Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar in concussion protocol, will miss this weekend’s games

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar confirmed Tuesday on a radio appearance with Altitude that defenseman Cale Makar is in concussion protocol and will miss this weekend’s games against the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames as a result. 

Bednar said Makar had a “delayed response” to a blow he took on Feb. 18 in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues; he logged 21:27 of ice time, four minutes less than his average. Makar was forced off the ice after a collision with Blues’ forward Alexei Toropchenko early in the period, he briefly left but would return to the ice. Makar had just returned to the lineup after suffering a concussion earlier in the month against the Pittsburgh Penguins when Jeff Carter elbowed him in the head. He missed four games as a result.

Makar and coach Bednar spoke on the severity of the hit following Saturday’s game against the Blues, “Makar’s stick got tangled up high and it gave him a bloody nose,” Bednar said. “He went off and just got looked at real quick. Checked out the nose and then he was back. So no real problems coming out of that, which is good.”

The Calgary Alberta product has totalled 45 points (13 goals, 32 assists) in 46 appearances this season; he is among the favourites to win the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman for a second straight season. Last season, Makar notched a career-high 86 points (28 goals, 58 assists) in 77 games and an additional 29 points in 20 games to win the Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup.

The Avalanche currently sit third in the Central Division with 67 points and a record of 31-195, a points percentage of .609. The Avs sit four points behind the second-place Winnipeg Jets and five points behind the first-place Dallas Stars. The defending Stanley Cup champions have dealt with a horrendous amount of injuries this season