Latest report raises serious health concern for Avalanche captain heading into the upcoming season
Photo credit: Christian Murdock / The Gazette
A new report raises serious concerns about Gabriel Landeskog's health heading into the NHL season, and casts fresh doubt on whether the Colorado Avalanche captain will be ready in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Landeskog was among the six players named to Sweden's preliminary roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics on June 16.
New report raises concern for Landeskog's health.
TSN.ca reports that now at 32 years old, Landeskog has not appeared in an NHL regular season game since the 2021-22 campaign, sidelined by a series of lingering knee issues.
However, he took an encouraging step in his recovery late last season, suiting up for two AHL games before making a highly anticipated return to the Avalanche lineup in their first-round playoff matchup against the Dallas Stars. Landeskog recorded one goal and four points over five games before Colorado was ultimately eliminated in a Game 7 heartbreaker.
Sweden general manager Josef Boumedienne told NHL.com that he's optimistic the 32-year-old can stay healthy and add a physical edge to a national team that fell short at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, managing just one win in three games and failing to reach the final.
"I'd like to see a little more grit. I'd like to see a heavier game. A healthy Gabe Landeskog would have made a difference, I think. He finished the year in Colorado and hopefully he has a good summer and is able to start off on the right foot in the fall. A healthy Gabe Landeskog would really help with the grit in the way he plays." -Boumedienna
On the international stage, the Stockholm native has proudly represented Sweden on numerous occasions, playing a key role in securing gold medals at the 2013 and 2017 IIHF World Championships, along with a silver medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the last Olympic Games to feature NHL players.
"I think history is important. You learn about the players the more we spend time with them. The Olympics is a little longer than the 4 Nations as far as the amount of games. But obviously you have to be healthy, have a good start to the year, but we definitely put an emphasis on the history as well.
"Have you played in high-pressure games? Have you performed at the biggest stages? Have you played in the playoffs? Won championships? That's definitely something we take into consideration." -Boumedienne
"Have you played in high-pressure games? Have you performed at the biggest stages? Have you played in the playoffs? Won championships? That's definitely something we take into consideration." -Boumedienne
Landeskog underwent arthroscopic knee surgery shortly after the Avalanche's 2022 Stanley Cup championship, which marked the beginning of a lengthy series productions that ultimately sidelined him for nearly three full seasons.
We'll see if he'll be able to bounce back to his old form this upcoming season.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 28 | 25 ANSWERS Latest report raises serious health concern for Avalanche captain heading into the upcoming season Do you think Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog remains healthy for the entire upcoming season? | ||
| yes | 16 | 64 % |
| no | 9 | 36 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
