Cale Makar suspension: Defenseman penalized one game for interference against Jared McCann, will miss crucial Game 5 for Avs

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar has been suspended for Game 5 against the Seattle Kraken following his interference against Jared McCann in Game 4. Makar's hit knocked out Seattle's leading scorer, and he now faces a one-game suspension from the NHL.

The Department of Player Safety held a hearing with Makar on Tuesday morning, and this is the first time he has faced a suspension or any supplemental discipline from the NHL. Makar was hailed as the best defenseman in the game. He was the MVP of the playoffs as the Norris and Conn Smythe trophy winner in 2022.

However, his absence in Game 5 could prove costly for the Avalanche, who are currently tied 2-2 with the Kraken.

The Avs are coming off a 12-game road win streak that was snapped by Jordan Eberle's overtime goal on Monday. With Makar out, they must now win game five without him, which will be a significant challenge for the team. Game 6 will be back at Climate Pledge Arena, where Makar was greeted with boos every time he touched the puck in the final two periods of Game 4.

It is not just Makar who is out of the lineup for the Avs; forward Valeri Nichushkin is also out indefinitely for personal reasons, and captain Gabriel Landeskog has been shut down for the season due to a knee injury. This means that the Avs will have to rely on their depth to step up and fill the void left by these key players.

On Monday night, coach Jared Bednar claimed that he believed the league would issue a punishment, citing Makar's penalty being reduced from a five-minute major to a two-minute minor on the ice. Seattle coach Dave Hakstol, on the other hand, disagreed with the officials' choice to decrease the severity.

A brief look at Cale Makar's NHL Career

Cale Makar was selected with the fourth overall pick by the Avalanche in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, and since then, he has established himself as one of the best players in the league.

Cale Makar won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. He followed that up by winning the Norris Trophy in the 2021-22 season, cementing his place among the best defensemen in the modern NHL.

Cale Makar played a crucial role in helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022, and he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the 2022 playoffs. Makar's performance during the playoffs was nothing short of exceptional, and he was a key reason why the Avalanche lifted the Cup.