Avalanche's Makar to miss 'a few' games with upper-body injury

The Colorado Avalanche will have to play without their star defenceman for a little while, but can still take a sigh of relief.

Cale Makar is expected to miss a few games with an upper-body injury in order to rest ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, per head coach Jared Bednar.

Bednar said Wednesday after morning skate that Makar is “doing OK. He's going to miss some time, though. Nothing serious. Nothing that's putting the playoffs in jeopardy or anything like that.”

When asked if Makar might shut down for the rest of the regular season, Bednar simply responded, “No.” Colorado has nine games remaining.

The Avalanche host the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night as they try to move closer to clinching the league's best record.

Makar suffered the injury in Monday's win over the Calgary Flames. He took a hit from Calgary forward Adam Klapka in the second period that led to him being looked at by the team's medical staff.

The 27-year-old managed to finish the second frame, but didn't make it out for the third.

Before being injured, the two-time Norris winner logged three assists.

Makar is third among defencemen this season with 75 points (20 goals, 55 assists). He's the league's first defenceman to notch three straight 20-goal seasons since Phil Housley and Al MacInnis more than three decades ago.

“We talk about Cale enough as a player, about how important he is for us and our offensive game — power play — and defensively as well,” captain Gabriel Landeskog said. “He's a big, big part of our team. Other guys are going to have to step up.”

Bednar is adjusting his defensive pairings against the Canucks. Nick Blankenburg is likely to take Makar's spot in the lineup and figures to be partnered with Brent Burns. The 41-year-old Burns is expected to skate in his 999th straight game Wednesday.

The Avalanche hold a comfortable eight-point lead in the Central Division, while leading the NHL with 108 points.

-- with files from The Associated Press