Injury issues have resurfaced for Mackenzie Blackwood.
The Avalanche placed the goaltender on injured reserve Thursday with a lower-body injury, marking his second stint on IR this season after beginning the year sidelined. To fill the vacancy, Colorado recalled Trent Miner and Taylor Makar from the Colorado Eagles, the Avs’ AHL affiliate. The Avalanche already had an open roster spot, so no additional move was required. Blackwood will be reevaluated once the team returns from its three-game road trip.
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The team did not provide additional details regarding the injury. Blackwood did not participate in practice ahead of the road trip, prompting the roster move.
Blackwood last appeared in Colorado’s 6–1 win over the Blues on New Year’s Eve, finishing the game in what was his second consecutive start. Despite the stop-and-start nature of his season and a resulting tandem split with Scott Wedgewood, the 29-year-old has been elite when available, posting a 13-1-1 record, .924 save percentage, and a league-leading 2.07 goals-against average in 16 appearances.
Blackwood missed training camp and the start of the regular season while rehabbing from offseason surgery on a lower-body injury. In his absence, Scott Wedgewood emerged as one of the NHL’s top goaltenders. With Blackwood sidelined again, Wedgewood is expected to shoulder the bulk of the workload once more.
Meanwhile, Makar has been called up to the NHL for the fourth time this season.
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The 24‑year‑old forward has appeared in 26 games this season with the Colorado Eagles, the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, recording six goals and four assists for 10 points in 26 games.
Selected in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Draft, Makar signed a one-year entry-level contract that runs through the 2025–26 season.
Before turning pro, he played three seasons at UMass Amherst, totaling 15 goals and seven assists in 85 games from 2021 to 2023. He then transferred to the University of Maine for the 2024–25 season, where he enjoyed a breakout year with 18 goals and 12 assists for 30 points in 38 games.
Meanwhile, Taylor’s older brother Cale Makar remains the driving force on Colorado’s back end in 2025–26, posting 12 goals and 33 assists for 45 points through 39 games to lead the Avalanche defense.
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Miner has appeared in two NHL games this season, posting an 0‑0‑2 record while allowing four goals on 44 shots. In the AHL with the Colorado Eagles, he has a 7‑2‑0 record, a 2.40 goals-against average, and a .907 save percentage across 10 contests. Miner is expected to serve in a backup role for the Avalanche, with Scott Wedgewood likely stepping in as the starter during Blackwood’s absence.
The Avalanche (30‑2‑7) face the Carolina Hurricanes (24‑13‑3) on Saturday at Lenovo Center with coverage starting at 5 p.m. local time. Colorado will then head on an all-Florida road trip, taking on the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on January 4 before meeting the Tampa Bay Lightning on January 6.
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