LOVELAND, Colo. (AP) — For the first time in 1,020 or so days, Gabriel Landeskog has some fresh game tape to examine. Game tape of him hitting players, taking hits, being called for a penalty and even putting someone in a headlock.
“A headlock,” he said with a grin Friday night, “wasn’t necessarily planned when I woke up this morning.”
His emotional journey back from a serious knee injury took center ice as he suited up in a professional game for the first time in nearly three years when he joined the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League.
The longtime Colorado Avalanche captain is on loan to the Eagles as part of a minor league conditioning assignment. He participated in the morning skate Friday at Blue Arena, and was given the green light to make his Eagles debut against the Henderson Silver Knights.
He went through pregame drills — without his helmet so his blond hair was easy to spot — to cheers and was serenaded with chants of “Landy, Landy, Landy” just before puck drop. The fans cheered when he left the ice after his first shift, which lasted about 46 seconds, and again after he went to the penalty box, with his image shown on the big screen (he waved to the crowd).
He soaked in every moment over the course of an evening filled with checks, spills, a hooking penalty called on him and all the applause.
“I’m excited about what the future looks like for me,” Landeskog said after the Eagles' 2-0 win in which he played just under 15 minutes.
Landeskog received praise from several Silver Knights players, including one who told him, “it's great to have you back,” before a faceoff.
“It's what makes this game so great — you go out and put somebody in a headlock, and then the next faceoff, somebody says something nice to you,” Landeskog said. “It’s pretty cool. The support, even from players around the league, and obviously here as well, it means a lot.”
This was a pricey ticket, too (around $200). His just-unveiled Eagles No. 92 sweater was coveted as well, with fans waiting in a long line that snaked around the concourse for a chance to purchase one. His Avalanche jersey was a popular sight all over the venue.
Landeskog has been sidelined since he helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022 because of a knee injury and subsequent surgeries.
If all goes well with his Loveland stint, the 32-year-old gritty forward from Sweden could be activated for Game 1 of Colorado’s first-round playoff series. The Avalanche enter the postseason locked into the Central Division’s No. 3 seed and will open on the road.
“I have high expectations of myself. I’m also realistic in knowing what I’ve gone through, and how much time is missed,” said Landeskog, who has been nearly a point-a-game player in six playoff runs with the Avalanche. “I don’t want to look too far ahead. But I do know that I feel good today, hopefully I feel good tomorrow and we can keep working. I can keep practicing and we’ll see where it takes us.”
This was just another step along what's been a arduous journey.
“I’m excited for him and his family,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Friday before the team left for their two-game trip to California to close out the regular season. “To finally get back on the ice in a game situation, I’m just thrilled for him.”
Some of his Avalanche teammates, such as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, made the roughly 50-mile trek north to Loveland in order to catch a glimpse of No. 92 in an Eagles sweater. MacKinnon and Makar were among several players skipping Colorado's final trip to get some rest before the playoffs.
“He put a lot of work in, a lot of time,” defenseman Erik Johnson, a longtime friend of Landeskog, recently said. “It's something he didn’t have to put his body through but wanted to for the team. To have him get this far in his recovery is exciting for us.”
Landeskog’s injury dates back to the 2020 “bubble” season when he was accidentally sliced above the knee by the skate of Makar in a playoff game against Dallas. Landeskog eventually underwent a cartilage transplant procedure on May 10, 2023, and has been on long-term injured reserve.
The procedure was similar to the one performed on Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball in March 2023. Ball returned to the court for a preseason game in October, which hinted at a possible timeline for Landeskog’s return.
Landeskog’s comeback has been the subject of a documentary series called “A Clean Sheet: Gabe Landeskog” that’s airing on TNT and TruTV.
“It felt a little bit surreal driving up here for morning skate,” Landeskog said. “(The game) couldn’t come fast enough. I was really excited. It’s an odd feeling when you’ve been looking forward to something for so long, and then all of a sudden you get to do it.”
As for the plan moving forward, Landeskog's not fully sure. He may play again Saturday — if his knee feels up to it.
For now, he's just appreciative of all the support.
“I never thought this was going to get to this point and get this big and get this much attention," Landeskog said. "I was just trying to fight my way back, and here we are.
"It was a fun night. Now, I’m tired. I'm looking forward to sleep.”
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
FILE - Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) lifts the Stanley Cup after the team defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday, June 26, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, file)
FILE - Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) skates during the second period of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
