Trending Now - Avalanche Coach Bednar Hospitalized After Facial Injury, Out for Road Trip
WHO:
Sportskeeda - Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar
ESPN - Assistant coach Dave Hakstol
ESPN - Assistant coach Nolan Pratt
ESPN - Defenseman Josh Manson
WHAT:
NHL.com - Bednar will not require surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.
NHL.com - Assistant coaches Nolan Pratt and Dave Hakstol will coach the team in Edmonton and at the Calgary Flames on April 13th, 2026.
ESPN - Bednar was hit on his right cheek by a puck during the game, specifically with 16:39 left in the third period.
ESPN - The Avalanche have clinched the top overall seed in the playoffs with 115 points as of April 6th, 2026.
ESPN - Defenseman Josh Manson was also lost to an upper-body injury late in the second period of the game against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Fox News Sports - Jared Bednar suffered facial fractures after being struck by a puck.
NY Post - Bednar was hospitalized after the incident, which resulted in facial fractures and a corneal abrasion.
ESPN - Bednar will miss the final two regular-season games and will not accompany the team on their road trip.
ESPN - Bednar was fully alert after the incident and went to the hospital for a CT scan and further evaluation.
ESPN - Assistant coach Dave Hakstol took over Bednar's duties for the remainder of the game.
WHERE:
ESPN - The incident occurred while Bednar was standing behind the Colorado bench during a game against the Vegas Golden Knights.
ESPN - The Avalanche are traveling to Edmonton and Calgary for their upcoming road trip.
WHEN:
ESPN - The incident occurred during a game on April 8th, 2026, against the Vegas Golden Knights.
ESPN - The Avalanche will begin their two-game road trip on April 12th, 2026.
Fox News Sports - Bednar will miss the final two regular-season games of the 2025-2026 season.
WHY:
ESPN - Bednar was hit by a puck that flew off the stick of Knights defenseman Keegan Kolesar.
HOW:
NHL.com - Vice president of media and player relations Brendan McNicholas stated, "He is going to go to a local hospital to get a CT scan just for further evaluation."
ESPN - Assistant coach Nolan Pratt described the incident as "a little unnerving" and noted that "it happens all the time, and unfortunate tonight."
ESPN - Bednar was hit in the face by a puck during the game, which led to his hospitalization and subsequent evaluation.
(UPDATED April 12, 2026 23:04 UTC)
NHL.com reports that Bednar will not require surgery and is expected to make a full recovery. In the meantime, assistant coaches Nolan Pratt and Dave Hakstol will step in to coach the team during their upcoming games in Edmonton and against the Calgary Flames April 13th. Vice president of media and player relations Brendan McNicholas added that Bednar will visit a local hospital for a CT scan to ensure everything is in order.
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(UPDATED April 12, 2026 21:05 UTC)
The Colorado Avalanche have clinched the top overall seed in the playoffs with 115 points as of on Monday. In their recent game against the Vegas Golden Knights, defenseman Josh Manson suffered an upper-body injury late in the second period, while goaltender Pavel Bednar was struck on the right cheek by a puck with 16:39 remaining in the third period. Assistant coach Nolan Pratt described the incident as "a little unnerving," adding that such occurrences are unfortunate but happen frequently in the sport.
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(UPDATED April 12, 2026 19:11 UTC)
Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar suffered facial fractures and a corneal abrasion after being struck in the face by a puck during a game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. He was hospitalized for evaluation and will miss the final two regular-season games, with assistant coach Dave Hakstol stepping in to take over his duties. The Avalanche are set to begin their two-game road trip to Edmonton and Calgary on Sunday.