Avalanche’s Josh Manson to miss 3-4 weeks with injury

The Colorado Avalanche will be without defenseman Josh Manson for the next three-to-four weeks due to an upper-body injury, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar confirmed Wednesday per Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports.

Facing the Calgary Flames on Friday, Manson exited late in the second period and did not return after suffering the injury. Manson was then held out of the lineup Sunday versus the Central Division rival Dallas Stars.

On the season, Manson has been limited to 48 appearances with the Avalanche in which he has scored once and added 14 assists for 15 points coupled with 28 penalty minutes and a minus-six rating. In all, Manson ranks fifth among Avalanche defensemen this season in averaging 18:02 time on ice.

Wednesday’s announcement marks the third extended absence for Manson this season. Earlier this year, the 33-year-old native of Hinsdale, Ill., missed a seven-game stretch through early March due to a lower-body injury, while the veteran rearguard was also sidelined for 12 contests through late December after suffering an upper-body ailment.

Originally chosen by the Anaheim Ducks in the sixth round of the 2011 NHL Draft, Manson has totaled 626 career contests between the Ducks and Avalanche in which he has totaled 39 goals and 131 assists for 170 points. With the Ducks in 2017-18, Manson reached career highs in all major offensive categories counting seven goals, 30 assists, and 37 points coming 80 games.

Acquired from the Ducks ahead of the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for fellow blue-liner Drew Helleson and a second-round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, that spring saw Manson hoist the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche following 20 postseason appearances in which he tallied three goals and five assists for eight points. In all, through 58 outings in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Manson has collected five goals and 13 assists for 18 points.