Landeskog joining Avalanche on road trip, still no timeline for return

Gabriel Landeskog is making positive strides in his rehab from a knee injury that's kept him out of action for nearly three seasons.

The Colorado Avalanche captain will join the team for a three-game road trip beginning Wednesday in Toronto in order to continue skating with the club, head coach Jared Bednar said, per NHL.com's Ryan Boulding.

"He's looking good; I thought he looked great in practice today," Bednar said. "Obviously, just like sort of the flow-and-go noncontact stuff. Certainly, (it's) nice to have him out there."

Landeskog participated in drills and stayed on the ice for the duration of Monday's practice - the latter being a first during his rehab, according to Colorado Hockey Now's Colleen Flynn.

The 32-year-old hasn't played since winning the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022. He underwent a knee cartilage transplant in May 2023 - a procedure no NHL player has successfully returned from. It was his third knee surgery in 15 months.

"It's really hard to say (when he'll play again), but things are going great and it's certainly nice to have him back on the ice with our team," Bednar added. "Just the energy and sort of attitude that he brings to the ice, I think, helps everybody."

General manager Chris MacFarland said earlier this month that there's still no timeline for the captain's return. Landeskog added that he's decided to see the rehab through, no matter how long it takes.

Landeskog tallied 30 goals and 29 assists in 51 games in 2021-22. He added 22 more points in 20 postseason contests.

He's in the fourth campaign of the eight-year, $56-million contract he signed in 2021.