Latest report suggests Avalanche may have blown their Cup window after major setback
Photo credit: Andy Cross / The Denver Post
A recent report indicates that the Colorado Avalanche may have squandered their Stanley Cup window, largely due to the setback of captain Gabriel Landeskog over the past three seasons.
Landeskog made his highly anticipated return to the Avalanche during their first-round playoff series in late April.
Avalanche may have blown their Cup window.
Graham Tiedtke from Mile High Sticking writes that the Avalanche endured some tough stretched without their captain. In 2022-23, they were eliminated in the first round of the Seattle Kraken in seven games. The following season, they fell 4-2 in the second round to the Dallas Stars.
This year, even with Landeskog back in the lineup, they came up short for several reasons: many believed Colorado was the stronger team, and the Stars' addition of Mikko Rantanen only added to the frustration. There's a lingering sense that, had Landeskog remained healthy, the Avalanche might've won far more games, maybe even pulled off a repeat.
"Landeskog's troubles began when the skate of Cale Makar grazed his knee, causing a cut. The injury developed into a cartilage issue, and he had to have cartilage replacement surgery in May of 2023. Little did anyone know, but Landeskog would miss several years because of ongoing issues with the knee." -Tiedtke
Landeskog's impact extends far beyond his on-ice contributions. Since being named captain in just his second NHL season, he's been the emotional leader and steady voice the team relies on, not just during moments of triumph, but especially when things start to unravel.
At the time, he was the youngest player in NHL history to be named a team captain, a distinction later surpassed by Connor McDavid when the Edmonton Oilers handed him the captaincy.
"I truly believe that the Avalanche could have won at least one more Stanley Cup following the 2021-22 season if Landeskog didn't get hurt. His presence on and off the field was visible, as the team tried to find its identity but failed at times." -Tiedtke
Here's hoping the worst behind their captain, and that the Avalanche can chart a path back to the Stanley Cup Final, with a little luck, maybe even hoist the trophy once again.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 14 | 24 ANSWERS Latest report suggests Avalanche may have blown their Cup window after major setback If Landeskog didn't get hurt, do you think the Avalanche could have won another Stanley Cup between 2022 and now? | ||
| yes | 20 | 83.3 % |
| no | 4 | 16.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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