CENTENARIO, Colorado — Gabriel Landeskog plans to play for the Colorado Avalanche next season, but doesn’t know when.
“Between mid-September and early April,” the Avalanche captain said Thursday. “I got carried away, I was the first to do this, a little bit also for myself, because it takes some pressure off me. And I just want to get healthy, play hockey again, be with my teammates again and play in front of our amazing fans.
“Whether I’m the first or if someone else has done it before, it doesn’t really matter. (It’s) more important for me to take each step the way it’s supposed to be and make adjustments along the way and be able to skate.” without pain.”
The 31-year-old forward did not play the last two seasons due to a knee injury.
Landeskog underwent cartilage transplant surgery on his right knee on May 10, 2023 and was ruled out for the 2023-24 regular season. He previously underwent quadriceps surgery during the 2020 postseason and knee surgery twice, in March 2022 and again in October 2022, and missed the entire 2022-23 season. At the time of his second knee surgery, Landeskog was expected to be out for 12 weeks.
“I’ve felt great physically for two months straight, with no setbacks, major or minor,” Landeskog said. “That’s a really positive thing.
“Without sharing too much, it’s obviously a bumpy road and I knew that going into it, but I didn’t realize how hard it was going to be. Especially when you hit those bumps, when you back off and all of a sudden, you’re off the ice. for a month and you think you’re actually going to increase your level…
“There’s no point in me setting a timeline or even a benchmark, by July 1 I want to go at game speed, or August 1 I want to be able to skate with a bag, or whatever. Prepare yourself to be disappointed and (angry) when it doesn’t happen.”
Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said Landeskog will have all the time he needs to recover.
“His injury has been challenging in many ways, but no more challenging than what he’s going through,” MacFarland said. “He loves the game. He’s a huge cog in what we’re trying to do and he’s earned the right to have as much time as he needs to get back on the ice.
“We’ll stay in touch with Gabe and continue to support him to see where he’s at and get more information. We’re definitely hopeful and we’ll be behind him 100 percent, whether it’s September, October, November, whenever that day is. We’ll be very excited to see him”.
Landeskog last played on June 26, 2022, when he had an assist to help Colorado win the Stanley Cup with a 2-1 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the Cup Final.
In March, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Landeskog could return during the Stanley Cup playoffs, depending on how far the Avalanche advanced. Colorado lost to the Dallas Stars in six games in the Second Round of the Western Conference.
Landeskog said not being able to play in the postseason was “a slow form of torture.”
“How close was I? I guess we’ll never really know,” he said. “Mentally I felt pretty close at times. I thought, ‘Okay, well, I can do this. I can go out and do some shifts here and there.’ But I think the best decision was to focus on what I was doing throughout the playoffs. As difficult as it was and as much as I wanted to be there, ultimately it was the best decision for my health and I think in the long run, for this organization as well.”
Still, his presence had a positive impact on the team.
“I think having him around is good for everyone’s morale, especially knowing that he’s working on trying to come back,” Bednar said last month. “They see how hard he works off the ice, in the gym, and now he’s hitting the ice from time to time and working on his rehab. I mean, I think everyone supports him and I think he’s just another guy that helps keep the ball going. train moving.” the right paths.”
Landeskog hasn’t played more than 54 games in a full NHL season since 2018-19, but he’s been productive when healthy; Selected by Colorado with the second pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, he has 571 points (248 goals, 323 assists) in 738 games and has scored at least 25 goals four times, including 30 in 51 games in 2021-22 . his last season on the ice.
He also has 67 points (27 goals, 40 assists) in 69 playoff games.
Landeskog was on the ice in April for several practices during the Avalanche’s first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets. He was sweating, passing his teammates.
“There is a program and there are steps that must be followed,” Landeskog said. “But they are fluid, and if things go well, we will follow this plan, and if they don’t, we will modify and adjust it as we go.”
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