Don't worry, Avs fans. He's not going anywhere.
Don't worry, Colorado Avalanche fans. He's not going anywhere.
After months of speculation, Gabriel Landeskog – the top forward on the free agent market this off-season – is remaining in Denver after signing an eight-year deal worth $7-million per season.
The deal makes him the third-highest paid player on the Avalanche behind Mikko Rantanen ($9.25 million) and Cale Makar, who signed a long-term deal worth $9 million on Saturday.
Landeskog, Colorado's captain, has played his entire NHL career with the Avalanche, scoring 218 goals and 512 games since the team selected him second overall in 2011. The 28-year-old Landeskog has been a key member of Colorado's rebuild in recent years that have quickly made them a Stanley Cup contender.
When healthy, Landeskog has been close to a point-per-game player, and his 13 points in 10 games during the playoffs this year made him a feared offensive threat. With the Avalanche in Cup contention, the goal was to make sure most of the team's core assets would remain in tact. Signing Landeskog long-term before Nathan MacKinnon becomes a UFA in two years buys them a bit more time.
