DENVER — Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog took the ice in his first NHL game in nearly three years Wednesday night against the Dallas Stars.
It marked his first NHL appearance since June 26, 2022, when he and the Avalanche beat Tampa Bay to win the Stanley Cup. He had been sidelined because of a chronically injured right knee.
Landeskog started alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas. He played just over four minutes in the first period, making an immediate impression in Game 3 by hitting Stars forward Mikko Rantanen, who used to be Landeskog’s teammate.
It was an emotional lead-up to the game for Landeskog. There were the ovations from the crowd, and chants of “Landy, Landy, Landy.” There were signs all over the arena, including one held up by his kids that read, “So proud of you Daddy!” The team also played a video tribute, with Landeskog tapping his heart in appreciation.
It was his first game with the Avalanche in 1,032 days. He became the fifth player in NHL history — among those with a minimum of 700 games played — to return to his team after 1,000 or more days without a game, according to NHL Stats. The last one to do so was longtime Avalanche forward and Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg.
“I feel surprisingly calm and in control right now. I know the butterflies and the nerves will come, I’m sure,” Landeskog said during a pregame interview. “I found myself thinking about this moment a lot over the last three years. And now that it’s here, it’s the reverse — I’m thinking a lot about the hard work that’s gone into it, some of the ups, a lot of the downs, sacrifices and support I’ve had along the way.
“Thankful for everybody and all their support, but now it’s go time so I’m excited to get out there.”
Colorado’s first-round series with Dallas is tied at 1.
Landeskog’s presence on the ice figured to provide a big boost not only for his teammates but the capacity crowd. His No. 92 sweater is a frequent sight around the arena.
The noise in the building was loud, the energy was electric.
“Everyone is rooting for him. It’s a great comeback story,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said after morning skate. “I trust in Gabe’s preparation, and what I’m seeing with my own eyes that he’s getting close and ready to play. I think he feels really good about where he’s at.
“Adding him back into our locker room, he’s almost an extension of the coaching staff, but he’s still one of the guys and the guy that everyone looks up to. You can’t get enough of that this time of the year.”
Landeskog’s injury dates to the 2019-20 season when he was accidentally sliced above the knee by the skate of teammate Cale 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.
He was activated Monday before Game 2 in Dallas and skated in pregame warmups but didn’t play.
Stars forward Matt Duchene was teammates with Landeskog, and they remain good friends.
“We’ve been rooting for him to come back,” said Duchene, who was the No. 3 pick by Colorado in 2009. “Obviously, it makes our job harder having a guy like that out there, but on the friends side, the human side and the fellow athlete side, I think everyone’s happy to see the progress he’s made. … I’m just really happy that he’s gotten to this point.”
It doesn’t mean the Stars will take it easy on Landeskog — or him on them.
“It’s remarkable he’s coming back, if he’s coming back, as a friend,” said Rantanen, a 2015 first-round pick by Colorado before being traded in January to Carolina and on to Dallas in March. “As an opponent, obviously, no mercy.”
The 32-year-old Landeskog recently went through a two-game conditioning stint with the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles. He practiced with the Avalanche leading up to their playoff opener.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.