Landeskog Situation Remains Clear As Mud

And other Avs thoughts

Did anyone in their worst Avalanche nightmares think this would even be possible, that Gabe Landeskog would miss the entire 2022-23 regular season and have a question mark the size of Pike’s Peak hanging over his head as far as postseason playing status goes?

I know I didn’t. I believed the Avalanche when they said he might only miss the first part of the season. I believed the Avalanche when, after an October surgery that wiped out that early return scenario, they said he’d miss only 12 weeks. And now? Who knows what the hell to believe?

All we know for sure is that the captain of the Avs still isn’t going full speed, hasn’t had a real, full-contact practice with the team yet and Game 1 of the playoffs is likely on Tuesday night at Ball Arena.

Jared Bednar’s latest statement on Landeskog was essentially “I have no idea” if he’ll return for the playoffs. He said he’s pushing himself as hard as he can, but that he can’t say anything definitive at this point - still.

There’s no other way to really view this situation other than: If Landy comes back in the postseason, great. It’s a bonus. But I think we’d all better prepare for the possibility of that just not happening at all, and not pine too hard for it.

Because, as we’ve been conditioned to think by now, it might well just end in disappointment.

NOTEBOOK