The Colorado Avalanche are dealing with a depleted roster while in the midst of their busiest stretch of games to date this season, but reinforcements might be ready to help soon.
Cale Makar and Andrew Cogliano were on the ice Wednesday for an optional practice at Ball Arena. Coach Jared Bednar said both could possibly return to the lineup Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets.
Makar has missed the past two games, while Cogliano missed the 3-2 win Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks. Both are dealing with lower-body injuries. There was more good news with defenseman Bowen Byram.
“(Byram) caught a workout this morning and did some treatment,” Bednar said. “So hopefully he’s good for tomorrow.
Byram missed the third period against the Ducks with an upper-body injury. Bednar said after the game it wasn’t head related, which was a good sign given Byram’s history and a head-to-head collision that knocked him to the ice in the second period with Anaheim’s Max Jones.
Nathan MacKinnon was smarting near the end of the game after he blocked a shot, but Bednar said he’s fine. Valeri Nichushkin also missed Tuesday because of an illness. He was not on the ice Wednesday, but could be an option if he feels well enough to play against the Jets.
Artturi Lehkonen (neck) and Samuel Girard (player assistance program) remain out indefinitely. Bednar said they’re not close enough with Lehkonen’s recovery to say if he might be back later this month.
The shorthanded lineup against the Ducks came in the middle of the club’s first stretch of five games in eight days this season. Colorado had its first back-to-back of the year this past weekend and doesn’t have an extra day to rest between games again until Dec. 14.
Want more Avalanche news? Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis.