Cale Makar leaves a quiet space on the bench after an upper-body injury
Cale Makar was gone by the time the third period began, not on Colorado’s bench as the Avalanche held a 6-1 lead against the Calgary Flames on Monday night (11: 00 PM ET). Moments earlier, he had been everywhere—three assists in 17: 15 of ice time—until an upper-body injury ended his night and reshaped the rest of the game’s rhythm.
What happened to Cale Makar during Monday’s game?
Cale Makar did not return to Monday’s game against the Calgary Flames because of an upper-body injury. He was absent from the bench to start the third period, and later in the frame he was officially ruled out.
It was not immediately clear how or when the 27-year-old incurred the injury. What is clear is the timing: his night ended before the third period, after he had already logged 17: 15 through the first two periods and piled up three assists as Colorado built a commanding 6-1 advantage.
How much did Cale Makar contribute before leaving?
Before departing, Cale Makar recorded three assists and played 17: 15. His final shift ended at 19: 25 of the second period, when he set up Nathan MacKinnon for a power-play goal. By the time the third period arrived, the Avalanche were already in control on the scoreboard—but the sightline that mattered to teammates and fans was the bench, where his usual presence was missing.
For Colorado, the immediate impact was less about chasing goals and more about absorbing uncertainty. With the Avalanche up by five, the night could have been a straightforward cruise; instead, it gained a different kind of weight. A player can pile up points and still exit quietly, and that quiet is what lingers when the injury details are unknown.
What do the team and season numbers show right now?
Through this season, Cale Makar has 20 goals and 55 assists for 75 points in 73 games. Colorado entered Monday’s game with an NHL-leading 106 points, and Makar’s production has been part of what has pushed the Avalanche to the top of the standings.
Monday’s storyline landed at the intersection of dominance and fragility: a team rolling, a star producing, and then an abrupt stop without a clear explanation of the moment the injury occurred. The Avalanche announced he would not return, but the mechanism and timing remained unclear.
Colorado’s next scheduled game is Wednesday evening at home against the Vancouver Canucks. Whether Cale Makar is available for that matchup was not established in the information released Monday night, leaving the next update to be defined by what the team learns after the game rather than what could be seen during it.
