Meet your new Makar.
Taylor Makar was one of two new UMass hockey additions announced Tuesday along with Ryan Lautenbach.
He is the younger brother of former Hobey Baker winner Cale Makar, who now stars with the Colorado Avalanche. They are not mirror images, though.
Taylor Makar is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound forward. Cale Makar was listed as a 6-foot, 192-pound defenseman.
Both played junior hockey for the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in Canada.
“We are excited to continue our relationship with the Makar family,” UMass coach Greg Carvel said in a release. “Taylor is a big power forward who can play wing or center. He skates very well for a big player and has a great skill set to go along with his mobility. His playing style fits perfectly with our team’s identity as will his size and his compete level.”
In 104 games for Brooks, Makar had 61 points and 17 goals. He was the Bandits captain in 2021 and added 19 points and five goals.
Lautenbach will come to Amherst after two years with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers. He tallied 79 points in 103 games. Last season, he wore the C for Omaha and finished 12th in the league in scoring with 51 points.
“Ryan plays with speed, tenacity and jam,” Carvel said in a release. “He’s the type of player you love to have on your team, but hate to play against. Ryan plays to our identity and should have an immediate effect on the ice every shift he takes.”
Lautenbach won a U16 national championship with UMass defenseman Matt Kessel.