The Colorado Avalanche have been looking for a second-line center ever since Gabriel Landeskog played his last game for the team in Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The captain of the Avalanche hoisted the Stanley Cup over his head, and that was the last image we saw of him in an Avalanche game sweater.
Landeskog is trying to come back from a difficult surgery that not too many players come back from. He had knee cartilage transplant surgery. It has been close to two years since he played in a game, and while he continues to skate with the team, which is all good, nobody realistically knows when he is going to come back.
NHL News: 2025 NHL Draft, Gabriel Landeskog, Edmonton Oilers, and the St. Louis Blues
Over the past couple of years, especially last season, there has been speculation that the captain of the Avalanche could be making a return for the playoffs. Unfortunately, that did not happen. The team went out and traded for Casey Mittelstadt to fill the void left by Landeskog and Nazem Kadri. Mittelstadt has done a fine job, but there continues to be hope for Landeskog’s return.
Last week, another video surfaced of him skating with the team. While it looked better than previous videos, he still has a long way to go before playing another game in the NHL.
Landeskog running through a few reps here at morning skate. pic.twitter.com/rsTEfhEeLx
— Jesse Montano (@jessemontano_) November 15, 2024
Dennis Bernstein of the Fourth Period was on TSN Radio in Montreal last Friday and was asked about Gabriel Landeskog and whether or not there is a chance a comeback is truly a reality.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Host: “Do we see (Gabriel) Landeskog come back?”
Dennis Bernstein: “He keeps skating, so I guess he’s going to try to, but they’re very, very clandestine on what time frame. They still don’t know what the time frame is, but he keeps going out there, skating with the team. I assume he wants to come back. Would I know when it is? I assume its for the playoffs, right? That team’s really hot. They’ve won six straight. They’re 8-2 in their last 10. They figured out the goaltending even though Wedgewood got hurt last night (Thursday night).
They don’t need him right now. So we’ll save him for the playoffs. So it would be great to see. And if anything, the fact that he would actually put on the jersey and skate one game would give a big emotional boost for this team. So as long as he keeps skating and practicing, I assume the reality exists. I just don’t know how close we are to that reality.”
NHL Rumors: Colorado Avalanche – Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin and Jonathan Drouin
The Avalanche have been missing their emotional leader and captain, Gabriel Landeskog. If he plays one game similar to Steven Stamkos in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, what a story that would be for the Avalanche and Landeskog. If he scores, what a feel-good moment it would be.
But right now, he is skating and hopefully progressing, and he will prove a lot of the doubters wrong. However, Gabriel Landeskog is progressing toward a comeback, and the Avalanche hope it is in time for the playoffs.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s new and we’re just getting started. Rumor roundups and hot topics from around the league.