The return of Gabriel Landeskog as a full-time player to the Avalanche this season is one of perseverance. The myriad of injuries, which i will list below, would have sidelined most elite athletes. Landeskog pushed to make his way back, playing five games against Dallas last year in the post-seaseon.
Settle in, this is a long list. Landeskog underwent quadriceps surgery during the 2020 postseason, followed by knee surgeries in March of 2022 and again in October of 2022, before having cartilage replacement surgery on his knee in May of 2023. As a result of all these operations and the recovery time associated with each, he missed the entire 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 regular seasons before making it back for last year's playoffs.
A slow start was expected, given all that Landeskog endured to return. The hope is that his game and production resemble Patrick Kane's, who found his legs once fully healthy. However, the concern is the time away and surgeries cost Landeskog needed speed on the ice, adversely impacting his game.
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