Avalanche Receive Promising Injury Update Ahead of Game 1 Against Golden Knights

The Colorado Avalanche have finally received the encouraging news that every playoff team yearns for in May: relief instead of further setbacks. Head Coach Jared Bednar expressed optimism on Sunday, revealing that he anticipates all of Colorado’s injured regulars will be available for Game 1 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday as the team prepares to launch into the Western Conference Final.

Defenseman Sam Malinski and winger Artturi Lehkonen both missed the last two games of the previous series against Minnesota, while superstar defenseman Cale Makar appeared visibly battered during the series-clinching Game 5 victory. Makar briefly exited the game but returned to battle through the remainder of regulation and overtime, despite dealing with ongoing hip and shoulder injuries.

Bednar remarked, “I think everyone’s going to be available for Game 1, but we’ll see,” when discussing his injured players. When asked specifically about Malinski’s chances of returning for Game 1, he confirmed, “yes.” While Makar has not practiced in the past couple of days, Bednar’s confidence on Sunday suggested that the organization believes their franchise cornerstone is heading in the right direction.

Veteran defenseman Brent Burns has also been sidelined recently, yet indications are pointing toward his return being imminent. On Sunday, Malinski was the only injured regular spotted practicing, while Makar, Lehkonen, and Burns remained off the ice.

At this juncture of the postseason, it’s clear that no team is entirely healthy—only available. The Avalanche will need to secure eight more wins to hoist the Stanley Cup, and navigating this phase of the playoffs often hinges on which teams can withstand the accumulating physical toll.

With Colorado having expended significant emotional and physical energy to overcome Minnesota in one of the playoff’s most intense series, they now shift their focus entirely to the Golden Knights. The team is off on Monday and is expected to return to practice on Tuesday, at which point the statuses of Makar, Lehkonen, Burns, and Malinski should become clearer ahead of Game 1.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.