Cale Makar Misses Avalanche Practice, Set to Sit Game 1 With Upper-Body Injury
Updated
Updated · The Denver Post · May 20
Cale Makar Misses Avalanche Practice, Set to Sit Game 1 With Upper-Body Injury
13 articles · Updated · The Denver Post · May 20
Game 1 will be Makar’s first missed playoff game due to injury after Colorado ruled the star defenseman out against Vegas and listed him day to day.
Tuesday’s missed practice sharpened concern over an upper-body issue Bednar said dates to Game 5 against Minnesota, where Makar had still been playing nearly 25 minutes a night.
Jack Ahcan is expected to replace him, while teammates said Colorado’s blue line will need to absorb extra penalty-kill and matchup work without a player they called irreplaceable.
Colorado enters the Western Conference final leaning more heavily on Devon Toews and its defensive depth, with Makar’s health now a central variable in the series.
Can an AHL standout fill the void left by Cale Makar in a high-stakes conference final?
How does Makar's injury impact the star-studded showdown between Nathan MacKinnon and Jack Eichel?
With their Norris-winning defenseman sidelined, can Colorado's offense solve the formidable Vegas Golden Knights?