Makar returns to lineup for Canada against Finland at 4 Nations Face-Off

BOSTON -- Cale Makar returned to the lineup for Canada in a 5-3 win against Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off at TD Garden on Monday.

The defenseman had four shots on goal and four blocked shots while playing a Canada-best 23:57. Canada next will play the United States in the championship game on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS).

"I feel great," Makar said. "I felt really good today."

Makar would not go into details of what he was dealing with the past few days, but did say, "it was really unfortunate."

"I did everything I possibly could to play in that game [3-1 loss to the U.S. on Saturday], and hopefully, obviously, we get another crack at them now, so it'd be ready for that, but no, [I'm] feeling a lot better now,” he said.

As for being able to play Thursday, Makar said, "Unless something happens in this next few days here, that'd be the plan for sure."

Makar played in Canada's 4-3 overtime victory against Sweden on Feb. 12 in the tournament opener for each team but did not skate the following two days because of what was classified as "an illness." He took part in the morning skate Saturday, but did not play that night against the United States at Bell Centre in Montreal.

After skating in an optional practice Sunday, the 26-year-old said he'd been improving.

He said he started feeling better Sunday night.

“Just feeling last night into this morning, feeling really good," he said. "Just making sure the body was ready to go. And yeah, felt good today.”

Makar said it was difficult to sit out such a highly emotional game against the U.S.

“Yeah, I mean, you dream of that as a kid playing in Canada against the U.S., so a hard one," Makar said. "But at the same time, was hoping that we get another crack at them, and I'd be ready for it."

Makar's impact for Canada is tangible. He won the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman in the NHL in 2021-22, then topped off the run by the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup by being named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"He's the best defenseman in the world, so that's quite an impact on any given night," Canada defenseman Devon Toews, Makar's teammate with the Avalanche, said before the game Monday.

Makar had three blocked shots and led all Canada skaters in the victory against Sweden with 28:06 of ice time. He was on the top defense pair with Toews and also is on the top power-play unit.

Three days later against the U.S., Canada was missing three defensemen who were on the original 23-man roster that was selected in early December. Alex Pietrangelo of the Vegas Golden Knights pulled himself out several weeks ago to allow an unspecified ailment to heal. Then came the loss of Shea Theodore of the Golden Knights for the remainder of the tournament because of an upper-body injury suffered against Sweden.

Thomas Harley of the Dallas Stars replaced Makar in the lineup Saturday and had three blocked shots in 18:17. He was scratched Monday with Makar returning.