Avalanche fans can breathe a sigh of relief about Cale Makar.
Jared Bednar said Wednesday morning that Makar is “OK” and could play Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets. Makar did not skate Wednesday at Family Sports Center, but it was an optional practice.
Makar was injured during the second period of a 6-3 win against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night at Ball Arena. He left a shift during a power play with 10:08 remaining in the second period and did not return before the intermission. He took one shift that lasted 29 seconds early in the third period. Makar tested his lower-body injury during a television timeout before leaving the bench area and not returning.
Bednar said after the game that Makar had “tweaked something” and television replays showed the star defenseman shaking his right leg after turning in the corner during that final second-period shift.
Makar leads all NHL defensemen with 23 points this season. He is tied for a second in the NHL among all players behind Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon, who has 25 points.
Bednar said that Alexandar Georgiev will start in net for the Avalanche on Thursday in Winnipeg. It will be Georgiev’s second start in the past nine games.
Jonathan Drouin will not travel with the team to Winnipeg. He is close to returning from an upper-body injury and could play Saturday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. He has not played since getting injured in the season-opening loss in Las Vegas.
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