Gabriel Landeskog made his remarkable return to the Colorado Avalanche in the first postseason series in late-April. That was his first NHL action since he hoisted the Stanley Cup after their series win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021-22.
Landeskog’s troubles began when the skate of Cale Makar grazed his knee, causing a cut. The injury developed into a cartilage issue, and he had to have cartilage replacement surgery in May of 2023. Little did anyone know, but Landeskog would miss several years because of ongoing issues with the knee.
The Avalanche faced some difficult times as time went on without their captain.