Gabriel Landeskog has been missing.
One of the usual faces behind the scenes during this injury period, The Avalanche’s captain left the team some time ago to convalesce elsewhere.
Much like everyone else who’s been injured this season, his absence has been notable.
Sure, his 30 goals and 29 assists from last season are a visible hole in the offense, but it isn’t just on the ice where Landeskog has been missed. His general effusiveness and contagious enthusiasm permeate into all aspects of this championship team, and that’s something the club could have used during its post-holiday slump, the recent win streak, and could use now.
The good news is there’s hope on the horizon.
The team is getting healthy, as power-forward Valeri Nichushkin has recovered from his reoccurring ankle issues and a mild upper-body injury, and waylaid defenseman Bowen Byram just returned from a “finicky” lower-body injury that cost him 38 games.
“Just happy it wasn’t my head. I’ll take anything over that,” said Byram, who entered this year having played just 49 regular-season games over two seasons due to concussion complications. “Every injury is different. So you just kind of got to figure out what’s going to get you better and pick a plan and stick to it until you feel better.”
Also, rear guard Josh Manson is skating with the team as he eyes a return from his own lower-body injury, and Darren Helm is back on the ice in a non-contact sweater, looking to rehab his ailment to the point he can get back into the lineup.
Being on the ice with the team, even if a player is far off from game action, can be beneficial to an athlete’s recovery. That’s why Manson is on the Avalanche’s current three-game road trip despite no chance of getting into a game.
“You still got to pay attention to the injury, but I think when you’re sitting out, it gets frustrating,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “Especially when you’re going through an injury that’s two steps forward, one step back and you got to work your way all the way back. And they’ve been significant injuries, but I do think it helps to get on the road and be around the guys.”
Camaraderie, a sense of belonging as a part of the whole, was one aspect of the game that Byram missed during his recovery.
“Just to be on the road, to be playing again, that’s the biggest thing. I just miss playing, competing,” he said. “So that’s definitely what I’m most excited for.”
For a guy like Landeskog, who apparently put it all on the line to win last year’s Stanley Cup and is paying the price now, the absence has been designed to make the knee (and heart) grow stronger (and fonder).
“It gets monotonous when you’re just doing the same thing every day and trying to move it forward inch by inch,
Bednar said of the Swede. “To get away, go spend time with friends and family and also do his rehab in a couple of different places [should help]. Then [when] he comes back here. He’ll be fresh.
“He didn’t want to be here the whole time if he wasn’t skating, and it can be a bit of a hassle with our team on the road. So he’s basically doing it on his own anyway. But he’ll come back and go through the same process ‘Manse’ and Bo have been going through.”
When he’ll emerge from those doors at Family Sports or the tunnel at Ball Arena is anyone’s guess. All we know is it’s close.
“We don’t have a nailed-down date on when he’s coming back yet, but it’ll be fairly soon,” said Bednar, as cryptic as ever.
Until then, all eyes are looking for Landeskog. We’re waiting for Gabriel.
