Avalanche Lose Manson for Eight Weeks With Ankle Injury

The Colorado Avalanche will be without veteran defenseman Josh Manson for about eight weeks after head coach Jared Bednar confirmed on Friday that the 35-year-old suffered an ankle injury. Manson was hurt late in the first period of Wednesday's 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils, taking an awkward fall before skating gingerly off the ice and down the tunnel. He did not return to the game. The timeline means Manson should return around Christmas, having missed roughly 23 games for the Avalanche. It is a significant blow to Colorado's blue line: Manson had played in all 13 of the team's games this season, recording one goal and three assists, and he leads the Avalanche in hits with 28 while ranking third in blocked shots with 17. Manson is in his sixth season with Colorado and won the Stanley Cup with the club in 2022, and team-mate Brett Kulak described his absence as a kind of irreplaceable loss, citing his leadership, physicality and experience. Noah Juulsen, who has one assist in eight games this season and averages 10:38 of ice time, is expected to step in as a regular on the blue line. Colorado, sitting at 7-5-1 and third in the Central Division, next hosts the Calgary Flames on Saturday night at Ball Arena, where Bednar must now rebuild his defensive pairings without one of his most trusted veterans.