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The facts are simple: The Colorado Avalanche are down 2-0 in their Western Conference Final series with the Vegas Golden Knights, and Cale Makar has missed both games due to injury.
But the interpretations are more complicated for Makar, the Avs and head coach Jared Bednar.
When will Makar be back? How has his absence impacted the series?
Those are tougher to answer, but on Friday night after the Game 2 loss, Bednar decided to oddly put the pressure on Makar.
“It’s gonna be Cale’s decision on if he’s coming back," Bednar told reporters. "He’s doing all the work. I don’t make that decision for him.”
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The implication there is really odd. Essentially, it reads like Bednar is saying that the only person deciding not to be on the ice is Makar.
You would think that a training staff is assessing Makar frequently and giving their input on whether he's healthy enough to play, but the quote doesn't make it sound like that.
Bednar probably will want those words back. If he meant it exactly like that, it was quite the bold thing to say. And if he didn't mean it like that, it makes Makar look bad even if he didn't intend such an outcome.
Regardless of the quote, the reality is that the Avalanche are a worse team without Makar. They were a powerhouse this season and the Western Conference's favorite to go to the Stanley Cup. Now, they've lost two games in a row at home to open the series and have to go play a couple in Vegas to try and bounce back.
The easiest way for the Avalanche to bounce back involves getting Makar back on the ice. And at least according to Bednar, that's all a matter of choice for the defenseman.
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