One day after a loss to the Dallas Stars put a serious dent in their playoff chances, the Avalanche announced an even bigger loss. Captain Gabriel Landeskog, who left the game halfway through the third period, will miss 4-6 weeks due to an upper body injury.
Landeskog, who has already set career highs in goals (33) and points (69), was chasing after a puck in the offensive zone when Dallas Stars goaltender Ben Bishop backed into him. The 26-year old Swede had his right arm extended at the time, and after the collision was in clear discomfort and when straight to the bench. The 4-6 week timeframe of the injury could mean Landeskog’s season is over.
In terms of immediate replacement, the Avs simply do not have one. This will be a tough injury to overcome, as Landeskog does a lot for this team, not just in terms of offense but also in the defensive zone. He has taken more face-offs this year than any season in his career, and is arguably the Avs best face-off man at 51.8 percent, despite not being a natural center. His hockey intelligence and defensive ability have allowed his line mates Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen to take off offensively since the trio were put together.
In the meantime, deadline acquisition Derick Brassard will move onto the top line. Brassard has two points in the six games he’s played with the Avalanche.