Gabriel Landeskog

Lore & Background

Landeskog began his youth career with Hammarby IF before moving to Djurgårdens IF, where he debuted in Elitserien on 21 February 2009 at 16 years and 90 days, becoming the youngest player in Djurgårdens IF's history. He was drafted third overall by the Plymouth Whalers in the 2009 CHL Import Draft but was traded to the Kitchener Rangers on 3 August 2009. On 24 October 2010, he was named captain of the Rangers, the first European captain in franchise history. In his final junior season, despite an ankle injury, he led the Rangers with 37 goals and a plus-minus of 27. After being drafted second overall by Colorado in 2011, Landeskog signed a three-year entry-level contract and made his NHL debut on 8 October 2011. He scored his first NHL goal on 12 October 2011, becoming the youngest Swedish-born player to score an NHL goal. He finished his rookie season leading all rookies with 22 goals and tied for the rookie lead with 52 points, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy. Following the 2012–13 lockout, Landeskog returned to Sweden to play for Djurgårdens IF, recording 14 points in 17 games. He suffered a concussion in January 2013 that caused him to miss 11 games. In the 2013–14 season, he set career highs in goals, assists, and points, helping the Avalanche win a division title. Landeskog recorded his first career hat trick on 17 November 2017 against the Washington Capitals, and his second on 16 December 2017 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He played in his 500th career NHL game on 26 March 2018.

Reader's Guide

Landeskog's significance lies in his early achievement as the youngest captain in NHL history and his central role in the Colorado Avalanche's resurgence. He was the first Avalanche player since 1999 to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year, leading all rookies in goals and tying for the points lead in his debut season. His leadership was recognized when he was named captain at 19 years and 286 days, surpassing Sidney Crosby's record. Landeskog's Stanley Cup victory in 2022 came after he played through serious injury, the aftermath of which kept him out of playing for nearly three seasons. His career includes multiple suspensions for on-ice incidents, including a two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Brad Marchand and a three-game suspension for cross-checking Simon Després. He also wrote about his concussion experience in a Players' Tribune article, urging younger players to understand the complexity and effects of concussions. Landeskog's legacy is tied to his durability and scoring ability, as he recorded two hat tricks in the 2017–18 season and consistently played on a line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen.

Did You Know?

• Landeskog was the first European captain in Kitchener Rangers franchise history.
• He became the youngest Swedish-born player to score an NHL goal at 18 years and 324 days.
• Landeskog broke Peter Šťastný's franchise record for most shots on goal by a rookie in the 2011–12 season.
• He was suspended three games in March 2016 for cross-checking Simon Després in the neck area.