The Avalanche are shoring up their blue line at exactly the right moment.
Colorado recalled defenseman Alex Gagne from the Colorado Eagles on Monday, giving the club another body on defense as it deals with a cluster of injury concerns ahead of a four-game road trip. The move was first reported by The Denver Gazette’s Evan Rawal.
The timing matters because Cale Makar left Sunday’s practice early for precautionary reasons, and there’s growing uncertainty around his status. The team has not offered additional details, but the concern appears to center on a lower-body issue.
Colorado is also already missing Josh Manson, who is out with an ankle injury. In his place, Noah Juulsen - signed this offseason to be the Avalanche’s seventh defenseman - has moved into the lineup.
Gagne’s call-up gives Colorado another option if Makar can’t go. The 23-year-old has not made his NHL debut yet, but the Avalanche have turned to him before in a similar spot. He was brought up ahead of Game 1 of last season’s Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights when Makar was dealing with an injury concern then, too.
This season, Gagne has played 72 games for the Eagles and put up three goals and 12 assists. Two of those goals came in just 14 games this season, a sign of the extra layer he’s added to his game.
At 6-foot-5, Gagne brings size, and his college track record backs up the development. He spent four seasons at the University of New Hampshire and wore the captain’s letter in each of his final two years. Over his collegiate career, he totaled seven goals and 41 assists, including four goals as a senior in 2024-25.
The Avalanche’s next four games are on the road, starting Tuesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. From there, Colorado heads to Ottawa on Thursday, visits the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, and finishes the trip next Wednesday against the Utah Mammoth.
In Other News...
Cale Makar Just Gave The Avalanche A New Reason To Worry
Cale Makars exit from Avalanche practice with an apparent lower-body injury was enough to send a jolt through a team already trying to manage a tricky stretch. Colorado has been dealing with roster challenges tied to other injuries and cap constraints, so even a precautionary issue with its top defenseman lands with extra weight. The coach framed the move as cautious, with more evaluation to come before the next game.
For a club built around Makars impact at both ends of the ice, any uncertainty around his status immediately changes the conversation. The Avalanche do not have much margin for error in the lineup right now, which is why even a brief scare at practice becomes a storyline worth watching closely as game time approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Mackenzie Blackwood Is Already Writing A Special Avalanche Story
Mackenzie Blackwood keeps adding to what is becoming one of the more intriguing goalie chapters in recent Avalanche history. In the 4-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings, he picked up his seventh shutout in Colorado, tying him for sixth on the franchises all-time list and reinforcing how quickly he has settled into a prominent role in Denver. His season line, a 9-3-1 record with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage, reflects a starter who has given the Avalanche a chance to win most nights while also delivering those game-flipping blank sheets.
What makes the story feel a little different is the personal layer underneath it. Blackwood has said he takes pride in representing the Avalanche, the team he grew up supporting, and that connection gives his run here a little extra weight beyond the numbers. He has already put together multiple notable shutout streaks in an Avalanche sweater, and with his name now climbing a franchise list that includes some familiar goaltending company, this early stretch is starting to look less like a hot start and more like the beginning of something memorable. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Face A Tough Lehkonen Decision Before It Gets Harder
Artturi Lehkonen has become one of those Avalanche players whose value is easy to see and harder to keep. If Colorado decides his next contract would be too expensive to fit into the future, the front office could be forced into a difficult choice before the offseason even arrives, especially with a player who brings the kind of two-way reliability contenders tend to covet.
The market could make that decision even trickier. Chicago is reportedly looking for offensive help and might be willing to part with high draft picks for a player like Lehkonen, but there are no confirmed talks or deals between the clubs right now. Any potential move would also have to navigate Lehkonen's no-trade clause, which gives Colorado another layer to consider as it weighs whether to hold on or cash in. [Read more 🡒]