Avalanche MacKinnon Out A Month, Makar Out Multiple Weeks
The Colorado Avalanche are going to be without their two best players for an extended period of time, as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar will be unavailable due to lower-body injuries.
The team announced on Saturday that MacKinnon will be out at least a month, while Makar is expected to miss a couple of weeks. It's actually a best-case scenario on Makar, as he suffered a non-contact injury Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators, and some feared it was going to be season ending.
🚨 BREAKING: The Avalanche announce Nathan MacKinnon will be out at least a month and Cale Makar will miss two weeks, both with lower-body injuries. A brutal blow for the Avs as they lose their top forward and top defenseman 😬 https://t.co/543g5MgJRB
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) November 14, 2026
MacKinnon on the other hand, took a crosscheck to the mid-section, and came back for a short stint against the Sens, but then left the game in the second intermission.
The Avalanche enter Saturday with a 11-6-3 record, good for third in the Pacific Division. MacKinnon is leading the Avs in scoring, with 10 goals and 30 points in 20 games, while averaging 20:12 of ice-time per game. Makar on the other hand, has recorded five goals and 18 assists, for 23 points in 19 games, while playing a team-leading 22:25 per night.
The Avs are in Montreal Saturday night in a showdown with the Canadiens, who are one of the NHL's hottest teams. It will be interesting to see how Colorado can survive without their two best players. We'll have to wait and see if they can keep their season afloat while both are recovering from injury.
One thing to note, the Toronto Maple Leafs own the Avalanche's first-round pick, so you know they're hopeful these two injuries lead to a freefall of sorts.