The NHL-best Colorado Avalanche are within the midst of considered one of their worst stretches of the 2025-26 season, having lost three games in a row and 4 of 5. But they may have a key piece back within the lineup during their upcoming four-game road trip as they give the impression of being to right the ship down the stretch.
Captain Gabriel Landeskog, who hasn’t played since March 6, skated with the team on Friday and is approaching a return, head coach Jared Bednar confirmed.
He joined Artturi Lehkonen, Ross Colton and Logan O’Connor on the ice ahead of a tilt against the Chicago Blackhawks on the United Center on Friday night.
“(Landeskog) appears to be doing very well,” Bednar told reporters, including NHL.com’s Tracey Myers. “O’Connor appears to be doing very well. They’re all making progress, but we’ll just check in with the medical staff and the player, make a plan for the day after which see what the following day looks like. We could hear at any moment that they are able to go, it just won’t be tonight.”
The bench boss continued: “They’re all on the road with us because all of them have a likelihood to be back sooner or later. That is considered one of our biggest road trips of the yr. We could see guys as early as Sunday, some guys perhaps not until later within the road trip. The goal can be to attempt to get all of them in before we head home.”
Landeskog played nearly 23 minutes in his last game, a 5-4 shootout win over the Dallas Stars. He was ruled out of Colorado’s next game and given a week-to-week diagnosis.
After missing three full seasons to take care of right knee issues and an eventual cartilage transplant in May of 2023, the 33-year-old has chipped in nine goals and 29 points over 47 games in 2025-26. He was especially good after the Winter Olympics in Milan, amassing seven points in six games following the break.
Lehkonen hasn’t played since March 2, while Colton has been out of motion since March 10. O’Connor has not played yet in 2025-26 after undergoing offseason hip surgery.
All 4 players will probably be a welcome sight after they return to the lineup because the Avalanche gear up for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They will clinch a berth with one point against the Hawks on Friday.