Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog returns to the ice

Gabe Landeskog was back on the ice Monday morning.

The Avalanche captain was in full gear and skating at Ball Arena ahead of his team’s morning skate before Colorado’s game with the Nashville Predators. He was on the ice with the two goalies who are not playing against the Predators, plus the injured players and Valeri Nichushkin.

Landeskog did not remain on the ice for the full team portion of the morning skate. The Avs captain had stopped skating and was focusing on his work in the gym as he tries to return from a series of procedures on his right knee, the most recent being cartilage replacement surgery in May 2023.

Avs coach Jared Bednar said last week during an appearance on his weekly radio show that Landeskog was taking a break from skating. Whether or not it was a setback, or how big of one, has been a semantics-focused storyline.

Landeskog has not played since the 2021-22 season. The Avs originally said the recovery timeline was 12-16 months after the current procedure, but no NHL player has ever returned to play after having this surgery.

He was skating with the team during practices and morning skates during the playoffs in May but has not been on the ice for a full-team workout this season.

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