DENVER – After dealing with a lower-body injury in the 2022-23 NHL season, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson opted for offseason surgery. Manson’s nagging issue limited him to only 27 regular season games and five in the postseason, which was not ideal for a player fresh off of signing a four-year, $4.5 million contract that included a no-trade clause. Manson recently joined a small group of players on the ice in preparation for training camp, but his status still looks to be questionable. 

Just six days ago, the Avalanche defenseman seemed to be struggling with discomfort in his hip and did not participate in the next day’s on-ice session. Despite training camp still nearly two weeks away and this practice being optional, this is still something to watch out for. While he is no Devon Toews or Cale Makar, Manson is expected to be a part of the top six defensemen on the Colorado roster and play a modest number of minutes night in and night out. He averaged close to 17 minutes per game in his first season with the Avalanche. 

It is not uncommon in the slightest for NHL players to deal with on-and-off hip issues. Although he fully participated in the practice a day after sitting out, Josh Manson’s injury status should continue to be monitored. Colorado signed him to a multi-year contract for a reason and this injury will play a big part in determining whether or not that was a good investment. If healthy, Manson can be a steady presence on defense and ideally assist the Avalanche in making another deep postseason run.