Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog out for the playoffs with knee injury

The hopes that Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog would return for the playoffs to help the team repeat as Stanley Cup Champions took a major hit Thursday.

The Avs announced Landeskog will miss the entire 2023 playoffs.

In a news conference Thursday afternoon, Landeskog said a cartilage injury on the bottom of his patella sustained in the 2020 playoff bubble is to blame. His upper leg was sliced by a skate during a game. 

He can walk with no issues, but skating is not comfortable. 

"When it comes to skating, just a different beast," Landeskog explained. "In the NHL, I mean, you've got to be able to do everything at top speed." 

The 30-year-old forward has missed the entire 2023 season due to a knee injury.

"This was a tough decision to make," Landeskog, who has six seasons left on a $56 million, eight-year contract signed in 2021, said. "Throughout this entire season, it's felt like the playoffs have always been the one thing that, no matter what, I'm not going miss that. Timelines kept getting pushed back and for a long time we just went away from timelines, because it just sets you up for disappointment and frustration."

Another surgery is not out of the question, and it's not certain he'll be ready in time to start the 2023-2024 regular season. 

"When? I don't know," Landeskog said. "I'm trying not to look too far ahead. But I'm confident ... we'll get through this." 

Landeskog said he'll be around the team as much as his rehab allows during their quest to defend their Stanley Cup title. 

"Being around the guys, I think would be good for myself, especially for selfish reasons," Landeskog said. "Just being around 25 of some of my closest friends that I have. So that will be good."

He said he has no regrets about the decision he made. 

"There's never been a moment where I regretted anything, especially about last year's playoff run," Landeskog said. "I can say that and I feel strongly about that. I'd do anything to help this team win and especially to go all the way. That was very special."