"Landy! Landy! Landy!"
That's what it sounded like from the audience just before the puck was dropped in Loveland, Colorado, on Friday night for the match against Henderson Eagles.
There was great jubilation when he changed after his first stint on the ice, which lasted 46 seconds, and again when he sat in the penalty box, as the giant screen showed the 32-year-old waving to his fans.
In honor of the evening, the AHL club – which Landeskog was loaned to as part of his rehab journey – also started selling match jerseys with his name on the back.
However, those who wanted one had to be patient and stand in the long queue that wound around the corner from the club's store.
The 32-year-old from Stockholm had not played since 2022, the year he, as captain, led Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup title, due to a lingering knee injury.
And surely he – and the fans – will rejoice that the home team won the match 2–0. But the actual result is probably seen as a side issue compared to the possibility that Landeskog can join his NHL team when the playoffs are approaching soon.
And on that question, the star had an optimistic answer after the match:
The body feels fantastic. The knee feels fantastic.
