Colorado’s top defenseman Cale Makar is “unlikely” to start training camp due to a lower-body injury, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar announced at media day on Wednesday.
“Cale’s dealing with a lower-body injury. He’s been working through; he’s been on the ice. He’s just on a little bit of a lighter program than probably most of our guys coming into main camp. So we’ll see how that sorts out, whether he’s ready to go. Day one at training camp is probably unlikely,” Bednar said.
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The 27-year-old suffered an upper-body injury in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season and missed the first two games of the Western Conference Finals. He returned for Games 3 and 4 in the Vegas Golden Knights’ sweep over the Avs.
Makar signed an eight-year contract at $20.4M AAV on Aug. 28, making him the highest-paid NHL player in history. At his press conference on Aug. 31, he said he was good to go for training camp after rehabbing his shoulder injury during the offseason.
“It’s a process. A lot of guys go through it. For me, it took a while to feel good …,” Makar said. “I’m very comfortable with where I’m at before camp, and hopefully continue to try and build it. It’s just one of those things that you’re in the business to win, and you do everything you can to get there. Sometimes it takes a little bit extra time after to recoup, but that’s just the way it goes.”
What training camp without Makar means
Makar’s setback will likely give veteran blueliner Noah Juulsen ice time with the main defensive core. But he is expected to return before camp is over.
“Just playing it safe with him and our organization, but at some point in camp, he’ll be full go. I don’t think it’s anything to be worried about at this point,” Bednar said. “It’s not related to the injury he had last year in the playoffs. It’s just something new that’s popped up here with training.”
Training camp opens Thursday at Family Sports in Centennial at 9 a.m.
