Avalanche player (p)review: Gabriel Landeskog

This Season

Gabriel Landeskog was one of the most improved players this season. He had seen time on different lines with different line combos, however, Bednar could not keep him away from MacKinnon and Rantanen. Landeskog’s career year landed him in the All-Star Game starring alongside Rantanen as MacKinnon nursed a minor injury.

This was the season all of the aspects of Landeskog’s all-around came together as he continued his quality playmaking but increased his goal-scoring and really cemented himself as the linch pin on the top line with his excellent two-way play.

Landeskog had a career-high of 75 points (34g, 41a). He also had career highs in power-play goals (10), power-play points (27), and game-winning goals (9). He saw his TOI average go up to 21:09, from 20:09.

Landeskog was definitely one of the Avalanche most improved players from 2017-2018 to 2018-2019.

Landeskog’s physical play did go down this season, with 120 hits this season compared to 149 the season before. Aside from the 2012-2013 lockout season when Landeskog played just 36 games (86 hits), this is the lowest number of hits he had dealt out in the NHL.

Next Season

Expect one of two things from Landeskog next season: him either staying on a line with MacKinnon and Rantanen or he will be on line two with newcomer Nazem Kadri. Landeskog and Kadri play a similar physical style of hockey that would be hard for other teams to play against. Depending what Bednar is looking to get out of the top two lines though he might want Landeskog to keep his physical play on line one.

Landeskog may struggle to repeat the numbers of last season but his intangibles have taken hold as he’s helped foster the kind of locker room chemistry other teams envy. He’s the leader of this era of Avalanche hockey and his leadership will continue to be front stage as long as he remains in Colorado.

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