar as the top defenseman in the league.

Corrado noted that the dynamics shifted last year when Hughes took home the Norris Trophy as the best defenseman in the league.

This season, despite the Vancouver Canucks' struggles, Hughes has been a standout player. He's leading the team amid challenges and underperformances from other stars and is in the conversation for the top defensemen in the league.

"He (Hughes) is the one keeping that team in the fight as a group and then individually to see what he's doing in the greater context of the league's best defenseman.

"It is so impressive for Quinn Hughes, he absolutely belongs in the conversation of 1A defenseman. Quinn Hughes Cale Makar, there's no separating the two anymore," Corrado said.

Carlo chimed in, saying that a Stanley Cup title would be the deciding factor between the two, as Makar has led his team to a championship while Hughes is still working towards it.

"When it comes to these two players, championship is going to separate them, as Cale Makar has helped lead his team to a Stanley Cup, and Quinn Hughes is trying to get there, but I think you touched on it perfectly. Quinn, who's leading a team with all the turmoil that that team is going through, where Makar it's been an easy breeze," Carlo said.

"I know they just traded Rantanen, but he's still playing with MacKinnon, who's leading the league in points. It's been a little bit easier for him, but I can see the gap definitely closing here," he added.

Carlos also noted that the Avalanche's decision to trade Mikko Rantanen could be influenced by looming contract negotiations for Cale Makar. With Makar expected to command a substantial salary in the next deal, the team could look to create salary cap space to accommodate his future earnings.

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How Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar have fared this season

Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar have been the most consistent performers on the blue line this season for their respective teams.

Both are tied with 56 points among the leading-scoring defensemen in the league. While Makar has accumulated 18 goals and 38 assists in 52 games, Hughes has racked up 42 assists and 14 goals.

The race for the 2024-25 Norris Trophy is heating up, with both Hughes and Makar emerging as the odds-on favorites to win the prestigious award.