Avalanche coach takes puck to the face, will miss final regular-season games

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar confers with center Martin Necas during the third period of an NHL game against the Calgary Flames in Denver on March 30, 2026.(David Zalubowski/AP)

“It’s certainly a little unnerving.It’s scary when the pucks are flying in there,” assistant coach Nolan Pratt said after the game.“It happens all the time, and unfortunately tonight, so it takes a little second to sort of recalibrate and then get back to it.”

Pratt and Dave Hakstol will likely coach the team for the final two games of the regular season.The Avalanche will hit the road for games against theEdmonton Oilersand Calgary Flames.

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Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar confers with players during a timeout in the third period of an NHL game against the Calgary Flames in Denver on April 9, 2026.(David Zalubowski/AP)

The Avalanche, who won the Stanley Cup title in 2022, clinched the top seed in the Western Conference on Thursday night with 115 points.

Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon is leading the NHL with 52 goals this season and is third in the league with 74 assists.He’s also third in points with 126, trailing the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov (128) and Oilers star Connor McDavid (133).

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar watches from the team box during the second period of an NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks in Denver on April 1, 2026.(David Zalubowski/AP)

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The Avalanche have made the playoffs in all but one season under Bednar.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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