Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar was a harsh critic of his own performance after the upstart Seattle Kraken eliminated his team in Game 7 of their first-round matchup on Sunday night.
"I feel like I let the guys down," Makar said after the 2-1 loss, according to the Denver Post's Bennett Durando. "I feel like I didn't have a great series. So yeah. That's just a tough one."
Makar won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP last season after pacing the Avalanche with 29 points in 20 games to help them clinch the Stanley Cup.
The 24-year-old remained valuable to Colorado's efforts this spring, chipping in one goal and four assists in six contests against the Kraken while leading the Avalanche with 25:40 of average ice time. But Makar was also suspended for the team's Game 5 loss for his hit on Kraken forward Jared McCann in the previous contest.
Despite the premature end to Colorado's season, Makar is proud of his squad's effort.
"I don't think anyone's going to be looking back and thinking everybody didn't leave it out there," he said. "Obviously, it's tough to grasp right now. It all just sums down to absolutely (hating) losing. It's just the worst part of this."
Injury woes plagued the Avalanche all season. Captain Gabriel Landeskog didn't play a single game in 2022-23 because of a knee injury, while Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen, Evan Rodrigues, Erik Johnson, Josh Manson, and Bowen Byram all spent time on the sidelines.
MacKinnon admitted the plethora of absences was difficult to overcome.
"Tough year overall. During the season, we're going to say all the right things," he said Sunday, according to The Athletic's Peter Baugh. "But it's hard missing guys. ... I'm definitely happy with the way we battled all season. Even tonight, I thought we played a really great game. Just couldn't find the back of the net."
Makar is hopeful the injury bug won't bite as hard next campaign.
"I don't think there's ever going to be a season again - knock on wood - where we go through that many injuries," Makar said, according to Durando.
"Everybody was grinding out, playing big minutes in certain months that you shouldn't be playing big minutes in."
Colorado finished atop the Central Division with a 51-24-7 record during the regular season.
