Colorado Avalanche training camp is set to open without Cale Makar, at least for now.
Head coach Jared Bednar said Wednesday at media day that the star defenseman is “unlikely” to be ready on day one because of a lower-body injury. Bednar said Makar has been on the ice, but he’s working on a lighter program than most of the team as camp approaches.
“Cale’s dealing with a lower-body injury. He’s been working through; he’s been on the ice.
He’s just on a little bit of a lighter program than probably most of our guys coming into main camp. So we’ll see how that sorts out, whether he’s ready to go.
Day one at training camp is probably unlikely,” Bednar said.
The Avalanche are not treating the issue as a major concern. Bednar said Makar should be full go at some point during camp and added that it’s “not anything to be worried about at this point.”
“Just playing it safe with him and our organization, but at some point in camp, he’ll be full go. I don’t think it’s anything to be worried about at this point,” Bednar said.
“It’s not related to the injury he had last year in the playoffs. It’s just something new that’s popped up here with training.”
Makar, 27, was dealing with an upper-body injury during last season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs and missed the first two games of the Western Conference Finals before returning for Games 3 and 4 in the Vegas Golden Knights’ sweep of the Avalanche.
His offseason has already been eventful. On Aug.
28, Makar signed an eight-year deal with a $20.4 million average annual value, making him the highest-paid NHL player in history. Three days later, at his Aug. 31 press conference, he said he expected to be ready for training camp after rehabbing his shoulder.
“It’s a process. A lot of guys go through it.
For me, it took a while to feel good …,” Makar said. “I’m very comfortable with where I’m at before camp, and hopefully continue to try and build it.
It’s just one of those things that you’re in the business to win, and you do everything you can to get there. Sometimes it takes a little bit extra time after to recoup, but that’s just the way it goes.”
If Makar sits out early in camp, Bednar said veteran Noah Juulsen should get more ice time with the main defensive group. The expectation, though, is that Makar will be back before camp wraps up.
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