Gabe Landeskog is injured.
Landeskog endured a frightening moment early in the second period when he caught an edge and crashed ribs-first into the Florida Panthers’ net, immediately collapsing to the ice in visible pain. The Avalanche captain remained down for several moments as the team trainer rushed out to attend to him, and he ultimately required assistance from both the medical staff and Nathan MacKinnon to get back to his feet. As Landeskog was helped off the ice and toward the dressing room, the arena fell nearly silent before rising in a sustained round of applause.
The moment Landeskog went down.
The moment carried added weight given Landeskog’s long and arduous road back to the NHL. The 31-year-old missed nearly three full seasons after undergoing multiple procedures on his right knee, including a cartilage transplant surgery that sidelined him for close to three years. His return this season had become one of the league’s most emotional comeback stories, making the sight of him leaving the game with assistance especially unsettling for teammates, fans, and opponents alike.
The Hockey News will provide an update on his status as soon as its available.
Avs-Panthers is currently tied 1-1 with nine minutes to go in the second frame.
