A scary moment behind the bench forced the Colorado Avalanche to reshuffle their plans, as head coach Jared Bednar is set to miss the team’s upcoming two-game road trip after being struck by a puck.
The incident occurred during Saturday night’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights and quickly turned into a concerning situation.
Update on Colorado Avalanche HC Jared Bednar
The play unfolded in the third period with 16:39 remaining. Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar attempted to dump the puck into the Colorado zone while being pressured by Avalanche forward Jack Drury. The puck deflected sharply upward and into the Colorado bench, striking Bednar directly on the right cheek.
Bednar immediately grabbed his face and appeared to be in significant pain before trainers helped him to the locker room. He was later taken to a local hospital for further evaluation, including a CT scan.
The Avalanche confirmed Sunday that Bednar suffered facial fractures and a corneal abrasion. The team also announced he will not require surgery and is expected to make a full recovery. Assistant coaches Nolan Pratt and Dave Hakstol will take over bench duties for the next road games in Edmonton and Calgary.
The injury will keep Jared Bednar from joining the Colorado Avalanche on their two-game trip through Western Canada, but the absence is expected to be brief. He could rejoin the club for their final regular-season home game against the Seattle Kraken, and is anticipated to be back behind the bench when the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin.
While the situation is unfortunate, the timing works somewhat in Colorado’s favor. The Avalanche have already secured the Presidents’ Trophy with a 52-16-11 mark and 115 points, shifting their focus from chasing standings to keeping players healthy and rested ahead of the postseason. That breathing room allows the organization to be patient and give Bednar the time he needs to fully recover.
Colorado also made a roster move by calling up defenseman Jack Ahcan from the Colorado Eagles, while star defenseman Cale Makar continues to recover from an injury but is expected to be ready for the playoffs.
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With the top seed already locked up, the Avalanche can take a cautious approach. There’s no urgency to rush Jared Bednar back behind the bench, and the team can give him additional time to recover if needed. The main priority is making sure he’s fully healthy and ready for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where his leadership will matter far more.
