<p>Team <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/team-canada/line-combinations">Canada</a> hit the ice on Friday for practice, in preparation for one of the most anticipated hockey games of the last decade, and did so without star defenseman Cale Makar. The <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/colorado-avalanche/line-combinations">Colorado Avalanche</a> blueliner was unavailable due to an illness, reports TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. </p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Team Canada says Cale Makar is out today with illness</p>— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) <a href="https://twitter.com/PierreVLeBrun/status/1890431251762266216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2025</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>No word yet on how serious of an illness Makar is dealing with, but it’s certainly worrisome for the Canadians, as the team is already without <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/canada-shea-theodore-leaves-4-nations-face-off-game-against-sweden-injury">Shea Theodore</a>, who left Wednesday’s game against <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/team-sweden/line-combinations">Sweden</a> with a wrist injury, and is now considered week-to-week. </p>



<p>Makar played a whopping 28:06 in Canada’s overtime win over the Swedes, and finished the night with two shots on goal, three blocked shots, and two takeaways. Canada faces off against <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/team-united-states/line-combinations">USA</a> on Saturday, in what’s setting up to be a very entertaining clash of the titans. </p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="148"></div>



<p>Entering the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, Makar had appeared in 57 games for the Avalanche, recording 22 goals, and 63 points in 57 games. The 26-year-old defenseman is averaging 25:48 of ice-time per game for Colorado, and is certainly used to playing big minutes, in high-pressured situations.</p>



<p>With Theodore already out of the lineup, Canada has <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/dallas-stars/line-combinations">Dallas Stars</a>‘ defenseman Thomas Harley on high alert, and in Boston to meet the team, once the tournament heads to bean town. He was ineligible to practice with the club in Montreal, as per tournament rules. </p>



<p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/philadelphia-flyers/line-combinations">Philadelphia Flyers</a> defenseman Travis Sanheim, who was a healthy scratch against the Swedes, will draw in for the huge matchup against the Americans. The 28-year-old Sanheim has tallied six goals, and 27 points in 57 games so far this year for the Flyers. He was paired with Drew Doughty at Canada’s practice on Friday. </p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="149"></div>



<p>Canada and USA hit the ice Saturday night from the Bell Centre in Montreal. A best-on-best matchup almost a decade in the making. </p>
