Avalanche's Gabriel Landeskog scores first goal in over three years

Landeskog’s return to the NHL began last April when, after missing all of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns, as well as the first half of 2024-25, Landeskog had a brief conditioning stint with the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. He joined the NHL club for their Stanley Cup Playoff first-round matchup against the Dallas Stars.

Before making his return to the Avalanche lineup in last spring, Landeskog’s last game was when he hoisted the Stanley Cup over his head following the Avalanche’s 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. That spring, Landeskog had 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points in 20 playoff games.

A native of Stockholm, Sweden, Landeskog had 30 goals and 29 assists in 51 regular-season games in 2021-22. Going into Tuesday night, Landeskog had 248 goals and 327 assists for 575 points and 618 penalty minutes in 754 career regular-season games. He also has 28 goals and 43 assists for 71 points in 74 career Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The 6-foot-1 winger underwent arthroscopic knee surgery after winning the Cup in 2022, and setbacks forced him to miss the entire 2022-23 season, including the playoffs. In May 2023, the team announced he would undergo another procedure on his knee, a cartilage transplant, and would miss the entire 2023-24 regular season.

“Until I’ve exhausted every option, I’m just going to continue pushing forward,” Landeskog said. “I’m confident in the player I am. I’m confident in the athlete I am.”

Taken No. 2 overall by the Avalanche in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Landeskog scored 22 goals and 30 assists for 52 points in his 2011-12 rookie season, winning the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year.