When Gabriel Landeskog recently talked about returning from his long, grueling recovery from knee surgery, Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon couldn’t help but chuckle internally.
“He said, ‘I don’t think there’s much of a difference between taking a month off or three years off,’” MacKinnon recalled with a grin. “And in my head I’m thinking, ‘Hmm… OK, buddy.’ But you know what? He was right. He looks like he’s been out for four weeks, not almost three years.”
Incredibly, Landeskog looked like he never left. In just his second game back, the Avalanche captain scored a goal and added an assist in 14:37 of ice time, leading Colorado to a commanding 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars in Game 4 of their Western Conference First Round series. The win tied the series at 2-2 — and left everyone in awe.
“It’s crazy, honestly,” MacKinnon said. “It’s beyond all of our expectations.”
Landeskog’s journey back to the ice is nothing short of remarkable. The 32-year-old hadn’t played since June 26, 2022, when the Avs defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 to capture the Stanley Cup.
When he returned for Game 3 last Wednesday, no one knew what to expect — not because of his talent, but because of the brutal realities of playoff hockey, conditioning, and timing. He jumped right into third-line duties and a spot on the second power play unit, recording six hits in 13:16 of ice time in a hard-fought 2-1 overtime loss.
His performance impressed coach Jared Bednar enough to bump him to the second line and the top power play unit for Game 4. Landeskog delivered in a big way.
“This morning, I woke up, and it was just, ‘No excuses,’” Landeskog said. “I didn’t want to make it about how many days or years I missed. It was a huge playoff game, a must-win at home.”
Midway through the second period, Landeskog made his moment count. Taking a crisp pass from center Brock Nelson, he snapped a high-slot shot past Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger, giving Colorado a 3-0 lead — his first goal since June 20, 2022.
“I’ve envisioned scoring again for a long time,” Landeskog said. “There were days where I honestly didn’t know if it would ever happen again. So yeah, it feels pretty amazing.”
Ball Arena erupted. Landeskog threw his arms into the air, pumping his fists as his teammates swarmed him.
“I think I blacked out for a few seconds looking for my teammates,” Landeskog said, smiling. “Just the pure excitement from them meant so much.”
He made his way down the bench, fist-bumping everyone in sight, before MacKinnon grabbed him, gave him a head tap, and pulled him close with a double pat on the back.
“We’re very close,” MacKinnon said. “I’m at his house almost every day. It was more than just a playoff goal — it was a life goal.”
As fans chanted “LANDY! LANDY! LANDY!” and the cameras found him on the bench, Landeskog soaked it in.
Coach Bednar, who has watched Landeskog’s long road back, was proud — regardless of the scoreboard.
“I’m proud of him whether he scores or not,” Bednar said. “But seeing him score? It takes it to another level. He wants to be the guy again. And you can see he’s off to a great start.”
Landeskog’s assist came in the third period, battling against 6-foot-7, 231-pound defenseman Lian Bichsel to screen Oettinger on a Samuel Girard goal. It was the kind of physical test Landeskog couldn’t simulate in rehab — but passed with flying colors.
“I guess that answers that question,” Landeskog said, smiling. “I can still battle.”
Imagine the Avalanche getting even a fraction of prime Gabriel Landeskog back?
“If he can come back and be even the slightest thing of what he was before…” said defenseman Cale Makar, his voice trailing off. “Coming back straight into playoff hockey after three years… It’s just incredible. We’ll take anything we can get.”
After the final horn, MacKinnon and Landeskog shared a quiet moment.
“There’s only one Gabe Landeskog in the world — that kind of person, that kind of player,” MacKinnon said. “We missed him. There was a big hole in our room for three years.
“It means the world to have him back.”
Would you also like a second version that’s even a little more emotional or cinematic, like something you’d see in a feature piece for The Players’ Tribune? It could really amplify the “life goal” MacKinnon mentioned.
