Is the Avalanche Locker Room About to Get Its Leader Gabriel Landeskog Back?

After what appeared to be a successful two-game stint with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, all eyes are on Gabriel Landeskog as the Avalanche organization determines the next steps in his recovery.

Is it time to consider a reality where Landeskog is suiting up in an NHL game as early as this weekend?

“Physically, I feel great,” Landeskog said on Friday following his AHL debut. “Obviously, it’s the first game in a long time. So I’ve got plenty of things to work on and get better at. But it was a lot of fun.”

Landeskog didn’t have a point in Friday’s 2-0 victory over the Henderson Silver Knights. But the following day, he helped mount a two-goal comeback in the third period after recording a secondary assist on the first goal before scoring late in the third to even the score at 3-3.

The game ended in a shootout, which the Eagles won. But Landeskog was unsuccessful on his attempt.

All things considered, it was a massive success. As early as three weeks ago, the idea of Landeskog playing professional hockey felt like a pipe dream at best. But his perseverance and determination were unmatched.

With that being said, if Landeskog returned for the playoffs — if he suited up in Game 1 this weekend in Dallas — what are realistic expectations for the captain?

On one hand, this is a 32-year-old who, if not for his knee issues, would’ve been in the prime of his career still and building off a spectacular 30-goal season in 2022. But on the other hand, this is a 32-year-old who hasn’t played an NHL game in more than a thousand days.

Off the ice, expectations won’t change. And they shouldn’t. Landeskog is the locker room heartbeat of this roster and would instantly reclaim his role as the leader in all aspects. No number of days off would’ve changed that.

The list of players who could command a room like Landeskog around the NHL is very short. The core of this team, whether Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Artturi Lehkonen, or Valeri Nichushkin, all have immense respect for their captain.

But on the ice, it’ll take time. And that’s okay.

“I have high expectations of myself. I’m also realistic in knowing what I’ve gone through and how much time I’ve missed,” Landeskog said. “But at the same time, I’m not going to necessarily lower them too low either.”

Landeskog finding the scoresheet Saturday was a nice way for him to cap off the weekend. It shows that he’s still able to do the things that made him successful for so long. We saw glimpses of all of his skills throughout the two games. Whether it was throwing a big hit against the boards, getting a golden shorthanded opportunity, scoring on the power play while parked in front of the goalie, or even mixing it up after the whistle.

The vintage Landeskog stuff was on display. But so was the rust.

The NHL is going to be somewhat of a shock. Muscle memory is very real and will kick in as he gets more reps. But the initial speed and physicality are going to be tough to handle.

“I’ve got a lot of things to work on and improve on,” Landeskog said. “I found myself getting a little frustrated on the bench just because I wasn’t making the right plays, or I wasn’t skating or getting involved the way I wanted to. But also gotta remember, first one in a long time. So I guess I have to temper my own expectations a little bit.”

He gets it. But: “I think the drive to get better and my will to continue to improve game by game here is not going to stop.”

That mindset is why Landeskog playing won’t be an issue. Even if he’ll likely need to start in the bottom six — perhaps on the third line with Charlie Coyle and Ross Colton.

It’s still not yet guaranteed that he’s going to join the Avs. But if so, it would be one of the most epic comebacks in sports history.

The Avalanche are off on Monday before resuming practice on Tuesday. We’ll get an update from Jared Bednar then about the status of the captain.