Imagine the joy of a father, especially one who's a professional athlete, when he achieves a personal milestone and can't wait to share it with his biggest fan - his son. That's the heartwarming story of Gabriel Landeskog, captain of the Colorado Avalanche.
After a staggering 1,347 days, Landeskog finally scored his first regular-season goal. But it wasn't just the end of a long drought that had him excited; it was the prospect of telling his young son, Luke, about it. However, he had to wait until the morning, as Luke was fast asleep after dad's big moment.
Landeskog's goal against Anaheim on Tuesday night was his first in the regular season since March 2022. He had missed the last three regular seasons due to a knee injury, but made a triumphant return in the playoffs earlier this year, scoring a goal in the Dallas series.
"My son will be thrilled when he wakes up," Landeskog said, reflecting on the moment. "He's been asking me about it, and I've been telling him, 'Not yet.'"
There were close calls before this goal, with two goals being overturned this season due to challenges by opposing teams. Landeskog even anticipated a challenge from the Ducks, but to no avail.
The cheers from the crowd after his goal, a rebound off a shot from Valeri Nichushkin, made the long journey back to the ice worth it.
Landeskog's last NHL appearance before his return was in June 2022, when he and the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup against Tampa Bay. He's had to deal with a chronically injured right knee, which required cartilage transplant surgery in 2023.
Now, the Avalanche have their full-capacity captain back, leading the team to an impressive 11-1-5 start in the NHL.
"He's the voice of reason," said goaltender Scott Wedgewood. "He's calm and collected. We all know his story and what he's been through, and it shows in his leadership."
Landeskog is slowly but surely getting back into the form that made him an All-Star in 2018-19. He's currently playing on the third line, averaging just over 13 minutes of ice time per game.
When asked about his physical condition, Landeskog said, "It's not perfect, but I don't think anyone is during the season. You get bumps and bruises along the way. Training camp is probably when you feel your best all year."
He added, "Bad days are not as bad as they used to be. I have to do certain things daily to feel good and be able to play. You're never 100%, and I don't think many players are. But the difference between my good and bad days is much smaller now compared to previous years."
Landeskog acknowledged that the goal-scoring slump weighed on him a bit, but he found other ways to contribute, including a fight with Charle-Edouard D'Astous of Tampa Bay in a recent win over the Lightning. He has four assists this season.
"I try not to focus on the outcome but rather on what I can control," Landeskog said. "You want to go home knowing you've made an impact on the scoresheet."
In other news, Valeri Nichushkin suffered a lower-body injury on Tuesday, causing him to miss some time. Mackenzie Blackwood is expected to start in goal on Thursday against Buffalo.
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