MacKinnon, Makar take control for Colorado until full cast returns, possibly even Landeskog

Last season: 50-25-7, lost to Dallas in the second round of playoffs.

COACH: Jared Bednar (341-217-60 over 8 seasons, 1 Stanley Cup title).

SEASON OPENER: Oct. 9 at Vegas.

DEPARTURES: F Andrew Cogliano, F Brandon Duhaime, G Pavel Francouz, D Caleb Jones, F Zach Parise, F Yakov Trenin, D Sean Walker.

ADDITIONS: D Erik Brannstrom, D Calvin de Haan, F Parker Kelly, D Oliver Kylington, D Calle Rosén.

GOALIES: Alexandar Georgiev (38-18-5, 3.02 goals-against average, 0.897 save percentage), Justus Annunen (8-4-1, 2.25, 0.928).

BETMGM STANLEY CUP ODDS: 11-1.

The Colorado Avalanche figure to look a whole lot different later in the season. They are without captain Gabriel Landeskog (knee) and Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder) for an undetermined amount of time. But they could have back Valeri Nichushkin from suspension in mid-November. League MVP Nathan MacKinnon, defenseman Cale Makar and forward Mikko Rantanen will be counted on to keep the team afloat until the cast reunites. There are no guarantees with Landeskog, who's missed the last two seasons. Nichushkin went missing in the middle of a playoff series for a second straight postseason due to circumstances away from the ice. MacKinnon is coming off career highs in goals (51), assists (89) and shots (405). Georgiev led the NHL with 38 wins. Makar finished with 90 points, the most by an Avalanche defenseman in a season single in franchise history. Rantanen set a career high with 62 assists while averaging nearly 23 minutes of ice time.

The good: Colorado’s big-name players — MacKinnon, Makar and Rantanen — are all coming off banner seasons. Nichushkin will be a big lift whenever he returns after a career year that included 28 goals, 53 points and six game-winning scores. MacKinnon was nearly unstoppable at home, recording at least a point in each of Colorado’s first 35 home games. Only Wayne Gretzky had a longer run at home in a single season (40 in 1988-89).

The not-so-good: The concerns over Nichushkin. The NHL and NHL Players’ Association announced his suspension about an hour before the start of the Avalanche’s 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on May 13 that left them trailing 3-1 in the second-round series. “Time heals all wounds,” Bednar said. Some feelings may need to be soothed once Nichushkin rejoins the team.

Jonathan Drouin returned for another season after turning in a year that saw him finish with a career-best 56 points (19 goals, 37 assists). He's reunited with MacKinnon, his good friend, to rekindle the scoring chemistry from their days with the Halifax Mooseheads, where they captured a Memorial Cup in 2012-13. Logan O’Connor had a career-best 13 goals despite being limited to 57 games and undergoing hip surgery in March. He recently signed a six-year contract extension.

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Colorado Avalanche right wing Logan O'Connor responds to questions during a news conference to announce that he signed a six-year contract extension with the hockey club Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Justus Annunen makes a save against the Dallas Stars in the first period of an NHL preseason hockey game Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

FILE - Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon waits for play to resume in the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

FILE - Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar warms up for the second period of Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Monday, May 13, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

FILE - Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, left, collects the puck with Winnipeg Jets center Adam Lowry, right, in pursuit in the second period of Game 4 of an NHL Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

FILE - Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon collects the puck in the third period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey playoff series Friday, May 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich faces injury concerns after midfielder Ismael Saibari and forward Serge Gnabry both went off injured in the space of a few minutes during the Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

Saibari was helped off the field by two members of Bayern's medical staff after injuring his right leg in a collision with Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

Saibari had a shot saved as he went one-on-one with Kobel and they tangled as Saibari challenged the diving Kobel for the rebound.

Saibari was holding his knee with a pained expression as Bayern medical staff manipulated his ankle. He limped off with the staff supporting him. Saibari was a standout for Morocco at the World Cup and joined Bayern during the tournament for a reported $63 million from PSV Eindhoven.

Two minutes after Saibari was replaced by Nathaniel Brown, Gnabry went off, too. The forward sat down on the field in clear discomfort but was able to walk off unaided as Josip Stanisic replaced him.

Bayern was without head coach Vincent Kompany after he was released from hospital this week following treatment for an infection.

The injury concerns came as Bayern played Dortmund for the lead in the Bundesliga and three days before Bayern faces Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Munich's Serge Gnabry, right, and Dortmund's Joane Gadou, left, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

Munich's Ismael Saibari is guided off the pitch during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)

Munich's Ismael Saibari lies on the pitch during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)