Cale Makar status becomes much clearer

The status of Cale Makar may have become a little clearer on Wednesday, thanks to Nathan MacKinnon.

When asked by a reporter about the depth on defense with Makar being out, MacKinnon offered us media this soundbyte during his Zoom availability, which should induce a sigh of relief among Avalanche fans:

“I think Cale will be healthy soon; he should be ready to go.”

With the idea that MacKinnon is a source in the locker room and a guy who knows what’s going on behind closed doors, it safe to assume that he knows exactly what’s going on with his Calder Trophy-finalist teammate. So the fact that MacKinnon has likely spoken with Makar and believes he will in fact be healthy and ready to go soon…well, there you have it, Cale Makar is going to be just fine. 

This is the closest we’ve gotten to any sort of “official” or substantial update within the organization after Makar mysteriously disappeared mid-way through practice on Saturday. 

Reporters have done their due diligence by asking head coach Jared Bednar during each of his Zoom media availabilities since Friday about the status of Makar, despite knowing we’ll get no answer aside from the “he’s unfit to practice” line that is now required per the NHL and NHLPA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Bednar, too, expressed newfound optimism that Makar would return soon.

The new CBA states that all player injury or illness designation could only be described by the team or by coaching staff as “unfit to participate.” This was an amendment made by the players, who collectively agreed that they didn’t want the general public knowing whether or not they tested positive for COVID-19. 

While we still don’t know a timeline for Makar’s return — and won’t know one until we physically see him on the ice — it’s reasonable to assume by MacKinnon’s “he should be ready to go,” it means there’s a good chance Makar should be ready in time for the Avalanche’s opening of round robin play on Aug. 2 against the St. Louis Blues. 

Exhale. You can all breathe that sigh of relief now.