The Colorado Avalanche will have to play without their star defenceman for a little while, but can still take a sigh of relief.

Cale Makar is expected to miss a few games with an upper-body injury in order to rest ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, per head coach Jared Bednar.

Bednar said Wednesday during his show on Altitude radio that Makar is “going to be OK. He’s going to miss some time here. Nothing serious, though.”

The Avalanche host the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night as they try to move closer to clinching the league’s best record.

The 27-year-old suffered the injury in Monday’s win over the Calgary Flames. He took a hit from Calgary forward Adam Klapka in the second period that led to him being looked at by the team’s medical staff.

Makar managed to finish the second frame, but didn’t make it out for the third.

Before being injured, the two-time Norris winner logged three assists.

“The best thing to do is shut him down and rest him here for a few games,” Bednar said on his show. “There’s nothing that we’re overly concerned about.”

Makar, a two-time Norris Trophy winner, is third among defencemen this season with 75 points (20 goals, 55 assists).

The Avalanche hold a comfortable eight-point lead in the Central Division, while leading the NHL with 108 points.

— with files from The Associated Press