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.
Injury Notes: Maple Leafs, Avalanche, Blue Jackets
The Toronto Maple Leafs, while still remaining competitive with a tough schedule, have faced significant injury setbacks over the past few weeks. A mass of updates came today during a press conference with head coach Sheldon Keefe, where he revealed that forward Michael Bunting will miss the final two games of the regular season, defenseman Rasmus Sandin is likely to return for the team’s finale on Friday versus the Boston Bruins, and forward Ondrej Kase remains day-to-day with no timeline to return.
As the Maple Leafs prepare for a likely impending First Round matchup with the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, this is mostly positive news. The language surrounding Bunting’s injury wasn’t initially positive after he fell awkwardly during an April 23 game against Florida, but his prognosis has improved since then and it looks like a possibility that he could be ready for the beginning of the series. Sandin has missed over a month with a knee injury, while Kase has missed the same duration with a concussion.
- There are some more updates on various players on a Stanley Cup contender, as the Colorado Avalanche deal with some injury issues of their own. Head coach Jared Bednar spoke to reporters today, saying that defenseman Devon Toews will return to the lineup tonight after dealing with an undisclosed injury, forward Mikko Rantanen is working toward a return on Thursday against the Nashville Predators, and captain Gabriel Landeskog won’t return until the postseason. Toews has missed just around a week and a half, but his absence cannot be understated, as he continues to be one of the most underrated defensemen in the league with 57 points in just 64 games this year (while averaging over 25 minutes per game). Meanwhile, the Colorado captain has been out since early March with a leg injury.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets announced today that both captain Boone Jenner and Sean Kuraly will miss the short remainder of the season with respective injuries. Kuraly, in his first season with Columbus, suffered a foot injury last Sunday and will miss the remaining three games. Jenner will have missed the last month and a half of the season with a back injury.
Gabriel Landeskog To Undergo Surgery, Samuel Girard To Miss A Month
While the Avalanche had some good news today when they extended Pavel Francouz, they also got some bad news as they will be without two key players for the next little while. The team announced (Twitter link) that winger Gabriel Landeskog is set to undergo knee surgery on Monday. There is no firm timetable for his return but Colorado hopes to have him back for the stretch run which would take any thought of putting him on LTIR for the rest of the regular season to open up cap space off the table.
This isn’t a newly-suffered injury for Landeskog as he played in nearly 19 minutes on Thursday against Carolina before receiving a misconduct penalty in the dying seconds of regulation. Instead, head coach Jared Bednar indicated that this is an issue that has been nagging him for a little bit and they’ve decided to get it fixed before the playoffs. The knee problem hasn’t really held Landeskog back, however, as he has 30 goals and 29 assists in 51 games this season, good for fifth in team scoring.
Meanwhile, Peter Baugh of The Athletic adds (Twitter link) that blueliner Samuel Girard will miss the next four weeks with a lower-body injury. While that makes him LTIR-eligible as well, that’s a recovery timeline that would easily have him back by the end of the season so Colorado, who doesn’t have a lot of cap space to work with at the upcoming trade deadline, won’t get much help on that front either.
Girard’s numbers are down slightly this season although he has still managed to pick up 27 points in 56 games while logging nearly 22 minutes a night. Kurtis MacDermid took Girard’s place in the lineup on Thursday and with the Avs having seven other blueliners on the active roster, they shouldn’t need to recall anyone from AHL Colorado to take his place on the roster. Such a move will likely need to be made for Landeskog, however, unless they decide to shift MacDermid to the wing and put Jack Johnson back in on defense. Either way, lineup changes are coming in advance of their game tomorrow against Calgary.
Meanwhile, Mike Chambers of the Denver Post relays that blueliner Bowen Byram participated in his first full practice today in more than two months. He has been dealing with post-concussion symptoms so the Avs will undoubtedly be cautious when it comes to working the 20-year-old back into the lineup but if he’s able to return soon, he’d certainly help absorb the blow of Girard’s absence.
Gabriel Landeskog Enters COVID Protocol
The Colorado Avalanche will be without their captain tonight, as Gabriel Landeskog has tested positive for coronavirus and entered the league’s COVID protocols. Landeskog’s test was confirmed today, according to head coach Jared Bednar, meaning he’ll miss at least five days. The forward is asymptomatic at this point.
Colorado takes on the Seattle Kraken this evening after their thrilling comeback win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. The Avalanche are now 21-8-2 on the season despite starting the year 4-5-1. In fact, they are showing just why many considered them a Stanley Cup contender before the season began, routinely running up big goal numbers against every opponent. The Avalanche have scored at least four goals in 10 of their last 12 games, including 20 in their last four.
Without Landeskog, that becomes a little harder to maintain. The 29-year-old forward has been outstanding this season, scoring 14 goals and 35 points through 26 appearances. It wouldn’t be the first time he has scored at a point-per-game pace, but it’s easily the best offensive pace of his career to this point, one that already spans more than 700 games. For now, that number won’t grow any as he watches his teammates from a hotel room, isolating as he waits to test out of the protocol.
Peter Baugh of The Athletic notes that Jack Johnson and Valeri Nichushkin were both in regular sweaters at morning skate. Landeskog is currently the only Colorado player in the protocol.