Gabriel Landeskog still a key part of Colorado Avalanche plans

It has been a long road to recovery for Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. Two full seasons have passed since Gabe skated in his last contest. Landeskog has undergone multiple knee surgeries, including cartilage replacement. But, as of now, the team seems confident in his return.

Landeskog spoke at a golf event and was asked about his potential return, providing a positive answer.

Coach Bednar believes Landeskog could be ready 'near the start' of the season. While he stopped short of putting forth a concrete timetable, this is the most encouraging language we have heard to date.

The last time the the Avs captain skated in an actual game, it was on the way to Stanley Cup glory in Game Six, against Tampa Bay, in the 2022 Finals. Some players might have been content to call it a career. Likewise, some teams would not have been so patient with a lengthy absence and moved on.

The Colorado Avalanche and Gabriel Landeskog stayed faithful to a shared vision. When Colorado named Gabriel Landeskog captain in 2012, he was just 19 years old. At the time, he was the youngest Captain in NHL history.

Now at 31, Landeskog is a grizzled veteran. He has seen it all in this league. Landy has helmed the Avalanche through a dreadful 48 point campaign in 2016-17, and hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2022. It is clear that the organization loves him.

In fact, in a piece on team culture, earlier this summer, I mused that #92 could be viewed as an heir-apparent to Joe Sakic in more ways than one. Landeskog is a leader on and off the ice. Throughout this years-long recovery process, fans and media have tracked every tidbit of Gabe-related news. Every time he even skates my social media timeline lights up.

Landeskog was working last week in his ramp-up to real ice time, and reportedly looked good. Brennan Vogt catching unexpected but very welcome sightings of former Avs, Erik Johnson and Kurtis MacDermid, says a lot about those guys' friendship. But it's also proof of the kind of love and loyalty a quality captain can inspire.

Erik Johnson now plays in Philadelphia, and MacDermid signed an extension in New Jersey. Showing up just to skate around the rink with an old captain showed just how invested they still are in Gabe's recovery.

Make no mistake, the Avalanche still believe that Landeskog can be productive on the scoresheet. But I think it is his presence on the ice and on the bench that they have missed most. The calming effect that a level-headed leader can provide in crucial moments cannot be overstated.

While it is true that Landeskog traveled occasionally with the team last year, when he was able, locker room pep-talks can only do so much. Gabe returning to the lineup will be more than a morale boost for Colorado. He, more than any other player, is an extension of the coaching staff.

Landeskog might not be a top-line fixture on his repaired knee, but consider for a moment what he could do for the second line. I believe that Casey Mittelstadt may be the biggest beneficiary of #92's return.

The Avalanche are banking on Mittelstadt growing into a stabilizing force just below the big guns. What better way to help him adjust to high-stakes hockey in Colorado than by giving him Gabe on his wing?

Of course, they want Mittelstadt's line to score, but they can't replicate what MacKinnon and Rantanen do on a nightly basis. They will have to play a game that suits CMitt’s skills to maximize results: Mittlelstadt is a smooth skater, but his style is not predicated on speed. Landeskog might not have that top gear anymore, but that should be okay.

Landeskog is at his best in front of the net, and along the boards. His gritty determination is perhaps his most defining quality. (If you play NHL 24, you might know that Landeskog has the Crease Crasher superstar skill). That's an extra nerdy way to say much the same thing. With Mittlestadt's elite hands and passing skill, they could make for an explosive duo.

The Avalanche are set to start the year without Valeri Nichushkin, and possibly Artturi Lehkonen, who is also coming back from offseason surgery. Landeskog has been ruled out for the season opener, but the quicker he gets back, the better.

There are two rookie forwards that might be greatly advantaged by playing with the captain early on, even if only in brief shifts: Nikolai Kovalenko and Calum Ritchie. Kovalenko and Ritchie have shown flashes of potential at lower levels that make them exciting to track coming into the season and one-on-one time with Landeskog should be invaluable.

The team's steadfast reluctance to name even a temporary captain while Gabe has been out speaks volumes about their commitment to him, and their overall structure. The recent hand-off in Toronto, where John Tavares ceded his captaincy to Auston Matthews got some discussion around Colorado's C brewing. In my opinion, Gabriel Landeskog should carry that honor for the rest of his career, however long it lasts.