What happened to Gabriel Landeskog? How long will he be out for?

The Colorado Avalanche received some unfortunate news regarding their captain Gabriel Landeskog on Tuesday morning. The organization announced that Landeskog is set to miss the entire 2023-24 NHL season due to a right knee injury.

The injury will require surgery, which is scheduled for May 10 and will be a cartilage transplant performed by Dr. Brian Cole at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

The news is a significant blow to the Avalanche and their fans. Landeskog is a crucial member of the team and has not played a game since lifting the Stanley Cup in June 2022.

Landeskog is out indefinitely. Even though the team has announced he will be out for the 2023-24 season, we may see him join the team in the postseason. His return is completelely dependant on his recovery. After his second surgery, he was set to be back within 12 weeks, but that was not the case.

The Avalanche have clearly missed him on the ice and in the locker room, and his absence has been felt throughout the organization.

However, despite the unfortunate news, there is some clarity around the situation, which can be seen as a positive for the team. The Avalanche now know that they will not have Gabriel Landeskog for the upcoming season, giving them an opportunity to plan accordingly.

The team will have an additional $7 million in cap space, which could be used to acquire a replacement player or address other needs.

While the hope is that Landeskog will return to the ice as soon as possible, the upcoming surgery and rehabilitation process will likely be challenging. NBA player Lonzo Ball underwent the same surgery just two months ago. The procedure was chosen for him as it provides the best chance to resume his career at some point in the future.

Later in the day, Gabriel Landeskog and general manager Chris MacFarland will meet with the media to discuss the surgery and what it means for both the player and the franchise. The team will likely provide more information on the possibility of Landeskog returning at some point during the 2023-24 season.

A look at Gabriel Landeskog's NHL career

Gabriel Landeskog

In 2011, Gabriel Landeskog was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche as the second overall pick, and he made the team at just 18 years old, following his first professional training camp.

He immediately made an impact on the team, becoming the third Sweden-born player to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie. He was also the second NHL rookie to score 20 goals and record 200 hits in a season.

Landeskog's impressive play continued to earn him recognition and accolades throughout his career. In 2012, the Avalanche made him the youngest captain in NHL history at 19 years and 286 days, a record previously held by Sidney Crosby.

He scored at least 30 goals for the first time in the 2018-19 NHL season and was tied for second in the league with nine game-winning goals.

In the 2021-22 season, Gabriel Landeskog scored 30 goals again and played a crucial role in the Avalanche's Stanley Cup victory.