Gabriel Landeskog found the back of the net for the first time since 2022.
The Colorado Avalanche`s team captain achieved his first professional goal since the 2021-22 season during his second game on a conditioning assignment with the AHL`s Colorado Eagles.
Landeskog tied the score for the Eagles against the Henderson Silver Knights while on a power play, deflecting a shot from the point past the Silver Knights` goalie.
The 32-year-old`s appearance on Friday against the Silver Knights marked his first professional game since the Avalanche`s Stanley Cup victory in 2022. In that game, he played for almost 15 minutes, took two shots, and received one penalty.
“Physically, I’m feeling great,” Landeskog commented on Friday about his return. “Being my first game in a long while, I know there are many aspects I need to refine and improve, but overall, it was incredibly enjoyable.”
Landeskog`s injury dates back to the 2020 “bubble” season when he received a skate cut above his knee from Cale Makar in a playoff match against Dallas. Subsequently, Landeskog underwent a cartilage transplant on May 10, 2023, and has been on long-term injured reserve since.
“I’ve been anticipating and visualizing this moment for a considerable time – the feeling of competing in a real hockey game again,” Landeskog shared. “There were definitely moments when I doubted if this would ever happen. So, to be back in the thick of it — on the bench, in the locker room, on the ice, experiencing all the little things that make up a hockey game — it’s been genuinely fun to return.”
If his conditioning stint progresses without issues, it’s highly possible that the Swedish forward, aged 32, could be activated for Colorado’s initial playoff series. The Avalanche are entering the postseason as the No. 3 seed in the Central Division and are set to begin their playoff journey on the road against the No. 2 seeded Stars.
