Avalanche HC Jared Bednar makes big admission around Gabriel Landeskog's return

Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar spoke about Gabriel Landeskog’s possible return to the NHL lineup. Landeskog was sent to the Colorado Eagles for a conditioning assignment and practiced with the AHL team on Wednesday.

"When he says he's ready to play, he's gonna play," Bednar said on Thursday, via Colorado Hockey Now's Aarif Deen.

There is still no exact date for his return. Landeskog has not played since June 26, 2022, when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup. He had surgery on his right knee in May 2023 and has been on long-term injured reserve. Landeskog practiced with the Avalanche on March 17 and has also been traveling with the team.

In his statement from March, Bednar said that Landeskog looked good in practice. He explained that recovery takes time and can go up and down.

"He's looking good; I thought he looked great in practice today," Bednar said, via NHL.com. "Obviously, just like sort of the flow-and-go noncontact stuff. Certainly, (it’s) nice to have him out there.

"He's making strides. Obviously feeling comfortable enough to come out and join the team with certain drills. So, hopefully that continues and continues to grow and (he’s) working to a point of a return."

Bednar added that it’s hard to know when Landeskog will be fully ready. However, everyone is happy to see him skating again.

"It's really hard to say (when he’ll play again), but things are going great and it's certainly nice to have him back on the ice with our team," Bednar said. "Just the energy and sort of attitude that he brings to the ice, I think, helps everybody.”

Landeskog has played 738 regular-season games with the Avalanche, recording 248 goals and 323 assists. In the playoffs, he has 67 points in 69 games, including 22 points during the 2022 Stanley Cup run. The Avalanche are third in their division this season and hope to have him back for the playoffs.

Jared Bednar hinted about Gabriel Landeskog's AHL conditioning

Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar earlier hinted at Gabriel Landeskog's AHL conditioning. He supports the move and said that Landeskog has increased his time on the ice.

“He’s ramped up his days on the ice, the workload in those days,” Bednar said on Monday, via Colorado Hockey Now.“Then we just wait for the next day and re-evaluate and see how he responds. Then we make a plan from there.”

The Avalanche have a 48-27-4 record and will make it to the playoffs for the eighth straight season.