The Colorado Avalanche announced on Thursday afternoon that defenseman Jacob MacDonald had hip surgery. The procedure will put the alternate captain out of commission for at least five to six months. This gives a timetable for MacDonald’s return at the beginning of March and finishing out his contract with the Avalanche.

What does this mean?

MacDonald formed an important part of the Colorado Eagles’ defense, likely for an NHL call-up this season. His appearance with the Avalanche last season never occurred; he had a concussion when they would’ve called him up. MacDonald often skated on the first pair alongside Jack Ahcan, eating up valuable minutes every night. He finished the regular season with 55 points, second on the Eagles behind Matthew Phillips. His 31 goals broke a 25-year-old record set in 1999–2000. He also led the league in power-play goals by a defenseman with 13.

The Cornell alum was the Colorado Eagles’ representative at the AHL All-Star Classic in January. It was his second time at the event. It kind of flew under the radar, but MacDonald won the Eddie Shore Award, which is equivalent to the James Norris Memorial Trophy.

The Oregonian transformed himself into an offensive danger for the Eagles’ defense. Many teams adapted their game plan to contain him. The San Jose Barracuda’s (SJS) practice included adjusting their defense to prepare for his one-timer shots. Also, many younger players frequently mentioned his leadership in the locker room during post-game interviews.

MacDonald figured to be important for the Eagles’ offense this season, so they’ll adjust without him. This will open up a spot for Sean Behrens to take the top pair spot upon his return from injury himself. This will be a punch in the gut for the Eagles, but they have a deep defensive core to help with it.