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Colorado Avalanche captain could see his playing time and potentially Olympic participation at risk due to awful injury.
The Colorado Avalanche saw their 10-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday night at the hands of the Florida Panthers. The Avs lost a tough 2-1 game after playing on back-to-back nights.
However, the Avalanche lost more than just the game against the Panthers. During the early stages of the second period, the club lost captain Gabriel Landeskog to injury. He slid awkwardly into the Panthers’ net, banging his torso into the post.
Here’s a look at the injury, as shown on Sportsnet’s official X account:
The awful spill left Landeskog in considerable pain on the ice. He needed assistance getting off the ice. The TV broadcast showed Landeskog walking slowly down the tunnel and into the dressing room.
That situation led medical expert, Dr. Harjas Grewal, to issue his expert opinion on the matter:
The broken ribs are bad enough. But the potential injury to vital organs is even worse. If such a fate has befallen the Avalanche’s captain, his playing, including the Olympics, could be in jeopardy.
Grewal pointed out that Landeskog could still hit the ice with pain injections. However, that’s something the Avalanche will likely not want to do. While Landeskog is certainly a tough guy, the team will want to be careful with their captain, given his injury history.
The club is calling the injury an “upper-body” one at this point. Likely, more information will be forthcoming on Monday.
Avalanche Could Be Concerned about Landeskog Given Injury History
There is plenty of cause for concern on the Avalanche’s part. Landeskog missed nearly three full seasons with a severe knee injury. He last suited up for the Colorado during the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. He then returned last season during the team’s first-round series against the Dallas Stars.
While Sunday’s injury has likely nothing to do with previous issues, the Avalanche will no doubt be overly cautious with Landeskog. The team captain had been on a hot streak, scoring one goal and adding four points in his last five games.
The hope will be that the Landeskog will only need a few days to recover before getting back out there. In the meantime, his Olympic participation could also be at risk. The Avalanche may attempt to dissuade Landeskog from heading to Milano-Cortina if his injury is significant enough.
Colorado Also Lost Top Defenseman
It has been a tough weekend for the Avalanche. The club also lost top defenseman Devon Toews during Saturday night’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Toews slid awkwardly into the boards.
The injury is an upper-body one despite Toews sliding feet-first into the boards. According to Corey Masisak of the Denver Post, who quoted coach Jared Bednar, Toews will “miss some time.”
Similarly, the club also expects Landeskog to miss some time. The injury double-whammy this season marks the first time this year the juggernaut Avalanche have faced significant injury adversity.
The club is also without starting netminder MacKenzie Blackwood. Blackwood played last Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues, but has since missed two straight games. The Avs rolled with Scott Wedgewood in the crease on back-to-back nights.
It remains unclear when Blackwood could return to the crease. Losing Landeskog and Toews only adds fuel to the Avalanche’s injury fire at this time.
Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor’s singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor’s fondness for baseball and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan
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