Team Canada HC Jon Cooper gives Cale Makar injury update vs. Finland

Team Canada suffered a gutwrenching loss to rivals Team USA on Saturday night and will need to beat Finland on Monday to set up a rematch in the 4 Nations final on Thursday with their foes.

The Canadians had to get by without their top defenceman in Cale Makar after he was ruled out due to an illness. While head coach Jon Cooper felt confident on Friday that the Colorado Avalanche star would suit up, he unfortunately had to be scratched.

After the defeat to the States, Cooper remains hopeful that Makar can be in the lineup versus Finland.

Via Luke Fox:

“Jon Cooper says ‘hopefully’ Cale Makar can play Monday.”

Makar took part in morning skate early Saturday but voiced that he hasn’t been feeling well:

“Just trying to manage things, trying to put myself in the best spot I can to play tonight,” Makar said. “We’ll see how this afternoon goes.”

Team Canada and Avs teammate Nathan MacKinnon said his good buddy was sick before the Sweden game, too:

“He was pretty sick last game, too, and he didn’t look it,” said MacKinnon. “He’s so mentally tough that nothing phases that guy. He’s the best defenceman in the world, so him at 80 (per cent) is better than almost everybody anyway.”

The Canadians were also without Shea Theodore, who exited vs Sweden with an upper-body injury. Travis Sanheim replaced Theodore for the Team USA clash.

Makar is such a crucial part of this squad and they will definitely need him healthy if winning this entire tournament is going to become a reality. He’s a phenomenal player on both ends of the ice who is truly irreplaceable. Thankfully it’s just a sickness and not an injury, but Canada will certainly be hoping he can be in better shape by Monday when they look to take down Finland, who just beat the Swedes in OT.