The NHL-best Colorado Avalanche are in the midst of one of their worst stretches of the 2025-26 season, having lost three games in a row and four of five. But they could have a key piece back in the lineup during their upcoming four-game road trip as they look to right the ship down the stretch.
Captain Gabriel Landeskog, who hasn't played since March 6, skated with the team on Friday and is approaching a return, head coach Jared Bednar confirmed.
He joined Artturi Lehkonen, Ross Colton and Logan O'Connor on the ice ahead of a tilt against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on Friday night.
“(Landeskog) seems to be doing really well,” Bednar told reporters, including NHL.com's Tracey Myers. “O'Connor seems to be doing really well. They're all making progress, but we'll just check in with the medical staff and the player, make a plan for the day and then see what the next day looks like. We could hear at any moment that they're ready to go, it just won't be tonight.”
The bench boss continued: “They're all on the road with us because they all have a chance to be back at some point. This is one of our biggest road trips of the year. We could see guys as early as Sunday, some guys maybe not until later in the road trip. The goal would be to try to get them all in before we head home.”
Landeskog played nearly 23 minutes in his last game, a 5-4 shootout win over the Dallas Stars. He was ruled out of Colorado's next game and given a week-to-week diagnosis.
After missing three full seasons to deal with right knee issues and an eventual cartilage transplant in May of 2023, the 33-year-old has chipped in nine goals and 29 points over 47 games in 2025-26. He was especially good after the Winter Olympics in Milan, amassing seven points in six games following the break.
Lehkonen hasn't played since March 2, while Colton has been out of action since March 10. O'Connor has not played yet in 2025-26 after undergoing offseason hip surgery.
All four players will be a welcome sight when they return to the lineup as the Avalanche gear up for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They can clinch a berth with one point against the Hawks on Friday.
