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Evander Kane of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates a third-period goal against the Los Angeles Kings during Game Three of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Kane & Landeskog’s Playoff Impacts Prove NHL Players’ Elite Athleticism

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Nick Haydon | Last updated May 2, 2025 3:15 PM ET

Everyone knows that the Stanley Cup Playoffs showcase the highest level of hockey in the world. The NHL is the best league, but the play rises to a height that makes the regular season look like a training ground. The postseason is faster, more skilled, heavier, and, of course, more emotional. The NHL captured the sentiment perfectly in the commercial currently running: “All it takes [to win the Stanley Cup] is everything.”

So when players succeed in the postseason, it’s all the more impressive. There are the Connor McDavids and Leon Draisaitls who somehow elevate their games to new heights, each averaging 1.6 and 1.5 points per game respectively. They, however, have the majority of regular season games to prepare. What about the players who miss the regular season because of an injury?

You’d think it’d take a decent but understandable amount of time for these players to acclimate. But somehow, someway, players like Gabriel Landeskog and Evander Kane make an immediate impact after missing an entire season or more. They’ve rolled into the postseason as comfortably as I roll into bed.

NHL players never cease to amaze me, and how they seamlessly transition into postseason hockey reminds us how talented these athletes are.

The Return of the Captain

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog typifies this otherworldly athleticism. His recovery from a debilitating knee injury has been well-documented. He missed two full seasons and didn’t play a game for 1,032 days, the longest stretch for a captain since Sid Abel and Syl Apps were absent for over 1,000 days serving in World War II.

Has Landeskog looked like he’s missed that much time? Hardly.

In four games against the Dallas Stars, he’s registered one goal and three assists. He’s plus-4 while logging nearly 17 minutes of ice time per game. He’s produced (as he’s done his entire career) at crucial moments, including two assists in a Game 6 win that forced a Game 7. His ice time has increased consistently as well.

GABRIEL LANDESKOG GOAL! GABRIEL LANDESKOG GOAL!

His first goal in the NHL since June 20, 2022 puts the @Avalanche up 3-0 in this one! #StanleyCup

: @NHL_On_TNT (TBS) & @SportsonMax https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T
: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ … pic.twitter.com/w7UBXIWFpM
— NHL (@NHL) April 27, 2025

In other words, Landeskog looks like exactly the same player he was when he hoisted the Stanley Cup three years ago. We shouldn’t have expected any less from one of the best leaders in the league. That doesn’t mean it’s not impressive.

Landeskog shared how he’s approaching these playoffs. “It’s great to have that first game out of the way. This morning I woke up, and it’s no excuses. I don’t want to make this about me missing X amount of days.”

I’m doing the exact opposite of that in this article, but that line proves another component of his success: no excuses.

Kane’s Impact “Not Surprising”

Kane similarly missed the entire regular season recovering from knee surgery. While there was speculation that he’d return before the playoffs, the Edmonton Oilers ultimately decided to keep him on long-term injured reserve. His first game since Game 2 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final was Game 2 against the Los Angeles Kings in Round 1. That’s 317 days of no NHL action.

It didn’t take long for Kane to make his presence known in the series. After a quiet game one, he notched a goal and an assist in Game 3, finishing with a plus-2 rating, five hits, and four blocked shots. The Oilers won 7-4 and began the four-game winning streak that propelled them to a series win after losing Games 1 and 2. Talk about being a difference-maker.

Goaltender Calvin Pickard was asked whether he was surprised by how quickly Kane adjusted to playoff hockey after missing 10 months. He responded, “I’m not surprised at all. He is a fantastic athlete actually.”

Pickard may not have been surprised, but I still marvel at Kane’s ability to score and play such a physical game. Anyone who’s played hockey at any level knows there’s no substitute for games—no matter how much training you do. Kane’s three points and 18 hits in five games proves that hockey players simply are built different.

The Best Athletes in the World

Landeskog and Kane are the most compelling stories because of the time they missed. But players like Tyler Seguin and Frederik Andersen prove the same point. Seguin only played in 20 regular season games but scored the overtime winner in Game 3 against the Avalanche. Andersen only started 22 games for the Carolina Hurricanes before winning three games in Round 1 against the New Jersey Devils.

You can’t overstate how incredible these athletes are. The four players mentioned here are no spring chickens by hockey standards either, with each being at least 32. Their performances in the postseason after notable stints away from the game make for strong arguments that hockey players are the best athletes in the world.

I know it’s a controversial topic, and I respect athletes across numerous sports. But what hockey players endure, how they manipulate their bodies to perform, and their ability to match elevated gameplay as the stakes rise is unparalleled.