During the game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, head coach Jared Bednar had a very scary moment. He departed the game after a puck hit his face. Medical staff later took him to an area hospital and released him. Bednar remains sidelined from the team’s upcoming road trip because of injuries.

He sustained facial fractures and a corneal abrasion because of puck impact. He likely broke and check bone or an orbital bone with the fracture. The scratch on the cornea of his eye makes up the corneal abrasion. I know from personal experience that scratches on the cornea are not pleasant. It feels like something is stuck in your eye and you cannot rub it.

What does this mean for the Avalanche?

Long-time assistant coach Nolan Pratt and newly hired assistant coach Dave Hakstol will take over the coaching duties. Usually, they will run the team in the same way. There may be some slight differences as Nolan Pratt gets to inject some things he has wanted to try. Other than that, expect the same coaching that fans have been seeing from the Avalanche for the last decade.

The Colorado Avalanche have only three games left in the regular season. Two are on the road, and they will finish the season at Ball Arena against the Seattle Kraken. If Bednar is still out against the Kraken, this would be a great opportunity for Hakstol to take the lead against his former team.

We will also see some changes in the lineup with Josh Manson’s upper-body injury. Jack Achan was recalled from the Colorado Eagles on Sunday morning to help fill out the blue line. He has been nothing but stellar for the Eagles this season. He has 11 goals, 39 assists, and sits at plus 23. Ahcan may even be in the running for the Eddie Shore Award, which is the equivalent to the James Norris Trophy in the AHL.