DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon spent some time on the ice Tuesday sliding pucks over to his old friend and longtime captain Gabriel Landeskog for shots on goal.
It's a possible prelude of things to come.
Landeskog rejoined the Colorado Avalanche following his two game minor-league rehab assignment. He just might be on the verge of making a return to the NHL — in the playoffs, no less — for the first time since helping the Avalanche hoist the Stanley Cup in late June 2022.
“It doesn’t leave,” MacKinnon said of Landeskog's skill set. “He’s Gabe Landeskog at the end of the day. There’s going to be some rust — three years is a crazy amount of time off. ... I think he looks great. Game situations, you can still see those instincts are there. He’s still got it, for sure.”
The Swedish standout could be activated as soon as the end of the regular season to play this weekend in Game 1 of the Avalanche’s first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars. Landeskog has been nearly a point-a-game player in six playoff runs with the Avalanche.
To get back up to speed, the 32-year-old Landeskog spent time this weekend on a conditioning loan to the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles. He played back-to-back games for the Eagles in his latest step toward a return from a knee injury that has led to a couple of surgeries and caused him to miss the past three regular seasons.
Landeskog got stronger and stronger with every shift over the weekend. He took some hits and dished them out as well, even putting a player in a headlock. He also scored a goal by redirecting a puck while standing in front of the net on a power play.
Just a gritty Landeskog sort of performance.
“He’s in a good spot,” MacKinnon said. “Hopefully, he keeps progressing, and we’ll have him back here this weekend.”
MacKinnon, defenseman Cale Makar and several other players made the trek to Blue Arena in Loveland, Colorado, on Friday to catch a glimpse of their teammate.
“It’s insane that you’re coming back three years without even playing a single game,” Makar said. “There’s going to be some rust and kinks to work out. All you can hope for is that he’s feeling good and kind of move from there.”
Landeskog told reporters after Saturday’s game his knee feels “really good.” He also added: “Not anywhere near where I want it to be, but I think it’s a good step in the right direction.”
There remains no definitive timetable for Landeskog's path going forward. Colorado coach Jared Bednar has a few days to sort out his playoff roster.
“Number one, it’s exciting that he’s back and playing. I’m really happy for him. I know it's been a long road,” Bednar said. “Number two, I think it’s exciting for us because it may give us another option here, when we get to the weekend and start playing playoff games. We'll see how he responds this week and see how it all goes. But to have another player of his caliber possibly being ready to go is only a positive one from my mind.”
His return could be a major boost for Colorado, especially given the difficult path through the Western Conference. This is Landeskog’s 13th season as a captain, with only Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin serving as leaders of their current teams for a longer span.
“(Leadership) has to play a small role. But the decision has to be mainly on what he can do for us on the ice,” Bednar explained. “I do think you have to take everything into account when you talk about putting him in the lineup.”
Landeskog’s injury dates back to the 2020 “bubble” season when he was accidentally sliced above the knee by the skate of Makar in a playoff game against Dallas. Landeskog eventually underwent a cartilage transplant procedure on May 10, 2023, and has been on long-term injured reserve.
The procedure was similar to the one performed on Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball in March 2023. Ball returned to the court for a preseason game in October, which hinted at a possible timeline for Landeskog’s return.
Landeskog’s comeback was chronicled in a documentary series called “A Clean Sheet: Gabe Landeskog.”
“I wanted to show the human side of it, the tough times,” Landeskog explained. "It’s real. It’s raw. It’s vulnerable.”
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AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
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