Josh Manson Out Eight Weeks, Leaving Avalanche to Rework Their Blue Line

Colorado’s immediate challenge after Josh Manson’s injury is clear: replace the defensive presence and leadership of a regular who coach Jared Bednar says could be out for about eight weeks. The Avalanche have a familiar option in Noah Juulsen, but losing Manson leaves a meaningful hole on a blue line that must now spread his workload and physical edge across the group.

Manson was hurt in the first period of Colorado’s Wednesday night win over the New Jersey Devils at Ball Arena. He left the game and did not return. The Avalanche finished with five defensemen and earned a 5-2 victory, but getting through one game short does not solve the longer lineup question.

Bednar gave reporters the approximate eight-week timeline. He also described Manson’s absence as difficult to cover, pointing to the defenseman’s leadership, physicality and experience. Bednar said the injury news was better than it might have been, while emphasizing that the team will miss Manson during his recovery.

That assessment captures why the absence matters beyond filling one spot in the lineup. Manson is Colorado’s top shutdown defenseman, according to the source report. A replacement can take his place on the roster, but the team will need a collective response to cover the different responsibilities he brings.

Juulsen gives Colorado a ready option

Noah Juulsen is expected to step into the lineup. He has already played for Colorado this season and is with the team regularly, so Bednar said he can join the group without needing time to learn its routines. The coach indicated that Juulsen has continued to play well when called upon.

That familiarity could make it easier for Colorado to manage the first stretch without Manson. Juulsen is available within the current group, which may allow the Avalanche to dress six defensemen without making an additional roster move. Bednar said Colorado has often relied on six defensemen while keeping its seventh option with the team as a recall player.

For now, the club appears able to cover the vacancy internally. That doesn’t mean Manson’s role disappears into a simple lineup change. Colorado’s other defenders will have to absorb the extra demands, while Juulsen takes on the minutes and assignments that open up in the rotation.

Brett Kulak described the situation as one the team has encountered before. He pointed to previous stretches when important players, including Cale Makar last season, were unavailable. Kulak’s message to the group was that teammates need to pick up the slack and bring more bite to their games together.

He also made clear that Colorado doesn’t need one player to copy Manson’s style. His point was that the defense corps must collectively make games difficult for opponents, even if no one defender reproduces Manson’s particular mix of physical play and experience. That approach puts responsibility across the group rather than on Juulsen alone.

The next test comes against Calgary

Colorado is scheduled to host the Calgary Flames on Saturday night at Ball Arena. The Avalanche enter that matchup after winning 5-2 against New Jersey, a game in which they managed the final two periods with five defensemen after Manson departed. The Calgary game will offer an early look at how the club handles the lineup change over a full contest.

The approximate eight-week absence gives Colorado a defined period to manage, though Bednar’s timeline is a projection rather than a return date. The team will have to monitor how its defensive rotation holds up and whether Juulsen can remain a steady fit while Manson recovers. A further injury on the blue line would change the depth picture and could require another move, but the current plan is to rely on the group already available.

Manson’s absence takes away a defender whose leadership and physical game Bednar considers hard to replace. Colorado has a capable in-house option to keep its lineup moving; the broader test will be whether the rest of the blue line can share the responsibilities that made Manson so valuable.