Avalanche Make Intriguing Roster Move Amid Cale Makar Injury Concern
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When Cale Makar left practice early, it raised many questions about what might have happened and how severe it could be. Some tension was eased when head coach Jared Bednar said Makar would travel with the team on the upcoming road trip, but the recent news might say otherwise.
Defenseman Alex Gange has been recalled from the AHL Colorado Eagles, the team has announced, as they might need some safety precautions on their defense if Makar’s injury is more severe.
Evan Rawal from The Denver Gazette first reported on this when he was added to the Avalanche’s roster on their website. It was later officially announced on their social media pages.
Obviously, this could just be for safety precautions, with the Avalanche not only having Makar’s availability up in the air but also already dealing with Josh Manson being hurt with an ankle injury that is going to keep him out for another month and a half at least.
In the meantime, Noah Juulsen, who signed this offseason, has stepped into Manson’s role, whereas before he was just the seventh defenseman. The Avalanche need bodies on the roster in case of an emergency like the Makar situation right now.
Gagne has yet to make his debut in the NHL. He played 72 games in the AHL with the Colorado Eagles; he finished with one goal and 12 assists for 13 points in 58 games last season. This season, in 12 games, he has two goals.
Better Play It Safe Than Sorry
The Avalanche are at a very important time of the season right now, with the injuries they are dealing with and how they are or can affect this team's performance as the season continues.
Missing Manson already hurts the back end with his physicality and defensive prowess, but if you add a scenario where you could miss Makar for an extended amount of time, that's a heavy toll that impacts this team greatly.
The Avalanche haven’t been playing up to expectations so far this season, being 5-4-1 in their last 10 games; they still sit tied for second in the Central Division with 22 points, but there is much more room for improvement.
The power play against the Detroit Red Wings looked its best all season. The puck movement, the zone entries, and chances generated without forcing an extra pass for a “better” shot were much better. If the Avalanche don’t take care of whatever nagging injury Makar is dealing with, that hurts everything.
The Avalanche face the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, and the Utah Mammoth on their upcoming road trip. Thankfully, there are no back-to-backs, but don’t be surprised if we see Gagne come in for a game for Makar just for some extra rest on whatever is ailing him.
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Stefano Rubino is a sports journalist based outside Toronto, Canada, and a hockey writer covering multiple teams for The Hockey News, as well as the Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings for Sports Illustrated. When he is not watching last night's highlights or minor league games, or writing game notes, you can find him listening to music while he works out or playing video games.