The Colorado Avalanche have placed defenseman Cale Makar on injured reserve retroactive to Saturday, October 30, per Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater.
It’s unclear as to when the injury to Makar occurred. He played almost 25 minutes in Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild. It’s par for the course for Makar, who’s now averaged exactly 25 minutes per game this season as the Avs’ blueline has dealt with injury issues all season.
While his six points in eight games is a slow start to the season by Makar’s standards, he’s still tied for fourth on the team in points.
Kurtis MacDermid will likely draw into the lineup in his place, and Bowen Byram and Samuel Girard should both see elevated minutes and responsibilities. Devon Toews has still yet to play this season, but is approaching a return and could be a huge boost to a blueline that’s been shorthanded.
They’ve gotten good production from the rookie Byram, who potted his first NHL goal this season to go along with four assists.
Well this sucks. The Avs are one of the few teams I truly enjoy watching without fandom attached. Mostly for MacKinnon but Makar is becoming must-watch TV more and more.
I hope this is not a sign of things to come with Cale. Just the thought of “injury-shortened career” makes me sick to my stomach. Too much of this already for him.
Just asking. Where do you obtain “injury-shortened career” in quotations? Did a pundit say this?
I feel like it is too early to determine this.
I always have concerns with smaller sized defensemen (defense-people). Especially in the playoffs.
@KAR 120C – What I meant was that in the coming years, I hope those words never have to be uttered with regard to Cale’s career. Guys that incur injuries on an almost regular basis early in their careers are getting behind the eight-ball. I agree with your concerns about D-men who are Makar-sized. But, I don’t believe it’s ever too early to express worry about how this could project downstream. The Great8 has scaled back his physical game to a degree, no doubt because he probably thought it would shorten his career if he didn’t. Cale’s in a different spot, as a blueliner, though, and he needs to adjust his game, more for self-preservation. If, however, he turns out to be injury-prone, through no fault of his own, then that’s entirely different. There was a guy named Orr who had his career shortened due to injuries and almost Old World medical technology and surgical techniques (compared to today). We fans were robbed of several years of Wow-ness.