It's been almost three years since Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog played in an NHL game.
After a cartilage transplant in 2023, the future of Landeskog's career has hung in the balance while the Avalanche carry on without his leadership and league renowned agitating net presence.
Colorado clinched a playoff berth for its eighth consecutive year this week and it aims to have Landeskog back in the lineup for the first round if his rehab should go accordingly.
The Avalanche sent Landeskog, 32, on an AHL conditioning stint with the Colorado Eagles on Wednesday.
“He could have sailed off into the sunset and called it a career," Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson said to Fox Sports, "and collected his paycheck for the next five years, and wiped his hands and been a legend in this organization. He still is, whether he comes back or not, but he wanted to see this thing through.
“He doesn’t owe anyone anything. For him to put his body through this and try and come back to help this team is pretty special.”
Now in his 13th season as the Avalanche's captain, Landeskog ranks behind only Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin for longest-serving captains with their current teams.
Landeskog has averaged close to a point per game across six postseason appearances with the Avalanche.
“Just a very, very well-rounded player,” Charlie Coyle, who arrived to the Avalanche Landeskog. “You hear what a great leader he is. ... He leads by example. He's very well-respected. You can tell the good head on his shoulders that he has, how he carries himself, the work he puts in — you can go on and on about a guy like that and what he brings.
"He doesn't necessarily have to be in the lineup to do that or show that. He just kind of oozes it.”
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