Gabe Landeskog has been joining his Colorado Avalanche teammates on the ice with more regularity in a tracksuit as the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs have progressed. But it doesn’t sound like he’ll be out there in full gear in the immediate future.
Friday is the one-year anniversary of Landeskog’s cartilage transplant surgery in his right knee. The Avs have said the recovery timeline for this procedure is 12 to 16 months.
“Yeah, I don’t think he’s there yet,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “He is making progress, though. The work he’s doing both on and off the ice, the intensity is gradually getting greater and greater. So that’s a positive sign. More resistance, harder work. You know, as much as it will allow while still being cautious.”
Landeskog has been skating on his own, sometimes just before the Avalanche practice at Family Sports Center. He’s also progressed from watching practices and morning skates from the bench to joining his teammates, but in an outfit more suited for an assistant coach.
Colorado’s captain has undergone four procedures on his knee since being cut by Cale Makar’s skate in a freak accident during the 2020 playoffs. This is the second consecutive regular season where Landeskog has been unable to play, but the timeline did leave open the possibility that he could rejoin the Avalanche if the club advances deep enough into the 2024 tournament.
Given that Landeskog has now been skating for months, the time he needs to get ready for game action if he does start practicing with the team could be brief — in theory. But given how long he’s been away from live action, it would also make sense if he needs a while once he starts practicing to be ready for NHL playoff-level speed.
“I can’t answer that,” Bednar said when asked how long it might take once he’s cleared to practice. “Yeah, I don’t know. It’s too much of an unknown. … Obviously getting more intensity to the reps he’s doing, the length of time he’s on the ice, the work he’s doing on and off the ice is increasing, so that’s the one positive sign that we have.”
Want more Avalanche news? Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis.
