Cale Makar vs Scott Mayfield: Who Wins on NHL Stats?

Few NHL comparisons generate more debate than Cale Makar vs Scott Mayfield. The numbers reveal a genuinely competitive matchup — Cale Makar takes 4 categories while Scott Mayfield claims 2, making this one of the closer head to head comparisons at the D position. Every statistical category matters in a matchup this tight.

Cale Makar's Plus/Minus of 170 compared to Scott Mayfield's 18 represents a 844.4% advantage — dramatically better than their counterpart in this critical category. It is the single most decisive number in this comparison and the clearest statistical argument for Cale Makar's edge.

The most competitive category in this matchup is Games Played, where Cale Makar posts 479 against Scott Mayfield's 617 — a gap of just 28.8%. Scott Mayfield can point to this as evidence that the overall comparison is closer than the final 4-2 tally suggests. In any debate, Games Played is the statistical ammunition for the Scott Mayfield side.

Defensive play in the NHL is measured through a combination of offensive contribution and plus/minus rating. Elite defensemen contribute points while anchoring their team's defensive structure — a balance that defines the position's greatest players.

The verdict favors Cale Makar — 4 categories to 2 — but Scott Mayfield makes this far from a one-sided debate. Anyone building the case for Scott Mayfield has real statistical ammunition particularly in Games Played where the gap narrows to just 28.8%. The numbers have spoken, but the argument will continue.