The Colorado Avalanche were dealt a brutal injury blow on Wednesday after it was announced that captain Gabriel Landeskog underwent surgery on his knee. According to Peter Baugh of The Athletic, Landeskog had a procedure done on his knee on Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined for at least the next 12 weeks. The near-three-month timetable for Landeskog's return lines him up to potentially be back by mid-January, at the earliest.

It's a concerning blow for Landeskog, particularly considering the Avs captain underwent knee surgery last year, which put an early end to his regular season in March. He did manage to return for the Avs' Stanley Cup run, during which he recorded 20 points (11 goals) in as many games.

Landeskog was sidelined for the start of the season while dealing with a knee injury. Head coach Jared Bednar confirmed earlier this offseason that the Avs star was dealing with the same injury that cost him time during the 2021-22 season.

Via TSN, Bednar said last month; “[Gabriel Landeskog] is dealing with an injury from last season, lower-body, and he's not ready to go. We don't have a timetable yet for putting him on the ice.”

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Jets Avalanche, Jets Avalanche prediction, Jets Avalanche pick, Jets Avalanche odds, Jets Avalanche how to watch

Bryan Logan ·

Alex Georgiev in middle of image looking happy with fire around him, Colorado Avalanche logo, hockey rink in background

Colin Gallant ·

Alex Georgiev in image looking stern, Colorado Avalanche logo, hockey rink in background

Colin Gallant ·

Unfortunately, it seems Landeskog's condition had taken a turn for the worst. Had he undergone the procedure earlier into the offseason, there's a chance he'd have been ready to go for the season opener, or at worst only miss a small chunk of the start of the year. Now, Landeskog will be sidelined roughly three months after being slapped with a 12-week timetable, further delaying his return to action.

Last year, Landeskog featured in 51 games for the Avalanche, registering an impressive 59 points. The 29-year-old scored 30 goals (the second-most of his career) despite missing 31 regular-season games. While not having Landeskog for 12 weeks of regular-season action (13 including last week) is a big loss, the Avs have their sights set on the Stanley Cup once again in 2022-23, and shouldn't have an issue staying afloat without their captain in the meantime.