Josh Manson out 8 weeks for Avalanche with ankle injury

The first sign came at Friday's practice, where Manson wasn't on the ice and the team was still calling it a lower-body injury.

Corey Masisak

@cmasisak22

No Josh Manson (lower body) or Logan O’Connor at Avs practice today. The funeral service for Logan’s father, Myles, is tonight.

Logan O'Connor's absence that day had nothing to do with hockey. The funeral service for his father, Myles, was set for that night, and anyone who has followed O'Connor's path from undrafted free agent to Cup winner wishes him and his family the best. Manson's absence was different. About an hour later Bednar gave the timeline, and 'lower body' turned into something much worse.

Corey Masisak

@cmasisak22

Avs coach Jared Bednar says Josh Manson is likely to miss about eight weeks with an ankle injury.

The injury happened Wednesday night against New Jersey. Manson missed a body check at 15:19 of the 1st period, fell awkwardly and didn't come back. Colorado still pulled away for a 5-2 win, scoring 4 in the 3rd period and getting to 7-5-1. After the game Bednar would only say Manson was 'going to miss some time.' Turns out some time means about 2 months.

This isn't a guy who fills out the 3rd pair and that's it. Manson came over from Anaheim and became a big part of the 2022 Stanley Cup blue line, and he's the one who hits, blocks shots and takes the hard minutes so the skilled guys don't have to. Colorado liked him enough to bring him back in the summer of 2025 on a 2-year deal worth $3.95 million a year. He doesn't put up a lot of points, but his game is the kind you notice once it's gone.

And the timing is bad. Colorado only just finished a 2-3-1 stretch before the Devils win, and now it loses a regular on defense in the first month. The blue line was already thin on reliable right shots, so someone will be playing above his usual spot for the next 8 weeks, either a depth guy moving up or a call-up from Colorado Eagles.

What to watch: how Bednar rebuilds the pairs over the next few games, whether Chris MacFarland goes looking for a cheap stopgap on defense, and whether Manson's ankle actually holds to the 8-week estimate. With Bednar saying 'about,' the realistic target is a return around the holidays. Until then, Colorado has to get through November without one of its toughest defensemen.