Colorado Avalanche finally have a time table for Gabriel Landeskog's return to the lineup
The defending champion Colorado Avalanche have been hit with the injury bug so bad this year, further illustrating just how tough capturing the Stanley Cup truly is.
Star players such as Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Valeri Nichushkin and Bowen Byram have all missed extensive time at some points throughout the season. So have Erik Johnson, Josh Manson, Darren Helm and Pavel Francouz.
The player that has missed the most time this season is captain Gabriel Landeskog. He is still recovering from surgery in the offseason and remains on long-term injured reserve. Landeskog had surgery in October to repair a lower body injury.
Landeskog underwent surgery on his right quad when it was sliced by a skate in the 2020 bubble.
He then underwent right knee surgery in March of 2022 ahead of the playoffs so that he could be at his best for the postseason. He played in a career-low 51 regular-season games last season but recovered in time to help Colorado capture the Stanley Cup.
At the beginning of this season in October, Landeskog had a minor operation to fix discomfort in his leg.
"He did have a procedure [this season], but it wasn't a major surgery," coach Jared Bednar said, "He had surgery on that quad, and then last year, obviously, when he missed the time in the spring before we went into the playoffs. But this year, he had discomfort coming back in training. It was bothering, hampering him."
Landeskog continues to put in the work to get back. He joined the team in mid-February in Denver, where he skated at the Avalanche's facilities.
Sources confirmed today that Landeskog is ready to go!
The Avalanche will have their captain back for the playoffs as they look to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
| POLL | ||
5 AVRIL | 240 ANSWERS Colorado Avalanche finally have a time table for Gabriel Landeskog's return to the lineup Will Colorado repeat as Stanley Cup champions? | ||
| Yes, with Landy back they have a great shot | 169 | 70.4 % |
| No, the competition is way tougher this year | 71 | 29.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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