Subscribe
Follow Us
The Colorado Avalanche are preparing for a heavyweight matchup against the Dallas Stars in Round 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs — and they'll likely have their captain back for the series. Gabriel Landeskog is set to rejoin the squad after his conditioning loan in the American Hockey League was terminated on Tuesday, the team announced.
Landeskog hasn't played an NHL game since Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, when the Avs broke through and beat the Tampa Bay Lightning to win their first championship since 2001. He missed all of 2022-23 following right knee surgery and opted for a cartilage transplant surgery that cost him each of the last two seasons.
But after missing over 1,000 games, it looks like Landeskog will be an option for Game 1 in Texas.
“Physically, I feel great. Obviously, it's the first game in a long time, so I got plenty of things to work on and get better at, but it was a lot of fun,” Landeskog said after his first game with the Colorado Eagles on Friday night, per NHL.com's Ryan Boulding. “Obviously, some nerves going into it, and I said out there in the interview on the ice that [during] on ice warm up I was trying to figure out ‘What did I used to do again? What was my routine?' But I was just trying to enjoy it too, right?
“Not anywhere near where I want to be, but I think it's a good step in the right direction. Obviously, you're coming down off an incredible high; adrenaline is pumping and you've just been back in an atmosphere that you haven't been in for a long time. So, it takes a little bit to calm down and come back to it.”
Landeskog ended up playing two games for the Eagles, registering a goal and an assist in that span. He'll now rejoin the Avalanche, who have already played all 82 regular season games and are now getting some well-deserved rest and relaxation before the postseason.
Avalanche off this week before heading to Dallas for Game 1
Confirmed third in the Central Division with a 49-29-4 record, the Avalanche will play the Stars after Dallas was unable to pass the Winnipeg Jets and win the division.
Although they closed the gap late in the campaign, the Stars have uncharacteristically lost six games in a row at a very inopportune time. That should give Colorado some confidence as they look for revenge after last year's second round loss.
The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on Saturday, and it's likely Game 1 between Colorado and Dallas will begin either Saturday, April 19 or Sunday the 20th.
And having Landeskog back in the fold will be massive for an Avalanche team that has battled the injury bug all year long.
“We got together as a staff and had it on the TV, and I was excited for Landy,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said the day after Landeskog's AHL debut. “Looked like an amazing night. Everyone was excited for him. I think he handled it with class. … So, I mean, it’s just an inspiring story, and we’re certainly excited for him in our room.”
It'll be intriguing to see if Colorado can get through Dallas and potentially make another deep run like they did the last time Landeskog was part of the equation three years ago.
