Upon first glance, Ian Mitchell and Cale Makar appear to be near mirror images on the ice.

As one sifts through their shared history, it’s easy to understand how the two relatively small, offensively skilled right-shot defensemen could be so similar.

Makar, the Avalanche rookie, is from the Calgary area and Mitchell, a junior for the top-ranked DU Pioneers, grew up farther north in Alberta near Edmonton.

They were defensive partners for Canada at the 2016 World Junior Challenge in Ontario and roommates at the 2017 NHL combine in Buffalo, N.Y. They both starred in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and proudly represented Canada at the World Junior Championship.

Both chose the NCAA route over the Canadian-based major-junior, then ended up leading their respective teams to the 2019 Frozen Four in Buffalo, where Makar’s Massachusetts Minutemen defeated Mitchell’s Pioneers 4-3 in overtime.

The Avs selected Makar with the fourth pick of the 2017 draft. The Chicago Blackhawks took Mitchell late in the second round, 57th overall.

And at least for now, both call Denver home.

“He’s an unbelievable player,” Makar said of Mitchell. “I said it from the start when Chicago picked him: I said he was going to be the steal of the draft. It’s awesome to see that he’s really excelling at DU. He was named captain there. He’s one of the nicest guys I know. I think he’s part of that big turnaround in Chicago, so I’m excited to see how he develops and progresses at this level.”

Besides a quick word in the handshake line at the Frozen Four, Mitchell last heard from Makar when he was named to Canada’s prestigious World Junior team last winter. Makar played in the 2018 WJC but turned down an offer to play again last winter to focus on UMass.

“We talk once in a while,” Mitchell said of Makar, now a full-time Denver resident. “I don’t know him super well, but playing against each other in the AJ, I know him really well. It’s nice to see him have the success that he’s had this year.

“During our draft year, people would always ask me about him, what I thought — but I just wanted to get to his level. You see how explosive and creative he is with the puck. I have a similar game but I’m not at the same level as he is. I do think there are layers in our game that are the same.”

Mitchell, 20, could have had a chance to join Makar, 21, in the NHL this season, but he declined to sign with the Blackhawks. He said being named captain at DU steered him back for his junior year, with the Blackhawks supporting his decision.

“There’s been so many great leaders before me, so much love and care for Denver hockey, to have that opportunity was something I definitely didn’t want to pass up,” Mitchell said of the “C” on his jersey. “I definitely want to play for the Blackhawks and I want to get there as soon as I can, but I want to focus on my team now, and winning a national championship.”

That trek for DU has a challenging twist this weekend at Magness Arena, where the Pioneers (8-1-1) host rival No. 9 North Dakota (7-1-1) for a two-game National Collegiate Hockey Conference series. DU is coming off a 0-1-1 weekend at defending NCAA champion Minnesota-Duluth.

North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017) and Duluth (2018 and 2019) have combined to win the last four NCAA championships.

“We’ve been watching film on them all week,” Mitchell said of the Fighting Hawks. “They’re playing at a really high level right now, a lot like Duluth. But it’s going to be nice to be back home and playing in front of our fans in what should be a great weekend of hockey.”

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