Cale Makar's night in Ottawa ended early, and the Colorado Avalanche now have to decide how to handle him before Saturday's game in Montreal.
Gino Hard reported last night that Makar was done for the game after a play in the second period. Colorado went on to lose 4-3 in overtime, with Shane Pinto scoring twice for the Ottawa Senators.
Makar finished with 13:57 of ice time, two shots on goal and a -1 rating. He didn't register a point, which almost never happens when he's healthy and on the ice.
A doctor has already offered a view on what happened. You can read Dr. Harjas Grewal's medical opinion on Makar's exit for that side of it.
As of this morning, no injury is listed for the defenseman. That can change quickly, and it won't settle anything until Colorado says how he feels.
Makar has 5 goals and 18 assists in 19 games this season. The Colorado Avalanche have played 20, so they've already had to get by without him once.
Should Colorado sit Cale Makar in Montreal?
If there's any doubt, yes. The Colorado Avalanche are 4-5-1 on the road, and a Saturday night in Montreal is not worth a longer absence for the best defenseman they have.
The blue line is also thinner than it was a few days ago. Josh Manson's move to long-term injured reserve on Monday sent Colorado to the Eagles for Alex Gagne, a 24-year-old who has yet to play an NHL game.
Losing Makar on top of that would push even more work onto Devon Toews, who already logged 29:22 in Ottawa. That's a heavy load for a game that went to overtime, and it isn't a pace anyone sustains for long.
The standings leave a little room for patience. Colorado sits 11-6-3, third in the Central Division, with a +18 goal differential. That's a team that can afford to be careful in mid-November.
Gabriel Landeskog scored on the power play in Ottawa, and Artturi Lehkonen did the same, so the offense still has pieces. Without Makar quarterbacking that unit, it looks different.
Jared Bednar is expected to be asked about Makar's status before the puck drops in Montreal on Saturday.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
What should the Avalanche do with Cale Makar in Montreal?
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