Avalanche Recall Gavin Brindley as MacKinnon and Makar Stay Uncertain for Montreal

The Colorado Avalanche made their first roster move Friday in response to Thursday's double injury scare, recalling forward Gavin Brindley from the AHL's Colorado Eagles ahead of Saturday's game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. As of Saturday morning, neither Nathan MacKinnon nor Cale Makar had been placed on injured reserve, and the team had not issued a formal timeline for either player.

That distinction matters for fantasy managers. No IR placement means the club has not ruled either star out for an extended stretch, but a recall of a forward who would likely sit as a healthy scratch if everyone were available is a signal that Colorado is preparing to play at least one game short. Here is where things stand and how to react.

Where the injuries stand

Both players left the second period of Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss in Ottawa with lower-body injuries. MacKinnon took a stick in the hip area from Senators defenseman Artem Zub and appeared to be in significant pain heading to the bench. Makar's exit was less clear: he began favoring his right leg, attempted one short shift, and did not return for the third period. The Makar injury also arrives four days after he left practice Sunday for what the team called precautionary reasons, which is the detail most worth watching.

Coach Jared Bednar offered no definitive update after the game and said he was unsure about either player for Saturday, though both traveled with the team to Montreal. Reports conflict on what comes next. Longtime Avalanche reporter Adrian Dater reported, per Yardbarker, that both would sit against the Canadiens, while other outlets have framed them as game-time decisions. The team had not confirmed either version at publication.

The production Colorado has to replace

This is not a minor hole. MacKinnon leads the Avalanche with 30 points through 20 games, and Makar has five goals and 18 assists for 23 points in 19 appearances. Those two players drive Colorado's top power-play unit, its transition game and a huge share of its shot volume. Even a short absence changes the math for every Avalanche skater rostered in fantasy.

Brindley, 22, brings 14 points in 62 career NHL games along with his strong AHL start. He is a depth piece, not a replacement, and CBS Sports expects him to play only if MacKinnon or another forward is ruled out. On defense, Alex Gagne is the projected entry if Makar cannot go, which would mean an NHL debut.

Projected line and power-play changes

Without MacKinnon, Colorado's most likely approach is to push Nazem Kadri into top-line minutes while Nicolas Roy shifts back to center, per Yardbarker, with Yahoo Sports noting Roy could take a center spot while Fedor Svechkov stays on the fourth line. Martin Necas and Artturi Lehkonen, MacKinnon's regular linemates, stay in the top six, but their environment gets worse without the league's most dangerous transition center feeding them.

On the blue line, the expected domino is Devon Toews moving up to the top pair alongside Sam Malinski, with Brent Burns and Gagne forming a third pair. Toews is also the most likely candidate to take Makar's spot at the point on the first power-play unit, and recent analysis has Toews leading the Avalanche in expected goals share at five-on-five. Malinski projects to pick up additional minutes and could run the second unit.

Fantasy pivots

Devon Toews is the clearest winner. A move to PP1 quarterback on a team that still has Necas, Kadri and Lehkonen up front gives him real point upside, and he is rostered in far fewer leagues than his new role suggests. In deep leagues, he is the first add.

Martin Necas keeps his PP1 role and likely becomes the primary puck carrier on the man advantage. His floor drops without MacKinnon, but his assist volume could hold up because so much of the offense will run through him. Do not bench him.

Nazem Kadri gets a usage bump if he slides into top-line minutes and stays on PP1. He is worth starting in most formats while the stars are out.

Sam Malinski is a deep-league speculative add for managers who need defensemen with ice time. Gavin Brindley and Gagne are watch-list names only.

For MacKinnon and Makar managers: hold both. Neither is on IR, and nothing reported so far suggests a long-term absence. If your league offers an IR slot and the team eventually places either player there, move him immediately and use the open spot on Toews.

Betting angle

Thursday's injuries reshape how the market views Colorado in the short term. The Canadiens are playing well, and the Avalanche would be facing them without their two best players if the reports holding them out prove accurate. Montreal is also dealing with its own goaltending shuffle, with Jacob Fowler projected to start while Sam Montembeault is on IR, and forward Chris Kreider listed day-to-day after leaving Thursday's game.

Bettors should wait for official lineup confirmation before acting, since prices built on the assumption that both stars play could move sharply once Bednar addresses their status. For Verdexed's view of the matchup, see the NHL predictions page at /nhl/predictions.

What's next

The next meaningful update should come from Bednar at Bell Centre before puck drop Saturday. The key signals are whether either player takes part in the morning skate, whether Gagne draws into the lineup, and whether Colorado makes an IR move before its next game. An IR placement for either would point to a multi-game absence; continued day-to-day language would suggest the Avalanche are managing short-term soreness.

The takeaway: add Devon Toews now, keep Necas and Kadri in your lineup, and hold MacKinnon and Makar until the Avalanche put a timeline on either injury.