Loveland, Colorado (AP) – Gabriel Landeskog warmed up on the ice Friday evening as if it was just another match. He took his first quarter of work, hunted after a washer, distributed a light control and was called to a hanging penalty as if it were only another match.
This was not the case. All the cameras trying to preserve the moment were proof of this. Landeskog has adapted in a professional game for the first time in almost three years when he joined the Eagles of Colorado of the American Hockey League.
THE The longtime captain of Colorado Avalanche is ready for Eagles As part of an alligueing of minor leagues. He crossed the morning skating in Blue Arena in Loveland, Colorado, and received the green light to make his debut at the Eagles against the Henderson Silver Knights.
He went through pre -match exercises – without his helmet so that his blond hair is easy to spot – to applaud and were serenade with songs of “Landy, Landy, Landy” just before the drop in the washer. The fans applauded when he left the ice after his first quarter of work, which lasted about 46 seconds, and again after he went to the penalty box, with his image shown on the big screen (he gave the crowd).
It was also an expensive ticket (about $ 200). His sweater of the Eagles n ° 92 which has just been unveiled was also coveted, with fans who were waiting in a long line that served around the hall to have a chance to buy one. His avalanche jersey was a popular show throughout the site.
Landeskog was sidelined since he helped the avalanche to win the Stanley Cup in 2022 due to a knee injury and subsequent surgery.
If everything is going well with his visit to Loveland, the 32 -year -old gravelly gravel for Sweden could be activated for match 1 of the eliminatory series of the first round of Colorado. The avalanche enters the playoffs enclosed in seeded n ° 3 of the central division and will open on the road.
“I am excited for him and his family,” said coach Jared Bednar before the team leaves for his two game trip to California to close the regular season. “Obviously, it was a long hard road and to finally take the ice in a game situation, I’m just delighted for him.”
Some of his avalanche teammates, such as Nathan Mackinnon and Cale Makar, were at the arena to have an overview of n ° 92 in a sweater of Eagles. Mackinnon and Makar were among several players who jumped the last trip from Colorado to rest before the playoffs.
“He has put a lot of work, a lot of time,” defender Erik Johnson said a longtime friend of Landeskog. “It was something he didn’t have to pass his body but wanted for the team. Having it go so far in its recovery is exciting for us. ”
Landeskog’s injury dates back to the 2020 “bubble” season when he was accidentally decided above the knee by the Makar skate during an eliminatory match against Dallas. Landeskog finally underwent a cartilage transplantation procedure on May 10, 2023 and was on the long -term injured reserve.
The procedure was similar to that played on the Chicago Bulls Lonzo Ball playmaker in March 2023. Ball returned to the court for a pre-season match in October, which alluded to a possible calendar for the return of Landeskog.
The return of Landeskog has been the subject of a documentary series entitled “A Clean Sheet: Gabe Landeskog” which is broadcast on TNT and TRUTV.
This is the 13th season of Landeskog as captain, with only Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin as leaders of their current teams for a longer period.
“He carries such a weight in the locker room,” said Colorado Logan O’Connor striker. “Obviously, his voice is enormous.”
As for the plan with Landeskog after Friday, Bednar said it should be determined. During his career, Landeskog was almost a game player in six playoffs with the avalanche.
“This is the most difficult period of the year to return to programming, right? And it is still not there,” said Bednar. “We will just see how he does it tonight, and we will continue to reassess from there, just as we would with any other injury. But the duration that lasted is important.
“So we will see what it looks like in practice. We will make the decisions about our alignment for the games if it gets this point, and start from there. But always one day.”
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