Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is expected to miss the start of the 2022-23 season because of a lower-body injury, head coach Jared Bednar said Thursday.
“Landy is dealing with an injury from last season, lower body, and he’s not ready to go,” he said. “We don’t have a timetable yet for putting him on the ice. He won’t skate anytime soon.”
Bednar said Landeskog suffered the injury last season and that his recovery timeline could very well last into this year’s campaign.
Landeskog underwent surgery on his knee in March, missing the Avalanche’s final 23 games of the regular season. However, the 29-year-old forward returned in May for the team’s playoff run and was able to play through to the Stanley Cup Final, with Colorado winning it all in Game 6.
In 51 regular-season appearances last season, Landeskog recorded 59 points (30 goals, 29 assists). The post-season saw him collect another 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 20 games.
To fill the hole left by Landeskog, the Avalanche opted to skate Artturi Lehkonen and Alex Galchenyuk as their top two left wingers on Thursday. Galchenyuk is currently attending Colorado’s training camp on a professional tryout.
Bednar said forwards Valeri Nichushkin and Darren Helm are also dealing with lower-body injuries. Defenceman Josh Manson was absent from the opening day of training camp to be with his wife for the birth of their child.
