The Colorado Avalanche were dealt a brutal injury blow to captain Gabriel Landeskog after it was announced he had undergone knee surgery and would miss the next 12 weeks of action. It was a disappointing update for Landeskog, who had been expected to miss the start of the season while recovering from the knee injury, but now his timetable has been pushed back significantly following the news of the surgery.
As the Avs aim to repeat as Stanley Cup champs, they'll need to hold down the fort while Landeskog is on the mend from his knee injury. Having a strong regular season and getting a top playoff seed could be crucial toward the Avs chances at making another run through the Western Conference in the playoffs, so making sure they don't miss a beat during Landeskog's absence will be critical.
In order to meet their preseason expectations and secure the top spot out of the West, there are a few players who will need to step up and carry a bit more of the load until Landeskog comes back. Last year, prior to suffering a regular-season-ending knee injury, Landeskog registered 59 points in 51 games, good for 1.15 points per contest. including just the second 30-goal campaign of his career, Had he gotten a full 82 games under his belt, or close to it, Landeskog could have reasonably approached 40 goals last year, or passed that mark. His production will be difficult to replace for Colorado, but they have the talent to get by without him, especially if these guys take matters into their own hands. Here are three Avs players who must step up amid the Landeskog injury blow.
3 Avalanche players who must step up after Gabriel Landeskog injury
3. Valeri Nichushkin
Valeri Nichushkin signed a massive eight-year, $49 million extension with the Avs this offseason, and while some players may have taken their foot off the gas after securing the bag, that has not been the case for Nichushkin. The Avs' left winger has been sensational out the gate in 2022-23, leading the team with five goals in his first four games. He's scored in every single contest thus far into the season and his eight points are behind only Mikko Rantanen, who leads the team with nine.
Losing Landeskog was a big blow to the offense, but Nichushkin's emergence from late last season into this year has helped the Avalanche deal with the absence of their captain. He's been nothing short of lethal on the power play, having registered four of his five goals when the Avalance have a man advantage. The 27-year-old logged a career year last season with 27 goals, and he could be set to smash that tally in 2022-23.
2. Artturi Lehkonen
Landeskog's injury has vaulted Lehkonen into the first line alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Having the opportunity to frequently share the ice with those two will certainly benefit Lehkonen's numbers on the season, but it's on him to make sure his inclusion in that line is actually benefitting MacKinnon and Rantanen. Early on, signs suggest it has been. Lehkonen has four points in as many games, including two goals and two assists. MacKinnon and Rantanen haven't had many issues getting on the scoresheet, with the two combining for 17 points on the season thus far.
After spending his entire career with the Canadiens, Lehkonen was traded to the Avalance last season. He only has 20 games for the Avs under his belt in the regular season, but he's already been placed on a line with MacKinnon and Rantanen, and he'll need to continue producing in order to stay there.
1. Evan Rodrigues
One of the Avs' top offseason acquisitions, Evan Rodrigues will have a big role to play in his first season in Colorado. He hasn't gotten off to the start he's been hoping for in his early Avalanche tenure, having failed to register a single point in his first four games while owning a team-worst plus/minus of -3. With just eight shots on goal in his first four games, Rodrigues has not had the early impact fans were hoping to see from him.
There's still plenty of time for the 29-year-old to turn things around, however. Just last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Evan Rodrigues registered a career-high 43 points while featuring in all 82 games. Just one goal shy of a 20-20 season, Rodrigues was hoping to continue his upwards trajectory in terms of production, but through his first four games, he's been kept off the scoresheet entirely. Still, Rodrigues is excellent in the faceoff circle and will continue to look for opportunities to help get himself on the board for the Avalanche this year.
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