What Makar’s Olympic Mistake Exposed Wasn’t Him
Given a week or so, it might be wise to look back and look at one of the key players in the Olympic gold medal men's hockey game. Sometimes, hockey fans get a little too loud for their own good. The latest example? Cale Makar caught heat for that overtime sequence in the Olympic gold-medal game. One wobble, one moment where he doesn’t close fast enough, and suddenly people are talking like he forgot how to play defence.
It’s wild. The guy is the best defenceman in the world. He tied the game with a perfect shot earlier. He plays a ridiculous tournament. And still—one clip, slow-motion replay, and here come the takes.
Makar Isn’t Alone in Taking Heat for a Mistake During a Game.
It’s the same energy Evan Bouchard deals with in Edmonton all the time. He can play 28 minutes, pick up two assists, break the game open with a stretch pass, and all anyone wants to talk about is the one shift where he lost a cover on defence for a second. Both guys get nitpicked like every play is a spelling test they’re supposed to ace.
Here’s the truth: defencemen make mistakes. Even the great ones. Especially the ones who handle the puck constantly and try to create offence.
Makar’s overtime moment? That wasn’t a “gotcha” about his game. That was hockey being hockey. A weird bounce, an awkward pivot, a half-beat of hesitation, and suddenly Jack Hughes is celebrating. You could run that play 10 times, and 9 times Makar recovers easily.
If the Best Defenceman in the World Can Make a Mistake, Anyone Can.
And if Cale Makar can get twisted up in overtime — on the biggest stage we’ve got — maybe we should cool it on acting like Bouchard is the only guy in the league who ever gets caught flat-footed.
Bouchard didn’t make Team Canada. Fair enough. That roster leaned heavily on familiar names and “safe” picks. But the idea that he’s unplayable defensively is just wrong. His offence is elite. His minutes are heavy. His reads are improving. And when the Oilers are deep in the playoffs as they’ve been for the past two seasons, he’s usually one of the calmest guys on the ice.
Makar’s mistake didn’t expose him as a player. It exposed how unrealistic people can be about defencemen in general. Even the smoothest skaters and smartest players get beaten. That’s not a scandal — that’s the job.
Hockey Is a Game Where Great Players Make Mistakes.
So maybe the lesson here isn’t about which guy made a mistake. Cale Makar made a mistake, and he’s still the best in the world. Maybe Evan Bouchard isn’t as good yet as Makar, but no one is going to play mistake-free hockey. That’s an imaginary standard.
Let the great players be great. Let the good players grow. And let’s all stop pretending perfection exists for anyone on the blue line.