Avalanche News: Big Development For Gabriel Landeskog

Could it be that the Colorado Avalanche could be getting another big addition in time for the playoffs? A huge development at practice on Monday as Gabriel Landeskog was a participant on the ice from start to finish, a first since he went down almost three years ago to a knee injury.

Landeskog looks unreal at Avs practice today. Imagine they get him back on LW to start the playoffs 🔥 #GoAvsGo

🎥: @jessemontano_

pic.twitter.com/QsStF1GzL4
— Drew Livingstone (@ProducerDrew_) March 17, 2025

Practice is wrapping up and Landeskog is still on the ice. He participated in some drills but stayed the entire time. That’s a first. pic.twitter.com/SmdJBXZNd9
— Colleen Flynn (@CHNFlynn) March 17, 2025

Some are saying that this is by far the best Landeskog has looked in a practice situation on his long comeback trail.

This is a big development from where we were two weeks ago when general manager Chris MacFarland said, “He’s grinding hard every single day, but I don’t foresee him joining practice like in the next day or two, or week or two here."

Yet, there he was, exactly two weeks later.

After the rousing session today, some are starting to wonder if it's possible that the Avs could get their captain back for the first time since he hoisted the Stanley Cup with them back in June of 2022.

Yes, he's still got a ways to go—that's the party line from the Avalance these days—but after seeing him out there on Monday, perhaps there's hope he could join the team at some point before the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs are done.

Airaf Deen of Colorado Hockey Now wrote today, "I don’t think he’s coming back unless his knee issues are completely behind him. So maybe a Landeskog comeback is just what this team needs".

Landeskog and his $7 million cap hit are currently on LTIR, so activating him would require making room cap-wise.

The 32-year-old winger has had nine 20-goal seasons for the Avalanche in his 11-year career in Denver. Despite playing with pain through the 2022 playoffs, the team's captain was an incredible force, with 11 goals and 22 points in 20 games and a league-best plus/minus rating of +15.