Gabriel Landeskog skates for first time since surgery

While Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog has a ways to go before officially returning to gameplay, the 30-year old appears to be progressing. Landeskog has been out since undergoing  knee surgery but hit the ice on Wednesday.

It doesn’t appear that Landeskog did much in his return to the practice ice but it’s a start. His official return is predicted to be sometime in mid-January.

The Colorado Avalanche are currently third in the Western Conference Central Division. They were shutout by the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday by a final score of 5-0, three days after defeating the Dallas Stars 4-1.

Colorado has suffered its fair share of injuries this season, most notably Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, and Evan Rodrigues—all of whom will/have missed a significant portion of the 2022-23 season.  Despite this, the team has scored three or more goals in 15 of 20 games played.

With Landeskog in play, this team is much more dangerous. Landeskog played in 51 games last season and recorded 30 goals as well as 29 assists.  He was averaging stats way higher than his previous seasons in the NHL.

It is incredible that this team has been able to win hockey games despite the injuries it has suffered this season. Sadly, the list of injuries is a long one.

When Landeskog returns to actual gameplay, the team will have other players back as well, including Nichushkin and Rodrigues. I’m not worried at all in terms of the team’s status before these players return, but it is obvious that they aren’t quite the same without the stars.

I think the team’s ability to use its defensive players on attack is a huge bonus and sort of makes up for the absences it has faced.

With all that being said, the fact that Gabriel Landeskog hit the ice in minimal skating is still great news in his return.