DALLAS — The Colorado Avalanche have reactivated their captain, Gabriel Landeskog, from injured reserve, yet his eagerly awaited return to the ice was again postponed. Despite being prepared for action, he was deemed unavailable for Game 2 of the team’s first-round series against the Dallas Stars on Monday night.
Earlier on the same day he was activated, Landeskog, who has not appeared in a game for the Avalanche in nearly three years, was the first player to enter the rink for pregame warmups. However, when the official roster was announced afterward, he was noted as a non-participant. The wait continues for Avalanche fans as it has been over 1,000 days since the 32-year-old forward last competed for the team during their Stanley Cup-clinching victory against Tampa Bay on June 26, 2022.
The series will now move to Denver for Game 3, scheduled for Wednesday night. Persistent issues with a chronic right knee injury have necessitated two surgeries and multiple attempts at recovery, which have sidelined Landeskog from play. In an effort to regain his form, Landeskog completed a two-game conditioning stint with the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles earlier this month. He has also been practicing with the Avalanche ahead of their NHL playoff opener.
The return of Landeskog could potentially invigorate the Avalanche, who triumphed in the series opener with a 5-1 win against a depleted Stars lineup. Dallas is currently playing without their top defenseman, Miro Heiskanen, following his knee surgery, and also missing leading scorer, Jason Robertson, who sustained an injury in the last regular-season game.