When the Colorado Avalanche made Cale Makar available to the media Monday, it was because the superstar defenseman had just signed an NHL-record eight-year, $163.2 million contract.

But Makar also provided an important update on the injury that kept him out of the first two games of the Western Conference Final — and offered some reassurance about his status heading into the 2026-27 season.

The 27-year-old said he expects to be healthy and ready when the Avalanche open training camp in two weeks, echoing what president of hockey operations and general manager Joe Sakic said earlier in the offseason.

“It’s a process. I mean, a lot of guys go through it, and for me, it took a while, obviously, to kind of feel good,” Makar said Monday at a hotel just outside of Denver. “At the end of the day, we have great resources with the team. We have great resources around the world that can help. And I’ve put myself in a spot right now where I’m very comfortable with where I’m at before camp, and hopefully continue to try and build it.”

Makar appeared to suffer an upper-body injury around the shoulder area during the second-round series against the Minnesota Wild. He missed the first two games of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights before returning to the lineup.

But he was clearly not the same.

His ability to move the puck, drive play and dictate the game from the blue line was noticeably diminished. The Avalanche ultimately fell to Vegas in four games, ending their season one round short of the Stanley Cup Final.

“It’s just one of those things that you’re in the business to win, and you do everything you can to get there,” Makar said. “And sometimes it takes a little bit extra time after to recoup, but that’s just the way it goes.”

For the Avalanche, getting Makar back to full strength is particularly important after seeing firsthand what the team looked like without its top defenseman at the most critical point of the postseason.

Despite all the talent they have, despite the deep blueline, removing Makar from the equation — even for a short time — changes everything. And not in a good way. 

“Cale plays 30 minutes a night, and everybody’s slotted behind him,” Sakic said. “And to miss those minutes, to miss him on the ice for those first two games. You’re in the conference finals, and you’re playing against a really good team. You need your stars to be on the ice for you, and you need them to play well. And yeah, that definitely hurt. I mean, it’s a big reason why we were 0-2, and a big reason why we lost the series.”