Concern mounts for 3 Avalanche players ahead of season opener
Photo credit: Matthew Stockman / Mile High Sticking
Concern is growing for Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, veteran forward Parker Kelly, and backup goaltender Scott Wedgewood as the season opener looms on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Kings, with fans and analysts closely monitoring their status and potential impact on the team's performance.
In their 2025-26 season debut, the Avalanche have several players who will be under the spotlight for fans.
All eyes on 3 Avalanche ahead of season opener against the Kings
Graham Tiedtke from Mile High Sticking writes that Landeskog is a player every fan will be watching closely, even Kings fans.
Last year, we saw him in two games with the Colorado Eagles, as well as some postseason action, marking his first time on the ice since a knee injury that sidelined him for over 1,000 days.
"Landeskog has everyone rooting for him because of the situation he was involved in regarding his devastating injury. It's clear that the whole league, and even people more involved in other sports, is rooting for him and can't wait to see him kickoff a season for the first time in years." -Tiedtke
Ultimately, fans are hoping Landeskog's return ignites an outstanding season for the Avalanche.
Parker Kelly's familiarity with the Avalanche system may have played a role in the decision to scratch Zakhar Bardakov.
"Kelly has eight goals for the Avalanche last season, as well as 11 assists, in 80 games. The game management for Kelly was extreme for someone entering their first year with the team-though he did play 80 games the year before with the Ottawa Senators." -Tiedtke
It will be interesting to see what he can do while centering a line with Joel Kiviranta and Gavin Brindley on the wings.
Fourth-line shifts often change throughout a game, and this could be a scenario that plays out.
Lastly, Scott Wedgewood went 13-4-0-1 for the Avalanche in his first year with the team last year. He has posted a .917 save percentage and a 1.99 GAA during his time with Colorado, which is a solid performance.
Unfortunately, Wedgewood will start Tuesday following the news of Blackwood's injury. Fans are hoping for some positive updates on the starter's condition soon.
"In the end, Blackwood's injury is going to hurt, but Colorado has got to feel quite confident in their backup. If it ends up that he doesn't start out the year on a high note, there shouldn't be much concern, as the season is 82 games long. They'll just hope that Blackwood returns sooner rather than later." -Tiedtke
Puck drop is set for 8:30 p.m. MT from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 7 | 16 ANSWERS Concern mounts for 3 Avalanche players ahead of season opener Which player are you most worried about this season for the Avalanche? | ||
TRENDING NOW
