DENVER, CO - APRIL 23: Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) warms up near supporters before game three of the Western Conference 1st Round between the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on April 23, 2025. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Gabriel Landeskog makes NHL return in Game 3
  • Landeskog last played in 2022 Stanley Cup Final
  • Read below for more on Landeskog’s emotional return

Gabriel Landeskog is back.

The Colorado Avalanche captain was in the lineup on Wednesday night for his first NHL game in nearly two years. Landeskog lifted the Stanley Cup back on June 26, 2022, and missed the entirety of the last two seasons due to multiple knee injuries.

Landeskog was activated off injured reserve and took warmups ahead of Game 2 in Dallas, but that was just preparation for his return to action in Game 3.

It was bound to be an emotional return for both Landeskog and Avalanche fans, and head coach Jared Bednar put him in the starting lineup in his first NHL game since 2022.

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It didn’t take long for Landeskog to get himself into the game.

On his very first shift, Landeskog ran over former teammate Mikko Rantanen and got the crowd going even more.

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Landeskog played 4:10 across five shifts in his first period back in the NHL. He had three hits in the opening frame and won the only faceoff he took.

The Colorado Avalanche already looked like one of the teams to beat in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the return of Landeskog only makes them that much scarier.

While he may not be able to provide the on-ice contributions that he did years ago, simply having him in the lineup and on the bench should give his teammates an extra push in the postseason.

Nathan MacKinnon led the Avs to a blowout win in Game 1 before the Stars evened the series in Game 2. Game 4 will be on Saturday night in Colorado. Puck drop is set for 9:30 p.m. EDT.