Serious concern is suddenly growing around Cale Makar before the Vegas series
Cale Makar and Jared Bednar are back under the spotlight after Colorado's star defenseman missed practice Friday.
That is the part Avalanche fans will lock onto right away. Makar was not on the ice at Family Sports Center, and that is never small news this time of year.
The timing is what makes it bite harder. Makar already gave Colorado a scare when he grabbed at his shoulder after contact from Mats Zuccarello in Game 5, then headed down the tunnel before returning.
Now the worry shifts from one painful sequence to what comes next. Missing a practice does not confirm anything by itself, but it keeps the concern alive heading into the Western Conference Final.
The outside noise is only getting louder because of the injury theory attached to him. The report you shared says Dr. Harjas Grewal believes Makar could be playing through a separated shoulder tied to an earlier hit from Adam Klapka on March 30.
That part should still be treated carefully. It is expert analysis, not an official team diagnosis. But once Makar is off the ice for practice, the speculation gets a lot more oxygen.
Colorado can live with speculation for a day. What it cannot live with is losing the player who drives so much of its blue line and transition game.
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Major concern emerging around Cale Makar ahead of Vegas series
The Avalanche finished 55-16-11 with 121 points, and teams do not get to that level without leaning heavily on a player like Makar.
He played 81 regular-season games and put up 24 goals and 84 points. That is not just elite production for a defenseman. That is a massive share of Colorado's identity from the back end.
He also stayed above 25 minutes in Game 5 after the scare, which is why this practice absence hits in a strange way. He looked available enough to finish the game, but not healthy enough to quiet the conversation afterward.
The good news for Bednar is the schedule. Colorado has a few days before Game 1 against Vegas, which gives Makar time to calm things down and avoid extra wear. The management file confirms Bednar is still the head coach, so this becomes one of the biggest calls on his board right now.
That extra time matters because a player can get through one night on adrenaline. Getting through another full series is different.
Vegas will notice all of this too. If there is any weakness around Makar's shoulder, the Golden Knights are not going to ignore it once the series starts.
That is why Friday's absence lands so hard. It does not prove disaster, but it keeps Colorado from fully exhaling after the Wild series. And when the player involved is Cale Makar, even one missed practice becomes a real story.
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MAY 16, 2026
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