Good & Bad
Postgame Wrap: Landeskog Suffers Upper-Body Injury in Avalanche’s Loss to Florida
The Avalanche’s 10-game winning streak came to an end at Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday, but the 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers was secondary to more concerning news.
Team captain Gabe Landeskog, who spent more than three years working back from a knee injury, left the game after crashing hard into the Florida Panthers net in the second period. Landeskog needed help off the ice and did not return. The team later confirmed that it is an upper-body injury.
Another look at what happened to Landy in the second. pic.twitter.com/i4GnrvIDdg
— AltitudeTV (@AltitudeTV) January 5, 2026
Landeskog has not missed a game since returning in Game 3 of the playoffs last year. He’s appeared in all 41 games this season, scoring seven goals and adding 15 assists. Landeskog has been on the top line for several weeks, playing with Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas.
The Avs’ lone goal came from Artturi Lehkonen. Scott Wedgewood started on consecutive days, making 23 saves as Colorado outshot Florida 28-25 but fell to 1-1 on its three-game road trip. The finale is on Tuesday in Tampa Bay.
Colorado fell behind 1-0 when Sam Bennett scored just 6:27 in. Bust just over five minutes later, Lehkonen, while parked in front of goalie Daniil Tarasov, redirected a Josh Manson point shot to make it 1-1. Lehkonen’s 15th of the season extended his point streak to five games. Brock Nelson had the secondary assist, also extended his personal point streak to five games.
Following the Landeskog injury, the Avs got some opportunities and drew penalties, but could not threaten the Panthers penalty kill. Colorado finished the game 0-for-4 on the power play, including an unssucessful six minute of PP time in the second.
Jared Bednar’s club had a 12-5 shot advantage in the frame but gave up the lone goal. Following Florida’s third PK, Aaron Ekblad wired one past Wedgewood with traffic in front to make it 2-1 with just 1:48 remaining in the second.
The Avs had just five shots in the third, capped off with an incredible opportunity from MacKinnon in the dying seconds.
Bad: We Await a Landeskog Update
We already know that Landeskog’s injury, thankfully, has nothing to do with his knee. The right knee was the one that kept him out for three years, but it was not affected by the toe pick or the crash into the net.
The Avs confirming that it’s an upper-body injury also removes any possibilities that his left leg was the cause. But at this point, it’s still unclear how severe an upper-body injury it is.
Bednar said postgame that Landeskog is going to miss some time. That’s the extent of what we know as of now.
Good: Regrouping
Kudos to the Avs for regrouping after the Landeskog injury and chugging along. This was always going to be a hard game regardless, because of the back to back. But the odds just kept getting stacked against them.
Going into the road trip, we learned that Mackenzie Blackwood was unavailable. That increased the workload for Wedgewood. Then Devon Toews was unable to play in Florida, removing a big piece of the defense core. And then, of course, the unfortunate injury to Landeskog.
The Avs gave up the game winner after Landeskog’s injury, but they kept fighting and tried to get back in it. They deserve credit for fighting until the end. Even if it wasn’t necessarily easy.
Thought Wedgie could have been concussed early. Thankfully he came out of that none the worse for wear. Bednar’s decision to play him back to back was turned into a total waste and unnecessary risk. Miner may have had a bad game and lost in a blowout, but it would still just be a loss. I will die on my hill that says the greatest hole in the Avs game is the head coach at this point. As for the injuries. Both are just unlucky hockey plays. Every team suffers injuries and the Avs have been lucky up til this… Read more »
Playing Wedgewood was the right move. There is not a chance in hell that I would start Minor. The coach is suppose to give his team the best chance to win the game, therefore starting Wedgewood was the correct move.
I disagree strongly. This was the perfect opportunity to give Wedgewood a game off. Miner has been fine in his NHL appearances this season – not great, but certainly good enough to give us a chance to win in OT on each occasion (he’s 0-0-2). On the second night of a road back-to-back, with an unbelievable cushion in the standings, this was the spot to start Miner – regardless of the opponent. While I don’t agree fully with Ken’s assessment on Bednar, I do question the logic of throwing Wedgewood back out there in this scenario.
He will get all the rest he needs during the break as will Blackwood
We still have 14 games until the break…. And Dallas is struggling but still only like 5 games back with an uncertain timeline on Blackwood. Very reasonable to have given Wedgewood the game off for load management.
Probably Bednar’s mindset too. Not sure why anyone is upset or surprised Wedgewood got the nod. There wasn’t a chance in hell Bednar was putting Miner in against the two time defending cup champs.
The coach also needs to not overuse his goalies to the point they become ineffective or get injured. We have 3 in 4 and he will probably play Wedgie again on Tuesday. These few games mean nothing against the backdrop of another injury or overuse, especially with MB on IR. Also Miner was quite decent in his brief appearances this year. Not saying he’s ready for a full time NHL roster spot, but he seems more than capable for spot duty.
So maybe Bednar shouldn’t overuse the players going to the Olympics so they are not ineffective when they come back. These are professional athletes they can handle it
Agree with you completely.
It has nothing to do with season long fatigue. With the Olympic break and the time share, both goalies will have more than enough rest to not burn out in the post season like Hellebuyck does every year. It has to do with 3 games in 4 days and a back to back with 18 hours of rest on a 35 year old who at the moment is our only healthy goalie. There was no reason he needed to start this game. Especially if MB is slow to return and the Avs want Wedgie to play almost all of the… Read more »
He is 32 not 35
He’s actually turns 34 in August, sorry off by a year…but if that is your takeaway from what I posted you missed the point. Only healthy goalie we have, we are 10 points ahead of the second place teams and not chasing. There was/is no need to play him 3 games in 4 nights. Just like there is zero reason Makar played 29 minutes last night.
The Olympic break is coming up he will get plenty of time to rest! Why is everyone on this site ignoring this significant break in schedule this season?!
Felt playoffy in the sense our small D-men were getting exposed and our anemic powerplay was exploited to out muscle us. At least we didn’t give up a SHG and it sounds weird to say out loud, but Makar seems like a PP liability lately. Florida was eating up Necas’ turnovers. It was hard to watch Landy’s knee twist and that looked really bad. We knew it’d be a tough road b2b though Wedge gave us a chance to win, we had command of the faceoffs, and certainly could have taken it to OT, but special teams tends to be… Read more »
I really wish they’d give Burns a go at QBing the PP…
Tough break for Landeskog. If Bednar immediately after the game was freely admitting he’s going to “miss some time”. That’s Colorado Avalanche covert injury speak for at minimum a few weeks. It sure didn’t look good. You & I had been critical of Landy earlier in the year. But he really had turned a corner & was looking like his old self. I’m not wishing this into existence, but Necas is going to wilt like a flower again in the postseason. You heard it here first. When Tkachuck comes back & if by some miracle Barkov can come back &… Read more »
The ice was crap tonight. That puck was doing weird stuff all night for both teams. We also just looked off and probaly tired. Florida just got smoked by the rangers in the winter classic as the host as well. Long way to go but I dont see florida being the favorite from the east. I think thats Tampa and we’ll see them tuesday.
92 going down really looked bad, silver lining its upper body and it looked like the knee albeit not that right knee I guess?
Necas doesnt like contact that for sure.
For sure this wasn’t the Avs best. Especially being the second half of a tough back to back. I just think that highly of a healthy Panthers team. When they’re firing on all cylinders I don’t see any team in the east beating them 4 out of 7.
I haven’t watched much of Tampa at all this year. But what’s different about them than the past few years? They’re just another year older. Don’t get me wrong they’re really talented up front. But I think they’re window has closed. But if FL isn’t 100% who knows.
Jeremy, Not sure if you subscribe to the Athletic, but their analytics guy, Dom L., has overall team ratings (I have not idea how he calculates them) and the top three teams are the following: Avs OVR: +83.4 TB OVR: +73.9?! Vegas OVR: +51.6 So significant drop from 2nd to 3rd, but crazy that TB has apparently been that efficient offensively and defensively despite their injuries and despite being more than double digits in points behind. Big game tomorrow for the Avs. As a side note, where does Dallas and MN rank? Dallas OVR: +21.8 MN OVR: +24.9 Yet us… Read more »
I don’t but I do like a lot of their content when I happen across it. And isn’t behind their paywall. It’s roughly a buck a month right? I should subscribe.
It looked to me like his left knee twisted as well but everyone kept saying upper body. Corey Masisak from the Denver Post was in the post game lockerroom and Wedgewood said rib area. MacKinnon basically said bones heal faster that ligaments or tendons so putting the 2 together it sounds like broken ribs
Dude, You’re the most negative person on here by far and you do it all with this pretentiousness of “I know hockey.” I swear I think you want the Avs to lose. Love coming on here for articles and comments, hate reading “Jeremy’s pessimistic pretentiousness” You’re not the hockey czar. If we upgrade one defensemen and perhaps get a tough 3C there’s no doubt we’re the best team in hockey and the most difficult to play against, regular or post-season makes no difference, hell we probably already are without that. You don’t have this record at this point in a… Read more »
Bro, If you don’t like what I have to say bypass my comments & choose not to engage with me..clearly no loss on my end. I didn’t even say anything overly negative, outside of about Necas. And I’m hardly the only one who feels that way or has that concern. And I’ve been consistent regarding him. If he proves me wrong this spring…great. But clearly there was some truth in my critique. Otherwise you wouldn’t have been so irrationally triggered. And I’m sorry I think the team that has won back to back stanley cups. And been to the finals… Read more »
Not happening this year
FL going all the way? No..logic would indicate probably not. But if Barkov were able to come back & be 70% of what he typically is. And Tkachuck stays healthy. I wouldn’t want to see them in a 7 game series.
Malinski’s bad turnover that led to the first goal had nothing to do with his size and everything to do with him always having to make a play rather than playing it safe. G was probably the best D for the Avs.
But I agree with all your other points.
Honestly it was just a great effort & sequence from Bennett. Sometimes really good players just get one over on you.
100%…a third pairing D losing a board battle to the current Conn Smythe winner and one of the best power forwards in the league isn’t exactly rare. That being said, Malinski had a rough night overall, but Sammy G was very solid. Boys are going to have to step up on D with 7 out for a few weeks.
Having to always make a play is the Avs style of play. The outlet pass is always the first priority before playing it safe, skating with the puck, or getting it out of the defensive zone.
For once the Hockey Cartoon (Rycroft) says something correct. The lack of PP goals cost them two points.
Toews and landeskog gonna miss some time
The nice thing is that with Olympics approaching we will get a more real sense of the severity of the injuries for Toews and Landy and not the bs Bednar spits out on “pressers”
A 2-1 loss–3rd regulation loss of the season–to a seasoned team on a road back-to-back when the injury bug has hit and people are talking like the Avs have been ‘exposed’. Lighten up, Francis. PP needs renovation. We’ve known that since mid-November. Need another big defenseman, trade deadline is still a ways off and the east needs to separate. This was just one loss.
Amen…second game of a BTB against two Eastern Conference favorites on top of losing a top pairing D and your captain will take the wind out of any teams sails. The Avs got outworked, their top guys weren’t good and once again the PP was atrocious. Yet they were in it to the end, outshot and out chanced their opponent to spite having an overall poor evening. People who think this team is soft and not built for the post season are going to see exactly what they want to see in every loss…nothing will change their minds until the… Read more »
Who on here, in these posts, is arguing the Avs were “exposed?” The hypocrisy of your post stating that and then stating that the PP needs renovation and recommending deadline acquisitions is apparently ok, but anyone pointing anything else out is acting out of line?
Aarif,
Do you think the Avs could have a legitimate argument to NHL that opposing teams are purposefully making the ice less than standard when the Avs come and visit? I assume there are protocols and standards each team has to have in order for the game to play as it pertains to ice conditions? It seems each year on the road that we suffer from bad ice more and more.