The Colorado Avalanche are seeing their Stanley Cup Playoff hopes slip away as we near the end of the regular season, and now a major injury hurts them even worse. The Avalanche have lost All-Star Gabriel Landeskog for 4-6 weeks with an upper-body injury, which was announced by head coach Jaren Bednar on Friday. The injury occurred in the third period of Thursday night's game against the Dallas Stars, when Landeskog collided with Stars goalie Ben Bishop.
The loss, which was called "huge" by Lednar, comes as the Avalanche were seemingly inching closer to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They currently sit in ninth place with 70 points, just four points behind the Minnesota Wild.
The 26-year-old captain has recorded career highs with 33 goals and 69 points, including an NHL-leading nine game-winning goals. He has appeared in 574 games since getting drafted second overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Avalanche. Although, the mainstay will be MIA down the stretch, as the Avalanche hope to sneak in to the postseason, where anything can happen.
The loss, which was called "huge" by Lednar, comes as the Avalanche were seemingly inching closer to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They currently sit in ninth place with 70 points, just four points behind the Minnesota Wild.
The 26-year-old captain has recorded career highs with 33 goals and 69 points, including an NHL-leading nine game-winning goals. He has appeared in 574 games since getting drafted second overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Avalanche. Although, the mainstay will be MIA down the stretch, as the Avalanche hope to sneak in to the postseason, where anything can happen.
