Don’t worry, Avs fans. He’s not going anywhere.
Don’t worry, Colorado Avalanche fans. He’s not going anywhere.
After months of speculation, Gabriel Landeskog, the best forward on the free agent market this offseason, remains in Denver after signing an eight-year contract worth $7 million per season.
The agreement makes him the third highest-paid player for the Avalanche after Mikko Rantanen ($9.25 million) and Cale Makar, who signed a long-term deal worth $9 million Saturday.
Landeskog, the Colorado captain, has spent his entire NHL career with the Avalanche, scoring 218 goals in 512 games since the team selected him as its No. 2 pick in 2011. Landeskog, 28, was a key part of Colorado’s rebuild in recent years, which quickly turned the team into a Stanley Cup contender.
When healthy, Landeskog is scoring nearly a point a game, and his 13 points in 10 playoff games this year have made him a dangerous offensive threat. With the Avalanche contending for the Cup, the challenge was to make sure that most of the team’s core assets remained in place. Signing a long-term contract with Landeskom before Nathan MacKinnon becomes UFA in two years gives them a little more time.
