Avalanche deliver bad news on both Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar injuries

The Colorado Avalanche will be without superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar for some time.

And in MacKinnon’s case, it’s going to be a longer absence.

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar delivered the bad news in Montreal after morning skate on Saturday. Makar is out approximately two weeks, while MacKinnon is looking at a month or more.

Both were in hurt in Ottawa against the Senators on Thursday night.

Avs coach Jared Bednar confirms that Nathan MacKinnon is out at least a month. Cale Makar will be out approximately two weeks.

— Corey Masisak (@cmasisak22) November 14, 2026

Either MacKinnon or Makar getting hurt would be a big deal. They’re the two best players on the Avalanche and two of the top-5 hockey players in the world. The fact both injuries occurred in the same period of the same game is astonishing.

Makar tried to return in Ottawa after suffering some sort of non-contact setback, but took one shift that lasted fewer than 30 seconds then went to the locker room. He didn’t return for the third period.

And neither did MacKinnon, who took a stick to the hip before he crumpled down in pain. He missed the third as well and is now out at least a month.

The Avalanche are calling both “lower-body” injuries since hockey doesn’t offer specifics. With MacKinnon, it’s clearly the hip. Makar’s is more unclear, but it could be a hip or a knee.

Gavin Brindley and Alex Gagne, who were both recently recalled from the Eagles, will enter the lineup.

Colorado still has a lot of depth, but there’s no way to slice this is a major blow. Both Makar and MacKinnon were banged up in the Western Conference Final against Vegas last season and Colorado was swept. They’re a different team without them on the ice or not at 100 percent.

This year has been no different as each guy has produced at a high level. MacKinnon is leading the Avalanche with 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 20 games. Makar has 23 points (five goals, 18 assists) in 19 contests. Only Martin Necas (24) also has at least 20 points thus far.

Colorado will look to survive the next couple of weeks without Makar and a month or more without MacKinnon. The Avalanche are 11-6-3, good for 25 points and third place in the Central Division.

But Dallas, Utah, Winnipeg and St. Louis are all within five points, so a poor stretch could send the Avs plummeting down the standings.

Let’s hope that’s not the case — but this is really rough news.

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