Avalanche Star D Cale Makar in Concussion Protocol

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar announced in a radio interview on Tuesday that star defenseman Cale Makar has been placed in the league’s concussion protocol and will miss at least the next two games.

“We’ll keep an eye on him,” said Bednar via 92.5 FM in Denver. “We’ll just monitor him and hope for a speedy return, but it won’t be this weekend.”

Makar left Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues after colliding with forward Alexei Toropchenko before returning later in the third period. It was the 24-year-old’s first game since suffering the initial concussion against the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 7.

The reigning Norris and Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Makar has appeared in 46 games for the Avalanche this season, notching 13 goals and 45 points while leading the league in ice time at 26:57.

The Calgary native’s next opportunity to return to the lineup will be Monday versus the Vegas Golden Knights.

FanDuel Sportsbook currently has the Avs holding the second-best Stanley Cup odds at +700, tied with the Carolina Hurricanes.