Makar Likely to Miss Avalanche Camp Opener

Colorado Avalanche star defenseman Cale Makar is dealing with a lower-body injury and is unlikely to be ready for the club's first on-ice training camp session Thursday, according to NHL.com's Status Report and coach Jared Bednar's Wednesday comments. The board is caution, not crisis, and Bednar made a point of separating this issue from the upper-body injury that cost Makar two playoff games last spring.

"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," Bednar said. "Whether he's ready to go Day 1 of training camp is probably unlikely. Just kind of 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. It's not related to the injury he had last year in the playoffs. It's just something new that popped up here with training."

What the Status Report actually said

NHL.com framed Makar as likely to miss the first day of camp while continuing a lighter skate plan. He put up 79 points (20 goals, 59 assists) in 75 regular-season games last year, averaged 24:51 of ice time, and was a Norris Trophy finalist. He also signed an eight-year, $163.2 million contract on Aug. 28 that begins next season, so every September skate gets extra weight in Colorado.

Fantasy managers who drafted Makar in the first round should not panic-drop based on a Day 1 miss. Bednar's language points to a managed ramp inside camp, not an indefinite stamp. Watch who logs the first power-play looks if Makar's lighter program stretches past the opening sessions, then reassess once he is full-go.

Camp openers are where depth defensemen audition. A short Makar absence creates temporary opportunity without changing the season-long pecking order once he is cleared for contact and full practices.

Camp stakes without inventing a timetable

The sourced story stops at unlikely for Thursday, lighter program, expected full-go during camp, unrelated to last year's playoff issue. No invented games missed. No invented opening-night OUT. No claim that Colorado is shopping for a rental blueliner.

Avalanche fans wanted to see No. 8 flying in the first skate. They get a careful ramp instead, with Bednar sounding calm and NHL.com logging it on the league-wide Status Report next to other camp notes around the NHL.

Lighter program. Day 1 unlikely. Full-go coming in camp. That is the Makar board.

Lower-body caution. Watch the next skate. Colorado will play it safe.