Avalanche Star Cale Makar Opens Up About Becoming a Dad
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Cale Makar has returned to the Colorado Avalanche lineup after having missed a recent game due to a family matter.
Makar missed the Oct. 13 game at the Dallas Stars in Texas, as the defenseman remained in Colorado while his wife — Tracy — welcomed twin boys. The Denver Post has reported that the two boys are named Mattie and Rhett, and the Avalanche would still defeat the Stars by 3-2 without Makar on the ice. The following game, back in Colorado, the Avs would fall 3-2 in Makar's return at Ball Arena.
Makar did answer questions regarding his new family additions, stating everyone is healthy.
"It's been fun. Everybody's been doing well. It's a cool experience going through all of that," Makar said per DNVR Avalanche. "[My] wife is an absolute champ. I'm glad I was able to be there and be a part of it."
"Wife's an absolute champ." 🥹
— DNVR Avalanche (@DNVR_Avalanche) October 15, 2026
Cale Makar on becoming a dad this morning 👇 pic.twitter.com/pSIH6cXtm6
Without Makar, Martin Necas led the stat sheet for the Avalanche on Tuesday with two goals; teammate Nathan MacKinnon also had two assists.
Makar had 28 shifts across 22:54 TOI in his first game back after welcoming the new members of his family.
Mattie and Rhett are expected to spend the majority of their childhood in Colorado, with Makar — who is 27 — having previously said he has full intentions of being with the Avs for the remainder of his career.
Cale Makar's Family to Remain in Colorado
Makar signed an eight-year, $163.2 million contract this past offseason, with the deal set to begin next season with a $20.4 million Average Annual Value (AAV).
"I feel like now it's starting to sink in," Makar said previously of what his deal means in terms of the longevity of his career. "I think when you're going through the process, you don't really know what's going to happen. My intention was always to be an Av, hopefully for life, and I think this is a major step towards that."
The deal also made Makar the NHL's first player in history to have an AAV over $20 million and gave him the richest contract in the League.
Makar is additionally easily expected to hit 400 career assists prior to the season's end.
Colorado and Makar next see action against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 16; puck drop is slated for 8:00 p.m. Central. The Avs currently sit with nine points in the Central Division and are looking to build upon a 4-2-1 overall record.
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Jennifer Streeter graduated with a B.A. in journalism from Texas A&M and received her Master of Science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. At both schools, she focused on an emphasis of sports reporting. A former athlete herself, "Jenny" was a varsity soccer player and comes from a family who participated in NCAA athletics. She has covered hockey since 2023 and is credentialed for the Seattle Kraken, New Jersey Devils and PWHL in addition to having covered the 2026 Frozen Four.