DENVER — If you’re feeling a little immature about your reaction to Gabe Landeskog’s injury, don’t worry — head coach Jared Bednar already took one for the team Monday night.

After the Colorado Avalanche earned their second straight shootout victory — this time a 3–2 win over the Minnesota Wild — Bednar was asked by The Denver Post’s Corey Masisak to clarify what exactly the team meant by Landeskog’s “lower-body injury.”

The explanation quickly turned into one of the more memorable postgame moments of the season.

There was no explanation needed from Jared Bednar.

A Painful Moment for the Captain

Landeskog was on the receiving end of a Cale Makar howitzer that appeared to strike him directly in the crown jewels. After the game, the Avalanche captain joked with reporters that Makar’s blast had dented his cup — a comment that drew plenty of laughs in the locker room.

But after further evaluation, it became clear the damage done downstairs was serious enough to sideline Landeskog for a few weeks.

"Well..." Bednar said as he tried to hold back his laughter. "It's a lower body-injury and not a comfortable one."

It only took one shot — but that one shot was enough to land the Avalanche captain on the shelf.

"That's the timeframe that the doctors gave us."

Another Setback

The unfortunate incident continues what has been an injury-filled stretch over the past few months for Landeskog. Earlier this season, he missed 14 games after catching an edge and crashing hard into the net during a Jan. 4 game against the Florida Panthers.

Despite that setback, Landeskog recovered in time to represent his native Sweden at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games and has looked strong since returning to the Avalanche lineup. Now, however, this latest mishap will once again pause his momentum for a few weeks.

In 47 games this season, Landeskog has recorded nine goals and 29 points. While those numbers are solid, his true value to Colorado goes well beyond the stat sheet.

The difference in the Avalanche’s results with and without their captain has been striking.

With Landeskog in the lineup, Colorado owns an outstanding 36-4-7 record. In the 14 games he previously missed, the Avalanche went just 6-6-2 — a stark contrast that underscores how important his presence is both on the ice and in the locker room.

Colorado Reshuffles Its Forward Lines

This latest injury also leaves Colorado thin on the wings, as Artturi Lehkonen is currently sidelined with an upper-body injury and listed as week-to-week. Bednar said the organization is optimistic Lehkonen will return before the end of the regular season.

In the meantime, the Avalanche will need to reshuffle their forward lines to compensate.

Nazem Kadri — who made his highly anticipated return to Ball Arena on Sunday night — is expected to shift to the wing alongside Brock Nelson in a top-six role. Meanwhile, Valeri Nichushkin will move up to the top line as Colorado looks to stabilize its offense while two key wingers remain sidelined.

Bednar Tries Not to Laugh Explaining Landeskog’s Injury