Gabriel Landeskog’s potential return remains uncertain, and the Colorado Avalanche are bracing for the impact it could have on their trade deadline plans.
Head coach Jared Bednar provided an update on Landeskog’s status Thursday.
The Avs coach acknowledged there's not a lot of new information to report while revealing that the situation will factor into how the team approaches the deadline.
“No change, really, or nothing new to report on Gabe’s situation,” Bednar said. “I’m sure that does have an effect on our thinking going into the deadline and what adds that we could make, or that we would pursue.
”I try to stay out of most of that stuff and coach the team. So, it’s not really my question, but I’m sure that has something to do with it.”
While Landeskog has joined the team on their travels this season, according to Colleen Flynn of Colorado Hockey Now, he has yet to appear in an official practice with the rest of his teammates.
Landeskog skated for the last time on Jan. 16 but he's not played since Colorado’s Stanley Cup win in June 2022 due to a knee injury that required a cartilage transplant in May 2023.
“That’ll be up to Gabe and our medical team when he or if he’s going to be able to come back,” Bednar said about Landeskog's return timeline. “There’s only seven weeks left, so he’s working hard. He’s still trying to get better and get to a spot where he thinks he can play, and we’ll see if he’s able to accomplish that in the regular season, or if it’s going to take till playoffs, or if we’re going to have to go a certain length of time in the playoffs to get him back, or even if he’s going to be able to get back this year.”
Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) celebrates an empty net goal.
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland, speaking to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun on Jan. 26, noted that Landeskog is progressing in his rehab but remains without a clear return date.
With Landeskog's $7 million cap hit currently on long-term injured reserve, Colorado has ample financial flexibility to make moves before the March 7 deadline with $4.7 million of available cap space.
However, the uncertainty around their captain’s availability makes planning more difficult. If Landeskog is activated before the postseason, his salary would count against the Avs' cap once again, making it very hard to land any high-salary player via trade.
