The Colorado Avalanche suffered a big loss on Monday when Cale Makar went down on contact during a 9-2 win over the Calgary Flames, and Tuesday has been a day of waiting for the news.
While Avalanche head coach Jared Bedhar gave limited information about Makar’s injury and recovery timeline, independent medical expert Dr. Harjas Grewal believes it’s a separated shoulder via X on Monday night. NHL insider Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic has confirmed the latest on Makar as of Tuesday afternoon.
“On Cale Makar, don’t believe it’s too serious but he will likely miss a few games in order to get him to 100 percent before the playoffs,” LeBrun wrote via X.
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ESPN’ Emily Kaplan reported earlier on Tuesday that Makar’s timeline is up in the air “but not believed to be long term,” she wrote via X. As Kaplan noted, it was one of two injury scares during Monday night’s games.
The Anaheim Ducks lost Cutter Gauthier to injury, and he won’t play at San Jose next against the Sharks. However, the Ducks are “hopeful he returns this weekend,” Kaplan wrote.
The Ducks have a 41-28-5 record for fourth in the Western Conference, and the Avalanche have the lead in the West with a 49-14-10 mark. Colorado leads the Dallas Stars (44-18-12) by eight points in the standings with nine regular season games left.
Missing Makar for even a few games is a hit for the Avalanche, as he is third on the team for offensive production with 20 goals and 55 assists for 75 points overall. Colorado will need stronger production from fellow defensemen Sam Malinski, Josh Manson, and Brent Burns in Makar’s absence.
The Avalanche host the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday and visit the Stars on Saturday, a key game in the race for the No. 1 seed and Presidents’ Trophy for the West’s best record.
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