The Colorado Avalanche have turned their focus to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, placing less importance on seeding and far more on the potential return of their captain, Gabriel Landeskog. For the first time in nearly three years, the 32-year-old could be back on the ice for Jared Bednar’s Avs.
After enduring a painful and mentally draining recovery from a freak knee injury — one that required what is typically a career-ending knee cartilage replacement surgery — Landeskog has continuously beaten the odds, and his return to an NHL rink is now inching closer to reality.
It’s been a wild journey — one captured by a camera crew and featured in Landeskog’s documentary A Clean Sheet. Now, the final stop seems to be approaching on the horizon. Landeskog has been loaned to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles on a conditioning assignment and could suit up for up to three games without needing to be removed from long-term injured reserve (LTIR).
With the Stanley Cup Playoffs closing in and the Avalanche already having their ticket punched, Bednar and the team are hoping to add Landeskog back to the lineup in pursuit of this group’s second Stanley Cup, after hoisting Lord Stanley in 2022.
Head coach Jared Bednar of the Colorado Avalanche lifts the Stanley Cup after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida.
The Avalanche already boast one of the most feared lineups in the NHL, but Landeskog’s return could be the final piece that sets them a notch above the rest — making them nearly unbeatable in a best-of-seven series. With all the buzz surrounding Landeskog and Colorado, Bednar weighed in with a major comment on the captain’s potential postseason return.
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“When [Landeskog] says he’s ready to play, he’s going to play,” Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar firmly stated during his media availability after the team’s morning skate on Thursday.
Can’t hide the excitement
While no official date has been confirmed for Landeskog’s return, all signs point to him rejoining the Avalanche lineup for the postseason. The thought of finally seeing No. 92 back on the ice — alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar — is more than enough to fire up both fans and the locker room.
“When you’re talking about mental toughness, resilience, just the work ethic it takes to go through what he’s gone through, to get to the point where he could possibly play, it’s pretty exciting,” Bednar said, per The Denver Gazette.
Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche stands on the ice during a preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on September 28, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Colorado won 4-2.
Lead the way, Captain
“He’s put in a lot of work in, a lot of time, something he didn’t have to put his body through, but wanted to [do so] for the team,” Avalanche veteran Erik Johnson said. “To have him get so far in his recovery is exciting for us. Hopefully, he can join us here soon.“
Long time no see
With only three games remaining in the regular season, the Avalanche are nearly locked into third place in the Central Division, likely setting up a first-round showdown with the Dallas Stars — unless Dallas manages to leapfrog the Winnipeg Jets for the top spot.
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As things stand, the Avs and Stars are on a collision course for a grueling playoff series, one that could potentially mark the first on-ice reunion between Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog since June 26, 2022, when they lifted Colorado’s third Stanley Cup in franchise history.
