LeBrun: Gabriel Landeskog’s storybook comeback continues with first NHL goal in 3 years

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DENVER — Joe Sakic has seen it all in this town as a legendary superstar for the Colorado Avalanche and then as the team’s longtime executive.

But the Hockey Hall of Famer was almost at a loss for words trying to put in perspective what he had seen from Gabriel Landeskog in his two playoff games after a three-year injury absence.

“Game 1, it was amazing what he did, just to come back and all that emotion,’’ Sakic told The Athletic after the Avs’ dominating 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday night. “And then to follow it up tonight with a goal and an assist and just the impact he had on the ice, I’m so proud of him.

“It’s just an amazing story. Really. The sport is lucky to have him. He’s what every kid probably wants to be as an athlete both on and off the ice,’’ added the Avs’ president of hockey operations. “He’s just a great captain.’’

Sakic paused. And then added this comment for emphasis.

“The words don’t even explain how everyone feels to watch him play after all that time away and to see him and what he’s doing on the ice,’’ said Sakic. “I mean, what a competitor, what a leader, what a player. It’s going to inspire a lot of kids. That’s perseverance right there.’’

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar saw enough in Landeskog’s first game back to elevate his role for Saturday night. A second-line role with Brock Nelson and Valeri Nichushkin, and first unit power play time.

The result? A goal and an assist, quality play in 14:37 minutes of ice time.

Did this guy really miss three years?

“If he can come back and be even the slightest thing of what he was before, just to put it in perspective, I mean, come back after three years, that’s incredible,” superstar Avs blueliner Cale Makar said after the game. “I mean, especially just coming straight into playoff hockey.’’

Fellow superstar Nathan MacKinnon went one step further.

“It’s beyond all of our expectations,’’ he said after the Avs tied the series 2-2. “I was kind of laughing in my head, but he’s like, ‘I don’t think there’s a difference between a month off or three years off.’ And I was thinking, like, ‘Hmm, whatever. OK.’ But he was right. It looks like he’s been out for four weeks.’’

MacKinnon shook his head in amazement.

“It just shows you … his story, everyone has seen it, I guess, but how hard he’s worked,” said No. 29. “It just shows if you’re good at hockey, you’re good at hockey. He can come back and he’s one of our best players out there. It’s amazing. We missed him.’’

On his first shot of the series, Landeskog took a drop pass from Brock Nelson in the second period and ripped a snap shot from the high slot past Jake Oettinger, unleashing bedlam at Ball Arena. Landeskog was mobbed by his teammates on the ice. It gave the Avs a 3-0 lead and erased any doubt of a Stars comeback in a game Colorado absolutely dominated. But it truly felt like a Stanley Cup-winning goal. That was the level of electricity in the building.

“It was kind of more than just a playoff goal,” said Nathan MacKinnon of Landeskog’s third-period goal, his first in the NHL since June of 2022.  (Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)

Walk us through it please, Gabe.

“Nelly was flying up the neutral zone, and I was just trying to find a soft spot in the middle of the ice, and he made a great play to me, and I think that was my first shot on net in the last two games,” said Landeskog. “So figured I’d shoot it, and got some good wood on it. Pretty amazing feeling. I think I blacked out for a few seconds and was just looking around for my teammates. Pretty amazing feeling, and just the genuine excitement from my teammates means a lot. I see the building was rocking again tonight. And yeah, felt good.’’

MacKinnon hugged Landeskog warmly on the celebration drive-by at the bench. Two buds enjoying a moment they’ll never forget.

“We are very close,” said MacKinnon. “I’m at his house almost every day. It was kind of more than just a playoff goal. I think it was a life goal. It meant a lot to all of us for him to score a goal, and then he had an assist. It was just awesome out there. It means a ton to us for him to score that goal at home. That was so cool.’’

It was a goal Landeskog’s dreamt of in his dogged determination not to give up during a tortuous three years of rehab.

“It means a lot,” said the Avs captain. “Obviously, I’ve envisioned scoring again for a long time. And then there were obviously days where I didn’t know if I was ever going to get to score again. So obviously feels good. It’s a tight playoff series and a big game here at home, get to do it in front of our fans. Obviously means a lot. So super exciting. Hopefully more to come.”

His assist told us a lot, too. It came on Samuel Girard’s third-period goal, when Landeksog was battling in front of the net with the mountain of a man called Lian Bichsel, all six-foot-seven of him.

The knee held up pretty good in that physical exchange, right?

“Yeah, he’s a big, strong guy, and physical player and hard to play against,” said Landeskog. “I was trying to get in front of their goalie and he was trying to get me out of there. So it was a good battle. Yeah, no, I guess that does answer that question.’’

It also presents a major problem for the Stars moving forward in this series. They knew Landeskog would likely return in this series. What they didn’t know, and frankly, what the Avs’ coaches and front office didn’t know either, is that it was the top-six forward version of Landeskog coming back, not a bottom-six guy just trying to chip in here and there.

This version of Landeskog gives the Avalanche a boosted second line. No question Nelson, for one, played his best game of the series Saturday night.

Watch out, Colorado may have it all going on now.

“I thought (Nelson) was unreal tonight, he was flying,” agreed MacKinnon on the new look second line with Landeskog. ‘That was his best game by far, obviously. With a healthy (Landeskog) just in the room, we had a great little talk after the game. It’s just, there’s only one Gabe Landeskog in the world, you know, that kind of person and player. We missed him. There was a big hole in our room for three years. It’s nice to have him back and it means the world to all of us.’’

Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland walked into the dressing room postgame to check in with some of his players. Which of course included a little chat with No. 92.

“Unreal, just unreal,’’ MacFarland told The Athletic when asked about what transpired on this night. “Just really proud of him and happy for him. Not because he scored and had an assist but because he was an impactful player in both games really, but he was really good tonight. I’m just super, super happy for him. It’s remarkable what he did.’’

The layers to Landeskog’s impact go beyond what we see on the ice.

“He’s so important, right? He touches everything we do,” said MacFarland. “And the emotional part of it. He’s got a great feel for our group. Again, just happy for him. It was a good win, but he was a huge part of it.’’

As the crowd went wild in the aftermath of his goal, which won’t soon be forgotten in these parts, Landeskog sat on the bench and allowed himself to soak it all in.

“Yeah. I did. I really did,’’ he said. “I don’t know, it’s a fine line for me, because I don’t want to make it about myself all the time. There’s been a lot of attention on me lately, and I guess a part of me understands why. But I think, as somebody who’s been in this sport, in this game, for almost essentially my whole life, it’s not about you, it’s about the team. So this kind of goes against that a little bit.

“But yeah, no doubt. I think we all understand what a long road it’s been,’’ he added. “Like I said before, there were moments of doubt, and I think it would be foolish not to take a second and enjoy it and really soak it in. And I think really, the most reflection will probably come when it’s all said and done one day, and you understand what the journey has been like, and the ups and downs and the great days and great games and whatnot. But I think for now, yeah, you enjoy it for a moment, and I’ll enjoy tonight, and then back to work tomorrow.”

(Photo: Ron Chenoy / Imagn Images)

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