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Kristen Shilton
BROSSARD, Quebec — Cale Makar will be a game-time decision for Canada when it faces the United States on Saturday night at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Canada’s top defenseman is battling an illness that held him out of Friday’s practice. Makar was back on the ice for Saturday’s morning skate, and coach Jon Cooper said after the workout that they would make a final decision on Makar’s status later in the day.
“I’m not going to confirm [Makar is in],” Cooper said. “He’ll be a game-time decision. But trust me, this won’t be a decision where we ever put him in harm’s way. So if he’s in the lineup, he’s good to go.”
The Canadian blue line was already depleted when Shea Theodore suffered an upper-body injury in the tournament opener against Sweden on Wednesday. Makar took on an even larger role in that game after Theodore exited in the second period; Makar finished the game with a team-high 28:06 time on ice.
The Theodore injury gave Canada just six healthy defensemen, and with Makar under the weather as well, the NHL and NHLPA agreed Friday that Canada could bring Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley to Montreal on standby in case Makar can’t play.
Harley would have been allowed to skate Saturday only if Makar was absent. Instead, Harley watched the session from a hallway, and when Makar went off the ice, Harley joined the rest of Canada’s group and received a loud round of cheers from his fellow players.
While Makar’s availability remains in question, Cooper confirmed that Canada will go back to Jordan Binnington in net against the U.S. Cooper said Friday that he would speak with Canada’s goalies — including Binnington, Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault — before making a final call.
Binnington recorded 23 saves and an .885 save percentage while backstopping Canada to a 4-3 overtime win against Sweden. Cooper saw enough to give Binnington another shot on Saturday.
“He gave us a chance to win; watch the overtime,” Cooper said of Binnington’s four-save effort in the extra frame. “That said it all for me. At the biggest moment of the game, the kid came up huge for us. He deserves it.”