It’s getting harder to temper expectations about the return of Gabe Landeskog.
The Colorado Avalanche captain completed his first exhibition game in four seasons Sunday night. He looked, well, a whole lot like the guy from four years ago, before a series of issues with his right knee took away three full regular seasons.
“I thought he was great,” Bednar said.
Bednar’s response was concise, but hard to argue with. It was also a familiar refrain.
What did the Avs coach think of his captain through the first two days of training camp, before giving him the third day off ahead of him playing in the earlier game Sunday against the Utah Mammoth at Magness Arena?
“I think he looks great,” Bednar said Friday. “Looks like he’s moving great and feeling good.”
After years of waiting and wondering what Landeskog could be as an NHL player, particularly after attempting to come back after a specific procedure — knee cartilage transplant — that no other player in the sport had been able to return from, the Avs captain blew away even the most optimistic expectations at the end of last season.
He played two games for the Colorado Eagles, which included a goal, and then joined the Avalanche lineup for the final five games of a first-round series against the Dallas Stars. Landeskog scored in his second game back and was one of the best players on either team over the those five contests.
How did he perform in his first preseason game? A lot like he did against the Stars.
Landeskog had a pretty assist to set up a goal, helped screen the goalie on another and stood up for a teammate in his first fight since March 3, 2022.
“There’s still ways to go,” Landeskog said. “A little rusty, and there’s a lot to work on, a lot to get better at. I think preseason is kind of there for that, to find certain areas of your game and continue working on it in game action. I thought, overall, it was a step in the right direction.
“Body felt good, and it was a lot easier than the first day of camp, I will say that. It was good to be back out there.”
One of the loudest ovations of the night at Magness came when Landeskog’s major penalty for fighting was announced. Utah’s Sam Lipkin caught Avs star Cale Makar with elbow to the face on a reverse hit.
Shortly after Lipkin served his elbowing penalty, Landeskog went after him — first on an attempted open-ice hit, and then, after a brief discussion, with his fists. Lipkin didn’t look very enthused about fighting, but Landeskog certainly didn’t look rusty with that part of his game.
“In that moment, I wasn’t thinking about whether it’s preseason or not,” Landeskog said. “It’s just … you see a teammate go down like that. I don’t think necessarily he was trying to elbow him in the face. I think it was just kind of maybe accidental, maybe not, maybe a little bit of both. But either way, it doesn’t really matter to me. You see one of your players go down and, honestly, it doesn’t matter if it’s our best player or not, someone’s got to do something.”
That is an element of the game that Colorado has not had a lot of during Landeskog’s absence, beyond Josh Manson. The other area where the captain looks like he hasn’t missed a beat is in front of the opposing team’s net.
Landeskog had a great battle with huge Dallas defenseman Lian Bischel during the playoffs last season. He scored on a tip-in goal for the Eagles.
He would have been credited with a Gordie Howe hat trick last night had he gotten his stick on a shot from the perimeter by Gavin Brindley. His work in front of the Mammoth goalie was enough.
Landeskog didn’t get a lot of on-ice contact or chances to work on his craft in front of the crease during his three-year rehab process, but that doesn’t appear to be an issue.
“Towards the end of the rehab, a little bit, but before that, not a ton,” Landeskog said. “I think that’s just kind of game action that, when you get into those situations, it’s kind of like riding a bike. You just lean on your instincts, and you try not to think too much and try to get open, try to take goalies’ eyes away and try to tie them whenever the shot’s coming.”
Footnote: Makar did take a shift after being elbowed early in the third period, but did not play the rest of the way. Bednar said postgame he believes the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman is “fine” but the club would know more Monday.
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