What is the knee cartilage transplant that Gabriel Landeskog is set to have surgery for? What is the timeline of his return?

Due to knee surgery, the Colorado Avalanche's captain Gabriel Landeskog is anticipated to miss the whole 2023–24 NHL season.

The Avs disclosed that Landeskog would have a cartilage graft in his right knee on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old veteran had arthroscopic knee surgery at the end of the 2021–22 campaign. Although he was only expected to miss a portion of the 2022–23 campaign, he ultimately missed the full year.

Before undergoing the initial operation in the winter of last year, Landeskog was a vital part of the Avalanche's 2022 Stanley Cup victory, the team's first championship since 2001.

What is a knee cartilage transplant?

In this procedure, a healthy piece of cartilage (a graft) from one joint to reconstruct another joint. The graft is removed from the joint's non-weight-bearing portion, matched to the injured area, and then implanted. The outside of the joint will thereafter be smooth due to the new graft.

What is the timeline for his return?

Landeskog would ideally come back, but we won't know for sure until this afternoon if that's even a possibility. According to a former NHL player who underwent the same procedure, the rehabilitation doesn't sound enjoyable.

There are some who think his career is over for good. Only Gabriel Landeskog would know, after the procedure, whether he can play more or not.

The good news — possibly the only good news — is that everything is now clear. Instead of wishing Landeskog would return, the Avalanche now enter the summer knowing that they have an additional $7 million in salary space to utilise.

Gabriel Landeskog and his NHL career so far

Gabriel Landeskog with this team after winning the Stanley Cup

After being selected by the Colorado Avalanche with the second overall choice in the 2011 NHL Draft, Gabriel Landeskog, just 18 then, made the team after his first professional training camp.

He made an instant impact on the squad and went on to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL's finest rookie, becoming the third player from Sweden to do so. Additionally, he was only the second NHL rookie to have 20 goals and 200 hits in a single season.

Throughout his career, Landeskog's excellent skill brought him attention and honours. He was named the NHL's youngest captain by the Avalanche in 2012 at the age of 19 years, 286 days, breaking Sidney Crosby's prior mark.

For the first time in his NHL career, he scored at least 30 goals, and he tied for second place in the league with nine game-winning goals.

Gabriel Landeskog scored 30 goals once more in the 2021–22 and was a key contributor to the Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup.