The Colorado Avalanche have dropped just their third game in regulation this season on Sunday against the Florida Panthers. While they can afford the loss during a tough road trip, it’s the losses to two key players that everyone will have their eyes on over the next couple of days, and perhaps longer, depending on updates that will come at a latter time.
Devon Toews missed Sunday’s game with an injury that he suffered against the Carolina Hurricanes in the throwback matchup. Toews was pushed into the boards by Nikolaj Ehlers and went down hard. The play resulted in a penalty for the former Winnipeg Jet.
The Avalanche had Sam Girard up by Cale Makar in Toews’ spot. That put Josh Manson with Brent Burns on the second pair and Ilya Soloyov with Sam Malinski on the third pair.
Depending on the extent of Toews’ injury, it’s possible that he will pull out of the 2026 Olympics, though his status was already in question due to the pending birth of his child, expected around the same time as the tournament. Toews said that he would not go if his wife has not given birth by that time.
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog’s status remains unknown
Everybody was holding their breath when Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog went down hard and slid mid-body-first into the Hurricanes goal post. The worst was feared by many because of his three-year absence due to the tragic knee injury he suffered, which required cartilage transplant surgeries.
Thankfully, it appears that the injury was near or to his ribs and not his knee. While any amount of time that Landeskog misses is significant to the team overall, given all that he has had to go through, the knee was the biggest concern. Of course, broken ribs hurt, but that is an injury that should easily heal, if that is indeed the diagnosis.
The leadership from Landeskog and Toews is going to be missed for the duration in which they are both out.
Indications are that both Landeskog and Toews will miss Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, which isn’t a surprise. It’s better to get them healed up and ready to go. There is no sense in having them rush back.
The Avalanche have to figure out ways to win without two of their key pieces. If they are able to do that, the train will keep on rolling. There’s no point in hitting any sort of panic button right now despite Landeskog and Toews’ injuries. Every team suffers injuries. Every team has to do what it takes to move past them and win without key players throughout a long season.