DENVER — Nathan MacKinnon spent some time on the ice Tuesday sliding pucks over to his old friend and longtime captain Gabriel Landeskog for shots on goal.
It’s a possible prelude of things to come.
Landeskog rejoined the Colorado Avalanche following his two game minor-league rehab assignment. He just might be on the verge of making a return to the NHL — in the playoffs, no less — for the first time since helping the Avalanche hoist the Stanley Cup in late June 2022.
“It doesn’t leave,” MacKinnon said of Landeskog’s skill set. “He’s Gabe Landeskog at the end of the day. There’s going to be some rust — three years is a crazy amount of time off. ... I think he looks great. Game situations, you can still see those instincts are there. He’s still got it, for sure.”
The Swedish standout could be activated as soon as the end of the regular season to play this weekend in Game 1 of the Avalanche’s first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars. Landeskog has been nearly a point-a-game player in six playoff runs with the Avalanche.
To get back up to speed, the 32-year-old Landeskog spent time this weekend on a conditioning loan to the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles.
He played back-to-back games for the Eagles in his latest step toward a return from a knee injury that has led to a couple of surgeries and caused him to miss the past three regular seasons.
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CSPD investigating sexual assault on a child allegations against former D11 employee
On Friday, CSPD confirmed to News5 that they are investigating claims involving former D11 Athletic Director Christopher Noll for allegations of sexual assault of a child by a person of trust.
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