MacKinnon: Landeskog's play since return 'beyond all our expectations'

Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon is blown away at how quickly captain Gabriel Landeskog has got up to speed since returning to game action after nearly three years off.

Landeskog made his first NHL appearance since the 2022 Stanley Cup Final in Game 3 of his club's opening-round series against the Dallas Stars. In Saturday's Game 4, he registered a goal and an assist while also being bumped up to the second line and top power-play unit.

"It's beyond all of our expectations," MacKinnon said, per The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "I was kind of laughing in my head, but he's like, 'I don't think there's a difference between a month off or three years off.' And I was thinking, like, 'Hmm, whatever. OK.' But he was right. It looks like he's been out for four weeks."

MacKinnon added, "It just shows you ... his story, everyone has seen it, I guess, but how hard he's worked. It just shows if you're good at hockey, you're good at hockey. He can come back, and he's one of our best players out there. It's amazing. We missed him."

Landeskog's goal was the exclamation point on a dominant victory for the Avalanche, who evened the series at 2-2 before it shifts back to Dallas for Game 5.

The 32-year-old has stepped up in the playoffs throughout his career, registering 69 points - including 22 during Colorado's championship run - in 71 games.