Cale Makar has been dealing with an apparent upper-body injury. Isaiah J. Downing / Imagn ImagesMay 22, 2026 Updated 12:21 pm EDTDENVER — Colorado Avalanche star defenseman Cale Makar won’t play in Game 2 of the Western Conference final on Friday night as he continues to work his way back from an apparent upper-body injury suffered during the second round.Makar was on the ice for Colorado’s morning skate on Friday, adding some board battles and shooting to the work he did on Wednesday; Makar also skated the morning of Game 1 but didn’t play. After Friday’s skate, coach Jared Bednar said Makar would not play in Game 2. Makar’s absence was felt in all three zones and all three phases of the game as the Avalanche lost 4-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights. Colorado had particular struggles exiting its own zone and getting through the neutral zone cleanly — two of Makar’s biggest strengths.Bednar said after Game 1 that there was a “trickle-down effect” to Makar’s absence, making life harder not just on the other defensemen who have to shoulder his team-leading 25 minutes per night, but on Nathan MacKinnon’s line, which typically plays with Makar.“I mean, what doesn’t he do that (helps in) any aspect?” Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri said. “The puck-moving — he likes to break the puck out himself a lot of times, and as forwards, I know that I can just find some space and I’m going to get the puck.”Makar is a two-time Norris Trophy winner as the league’s best defenseman, and is a finalist again this year after posting 20 goals and 59 assists in 75 games. He has four goals and an assist in nine playoff games this spring. In his absence, Jack Ahcan — who played in just 22 regular-season NHL games since 2020-21 — drew into the lineup, but only got nine shifts as Bednar leaned on veterans Devon Toews, Brett Kulak, Brent Burns, Sam Malinski and Josh Manson.