Colorado Avalanche's captain Gabriel Landeskog opens up about mental struggles upon returning to the lineup
Photo credit: NHL.com
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog reveals mental struggles upon his return to the organization.
Just recently Gabriel Landeskog rejoined the Colorado Avalanche organization after being sidelined for three seasons with a knee-injury, and it's safe to say the Avs are excited to have him back.
Landeskog just recently had a conditioning stint with the AHL Colorado Eagles, where he played two back to back games on April 11th and 12th. While doing so he tallied his first two professional points since hoisted the Stanley Cup on June 26, 2022.
Gabriel Landeskog speaks out on his time with the Colorado Eagles
«Feel great. Obviously some nerves going into it physically, I feel great. It's the first game in a long time, so I got plenty of things to work on and get better at, but it was a lot of fun,» Landeskog said.
During his night at Blue Arena Landeskog scored a goal and an assist in the Eagles' 4-3 shootout victory over the Henderson Silver Knights.
Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon speaks out on Landeskog's recovery
Nathan MacKinnon speaks out on Gabriel Landeskog's return to professional hockey and how much it means to the team:
«Brings joy to everybody to see him play. It's a lot of fun. He looks great out there,» MacKinnon said. «It was awesome. I don't know what to expect, obviously, but I thought every shift he looked better. Game two, he looked a lot better as well. He almost played 20 minutes or something like that. So, yeah, he's in a good spot. Hopefully, he can keep progressing, and we'll have him back here this weekend.»
Thankfully, MacKinnon got his wish as Gabriel Landeskog rejoined his team on Tuesday for an optional practice. It was a light skate, ending with him shooting pucks with MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin.
Certainly a step in the right direction!
«It's been a work in progress. Just like anything, you're working on your physical abilities and your rehab, but also trying to stay sharp mentally. And how do I put this so it makes sense - you're always trying to get better in all areas,» Landeskog said after his first game with the Eagles. «And for me, knowing that I missed time and knowing that there's been ups and downs and a bit of a roller coaster, I've obviously had to put work into myself, my mental game, my emotional side of things, and the spiritual side of things.»
It's still unclear if Landeskog will return for game one of their playoff series against the Dallas Stars or if he will return for game three, which will be on home ice.
Previously on Avalanche Insider
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AVRIL 17 | 59 ANSWERS Colorado Avalanche's captain Gabriel Landeskog opens up about mental struggles upon returning to the lineup Are you excited to see Gabriel Landeskog return to the Colorado Avalanche roster? | ||
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