Gabriel Landeskog Will Not Return For Playoffs
A significant blow has been dealt to the Colorado Avalanche’s hopes of defending their 2022 Stanley Cup championship. Per a team announcement, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog‘s knee injury will keep him from returning to the active roster and playing in the playoffs.
The announcement makes it official that Landeskog will miss the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign. He underwent knee surgery in October, and at the time his recovery was expected to take around 12 weeks.
Obviously, Landeskog’s recovery hasn’t been quite as fast, and in early March Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar called Landeskog’s recovery a “slow-moving process” that hadn’t yet resulted in his return to practice.
The 30-year-old is, when healthy, among the Avalanche’s most important contributors and when paired with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen can give Colorado what is likely the best line in hockey.
While Colorado hasn’t taken a major step back in his absence (they’re just one point behind the Dallas Stars for the Central Division title with a game in hand) his production has been and will continue to be a challenge to replace.
Landeskog scored 30 goals and 59 points in just 51 games last season and added 11 goals and 22 points in the Avalanche’s successful playoff run last season.
In recent games, the Avalanche have played Evan Rodrigues in Landeskog’s traditional first-line left wing spot, and while Rodrigues is a solid, productive middle-sixer (15 goals and 36 points in 67 games this year) he can’t offer nearly what Landeskog can.
At the very least, Avalanche fans can take solace in the fact that their team has had since the start of the season to find a way to survive without Landeskog, and as mentioned they’ve done more than just keep their heads above water this season.
So while this announcement confirming Landeskog will not return for the playoffs certainly makes winning a second-straight Stanley Cup more of a challenge, it’s still entirely possible that the Avalanche still find their way to hockey’s summit once again.
They remain a deep squad with some of the best high-end talent in the NHL, and they’ve already spent the last few months proving to rival teams that they can still dominate games even without their captain on the ice.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Ullmark, Cooley, Landeskog
Goalie Linus Ullmark did not travel with the Boston Bruins to Philadelphia for their game against the Flyers on Sunday due to a lower-body issue, according to Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery. The Bruins recalled Brandon Bussi from the AHL (along with four others) this morning to serve as the backup to Jeremy Swayman in Ullmark’s absence. Bussi has played in 31 games for the Providence Bruins this season, posting a spectacular 21-5-4 record with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.
This is the first time that Ullmark has been held out of the lineup due to injury this season, a good sign for the normally injury-prone netminder. He’s played himself right to the top of Vezina Trophy consideration this season, posting spectacular numbers even given Boston’s solid defense. His 1.89 goals-against average, .938 save percentage, and 39 wins all rank first in the league. While his absence so close to the playoffs beginning is a concern, the team will take every precaution possible with injuries during their few remaining games, given the President’s Trophy is already theirs.
- Logan Cooley, undoubtedly the Arizona Coyotes’ top prospect, is reportedly taking a few days to think over his decision regarding whether to sign his entry-level contract this season, according to Joe Smith of The Athletic. The University of Minnesota freshman standout, unlike now-former teammates Brock Faber and Matthew Knies, has not decided on his immediate future after last night’s loss in the NCAA Men’s Tournament national championship.
- According to Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, it appears unlikely that team captain Gabriel Landeskog will play in any of the team’s four remaining regular season games. Bednar confirmed Sunday that Landeskog has not yet resumed practicing with the team and is unlikely to do so before the end of the regular season. A playoff return hasn’t been ruled out for Landeskog, who will miss all 82 regular season games with a knee injury.
Artturi Lehkonen Leaves Game With Upper-Body Injury
The Colorado Avalanche have announced that Artturi Lehkonen will not return to tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens after leaving with an apparent upper-body injury.
It was quite an eventful night for Lehkonen who was playing in his first game back in Montreal since being traded to Colorado in March of 2022. Lehkonen received a video tribute and a standing ovation from the Montreal crowd, then followed it up by adding two goals and an assist in less than two periods of play. The injury puts a damper on what was an incredible return to Montreal for the former second round pick.
Lehkonen has been red hot as of late with seven points in his past five games. He’s been everything Colorado could have hoped for when they dealt a second-round pick and Justin Barron to Montreal for him just under a year ago. Lehkonen has flourished this season with a career high 49 points in 62 games. This after scoring 14 points in 20 games last postseason in Colorado’s magical run to the Stanley Cup.
Should Lehkonen miss any time it will be a big blow for an Avalanche team that has dealt with a multitude of injuries throughout this season. Colorado is already missing Josh Manson, Gabriel Landeskog, Darren Helm, Erik Johnson, and goaltender Pavel Francouz. Despite the injuries, Colorado has maintained stellar team defense this season as they rank seventh in the league in goals against. The Avalanche currently hold the final wild card spot in the west, but they have struggled as of late having dropped four of their last six games coming into tonight.
Colorado Avalanche Issue Multiple Injury Updates
Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar was busy with the media today, issuing multiple updates on the team’s swath of injured players.
Most notably, Bednar still has no timeline for a return on captain Gabriel Landeskog, who’s missed the entire season with a knee injury. Bednar called Landeskog’s recovery a “slow-moving process,” There remains no guarantee he will play at all this season.
There’s also the matter of veteran defenseman Erik Johnson, who’s been out for almost a month since sustaining a broken ankle in a game on February 11. His initial timeline for recovery was eight to 10 weeks, and although he remains on that timeline, Bednar said he was “startled” by Johnson’s quick recovery progress. Johnson skated today for the second time since sustaining the injury, and Bednar is hopeful his return will come closer to the eight-week mark, right at the end of the regular season.
Another tenured skater has missed most of the season for Colorado – two-time Stanley Cup champion Darren Helm has played just five games all year. Although he’s returned to skating at practice, Bednar’s only update was that he’s “cautiously optimistic” Helm will play again this season. Helm was an important fourth-line piece for Colorado last year, recording five points in 20 games en route to the Cup.
Defenseman Josh Manson is still dealing with a reaggravated lower-body injury that kept him out for 31 games earlier in the year, but Bednar sees his return is on the horizon. He remains hopeful Manson will return by the end of the month, giving him a chance to get his feet back under him before the playoffs start. An important defensive presence for Colorado, Manson has played just 27 games during the first season of a four-year, $4.5MM average annual value contract.
On a less positive note, backup goalie Pavel Francouz is recovering slower than expected from a lower-body injury that’s kept him out since mid-February. Francouz has now passed the expected recovery timeline of three weeks, but Bednar is hopeful he will return before the end of the season. Colorado has rotated backups in his place, recalling Keith Kinkaid, Jonas Johansson, and Justus Annunen at times.
West Notes: Kane, Landeskog, Thompson
Rumors are flying surrounding Patrick Kane and whether he’ll be traded before the March 3rd deadline, with many speculating that the New York Rangers could be his preferred destination. Such speculation may need to hold off for a little while, though, as it still seems as though Kane hasn’t yet made a decision on his future. Kane’s agent, Pat Brisson, confirmed as much to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, stating that “Patrick hasn’t made any decision at this point.”
Tonight has already featured a significant trade, with the Boston Bruins acquiring two key veterans from the Washington Capitals. Kane could end up the star of this trade deadline season, but seeing as he is in full control of his playing future, any developments will come on a timeline he prefers. We still have a little bit of time before the trade deadline fully hits, although it is definitely possible that the longer he waits, the more likely it is that potentially interested contending teams decide they need to play things safe and explore backup plans.
- On TSN’s Insider Trading program, LeBrun reported that Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog‘s true timeline in his return from injury remains “unclear.” The Avalanche do not yet have a firm sense of when he’ll be ready to return to the lineup, and that uncertainty has major trade deadline implications. As long as there remains the possibility of Landeskog returning in this regular season, the Avalanche cannot use Landeskog’s salary on long-term injured reserve to add to their roster, since they would not have the cap space to activate Landeskog once healthy. If nothing else, the Avalanche will be hoping for some more clarity on Landeskog’s timeline in these next few days so they can really shore up their deadline plans.
- Vegas Golden Knights netminder Logan Thompson has been placed on injured reserve, as reported by the Las Vegas Sun’s Danny Webster. Thompson has been out week-to-week with a lower-body injury, so this news should come as no surprise. What it does do is make Thompson’s injury absence official from a roster perspective, clearing a spot on the 23-man unit for the team to work with.
Injury Updates: Landeskog, Makar, Kane
The Colorado Avalanche could be getting a significant player back from a long-term injury. The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando reports that Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has arrived in Denver and plans to skate individually tomorrow, indicating that a return from the knee injury that has kept him off the ice all season is getting closer. Landeskog has not played this season, and in his absence the Avalanche have struggled to return to the level of dominance they often displayed last season.
Getting Landeskog back into the lineup in time for a stretch run of the season will be a major win for Colorado. Landeskog scored 59 points in 51 games last season and has hovered at about the point-per-game mark since the 2018-19 season. He would give coach Jared Bednar the opportunity to put the dynamite Landeskog-Nathan MacKinnon–Mikko Rantanen line back together or could opt to balance his top-six with that trio alongside Artturi Lehkonen, J.T. Compher, and Valeri Nichushkin in some sort of combination. While he may not be a full participant or ready to return in the immediate day-to-day future, it appears Landeskog’s return is within sight.
Some other injury updates:
- Just as the Avalanche prepare to get a difference-maker back into the lineup, they lose one. As relayed by The Athletic’s Peter Baugh, franchise defenseman Cale Makar is out with an upper-body injury. While it’s not known whether this is a head-related injury, Baugh did note that there is the possibility that this injury is related to contact made with his head/face area, and concussion-related symptoms, but that is not confirmed at this time.
- The Edmonton Oilers have announced that Evander Kane will not play in this afternoon’s game due to an upper-body injury. Per the announcement, his status is to be considered day-to-day. That’s not a great development for Edmonton, as Kane has already dealt with a major injury this season and is one of the team’s most important offensive difference-makers. Kane has scored 19 points in 24 games this season and scored 13 goals in 15 playoff games last season. As the Oilers hope to establish their position in the Western Conference’s playoff race, the health status of Kane will be something of major importance to monitor.
Injury Notes: Beniers, Landeskog, IceHogs
The Seattle Kraken are in the midst of what is shaping up to be the best season in their (admittedly brief) franchise history. Powered by a balanced scoring attack and a well-rounded defense, the team currently sits at the top of the Pacific Division. One of the major individual success stories the team has had this season has been with rookie center Matty Beniers. Playing as a first-line center is one of the most difficult roles any NHL player can be asked to occupy, and can be extremely challenging for a young player or rookie to be able to handle. Beniers, who has scored 17 goals and 36 points in 47 games this season, has been extremely impressive, so much so that he was named to the All-Star Game.
His participation in next weekend’s festivities has been cast into doubt, though. Coach Dave Hakstol said that Beniers, who suffered an injury following a hit on Wednesday, could be considered “day-to-day.” Per Kate Shefte of the Seattle Times, Beniers will miss the team’s next two games and his status for the All-Star Game is in question.
Some other injury updates:
- Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has missed the entirety of the 2022-23 season so far recovering from injury, and still isn’t quite close to returning. That doesn’t mean he isn’t inching closer, though. The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando reports that there is a “tentative plan” in place for Landeskog to “start skating under team supervision after the NHL All-Star break.” Getting Landeskog back in time for the stretch run of the season would come as a huge boost to an Avalanche team that has dealt with major injury issues this season.
- The Rockford IceHogs, the AHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, announced two major injury updates today. Firstly, the team announced that veteran forward Garrett Mitchell will be out for the season after undergoing left shoulder surgery. Secondly, the team revealed that Buddy Robinson would miss up to six weeks with a wrist fracture. Both Mitchell, the IceHogs’ captain, and Robinson are on expiring contracts, so one hopes that they can have positive recoveries and get back to full health in time to secure a quality contract for next season.
Gabriel Landeskog Undergoes Knee Surgery
While the Colorado Avalanche are trying to find the right mix for their fourth line, the top unit will also be in flux for a while. Gabriel Landeskog underwent knee surgery yesterday and will be out for “12 weeks give or take.” The team will also recall Jayson Megna from the AHL to give them another center.
Landeskog, 29, hasn’t played this season and will now miss at least three months following this new surgery. The Colorado captain is coming off another outstanding year with 30 goals and 59 points in 51 games, and a playoff performance that could have easily earned him the Conn Smythe. In 20 games en route to his first Stanley Cup championship, Landeskog scored 11 goals, and 22 points, and was the league leader in goal differential with a +15 rating.
Not only does it hurt the Avalanche to lose his offensive performance, but Landeskog is also one of the most well-rounded players in the league, adding physicality, defense, and faceoff ability to his scoring prowess. That last point is one to note, as Landeskog was often asked to take important draws despite being a winger by trade.
Most of the team’s other centers – Nathan MacKinnon, J.T. Compher, Megna, and Evan Rodrigues – are all right-handed. Landeskog’s absence (and Nazem Kadri‘s offseason departure) leaves them without a reliable left-handed faceoff option. Alex Newhook is at 35% through his young career and even Darren Helm, a reliable defensive pivot, struggled in the dot last year.
It’s little things like this where Landeskog’s absence will add up, even if they can find a way to replace his offensive numbers on the top line. The team did retain Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin in the offseason but their forward depth is quickly evaporating, leaving a lot of responsibility for MacKinnon and the defense corps.
Colorado Avalanche Have “Concern” About Gabriel Landeskog, Darren Helm’s Injuries
Speaking with reporters today, Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said there’s some “concern” over lingering injuries for both captain Gabriel Landeskog and Darren Helm. Bednar added that the team still didn’t have a concrete timeline for Landeskog’s return, according to The Athletic’s Peter Baugh.
Landeskog is still dealing with a lower-body injury that plagued him last season, although he played through that injury during their Stanley Cup-winning playoff run. Bednar told reporters roughly three weeks ago now that Landeskog wouldn’t skate anytime soon and was expected to miss the start of the season.
The 29-year-old underwent knee surgery last March, which shelved him for nearly the final two months of the regular season before he returned for Game 1 of their first-round series against the Nashville Predators. At the time, Bednar indicated that his knee had been bothering him for some time, and it was an issue the team and player wanted to rectify before the playoffs started. The fact that the tone around Landeskog’s injury appears to be increasingly negative isn’t a good sign for his return to the lineup, especially when taken in relation to such a long-term knee issue.
Similarly, Helm is still recovering from an injury that he played through during the team’s playoff run, although his injury is abdominal. Bednar said last week that Helm wouldn’t be able to play for “some time” into the season. Helm re-signed with the Avalanche when free agency opened this past offseason, inking a one-year, $1.25MM contract.
Snapshots: Czechia, Columbus, Landeskog
The Czech Foreign Ministry has told the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators that they will not welcome Russian-born players into the country for the Global Series games, scheduled to be held on October 7 and 8 in Prague. A report from the Associated Press confirms that a letter has been sent to the NHL explaining that visas are not to be issued to Russian players because of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
However, deputy commissioner Bill Daly has expressed “no concern” to the AP about players traveling to Czechia, and Sharks general manager Mike Grier told reporters including Corey Masisak of The Athletic that the NHL is handling the situation. Grier also explained that his position is “we all go or we don’t go,” suggesting he will not take the Sharks to Prague if Alexander Barabanov and Evgeny Svechnikov, the team’s two healthy Russian players, are not allowed to participate.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have made several changes in their hockey operations department, naming Trevor Timmins assistant director of amateur scouting, and hiring Marshall Davidson, Dale Derkatch, and Roman Polak (previously reported) as scouts. Zac Urback has been promoted to director of hockey analytics, and Mike Eaves, formerly the head coach of the Cleveland Monsters, will now serve as a pro scout.
- Gabriel Landeskog “won’t skate anytime soon” according to Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, who told reporters including Peter Baugh of The Athletic that the captain is still dealing with an injury from last season. Landeskog is expected to miss the start of the year.