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Landy more than just a third wheel |
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Rick Sadowski
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I don’t know that Gabriel Landeskog has ever really gotten his due.
Now in his eighth NHL season and seventh as Avalanche captain, the 6-feet-1, 215-pound left wing did win the Calder Trophy as the league’s best rookie in 2011-12 and on Saturday reached the 20-goal mark for the sixth time in his career.
Yet it seems more has always been expected from the big Swede.
Especially now, with linemates Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon earning headlines throughout the league with their dazzling play and scoring prowess, Landeskog, 26, is seen by some as a bit player.
Just don’t tell that to coach Jared Bednar.
“With the attention that Mack and now Mikko are getting, well deserved, OK?” he said. “People ask me, well last year was Mack underrated league-wide and this year is Mikko underrated league-wide? I will say I believe Landy is the guy that is underrated, probably doesn't get enough credit.
“He’s the glue guy on that line, he opens up lines of communication for those guys, he’s a calming influence. He’s a competitive guy, he’s strong on pucks and he makes a lot of plays that helps those other two guys.”
Landeskog scored his 20th and 21st goals Saturday, redirecting defenseman Erik Johnson’s shot behind Dallas Stars (and Denver born) goalie Ben Bishop to give the Avalanche a 5-4 lead with 3:20 left in the third period. MacKinnon scored into an empty net to secure the win and end a three-game losing streak.
With 21 goals and 40 points in 33 games, Landeskog is well on pace to shatter his career highs for goals (26), assists (39) and points (65), all set in 2013-14.
"Call him a complimentary player, whatever, but he’s been getting into areas to score goals all year long, and he’s among the league leaders doing it,” Bednar said. “That’s just what he does for that line, never mind what he brings to our room with his leadership.”
No doubt Landeskog’s leadership helped keep things together two years ago during that miserable 48-point campaign.
As for playing alongside Rantanen and MacKinnon, who rank 1-2 in NHL scoring with 56 and 52 points, respectively …
“I'm fortunate to be part of such a good line that finds different ways to score goals,” he said.
While Rantanen has 27 points (eight goals, 19 assists) in a 14-game point streak and MacKinnon has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in a five-game streak, Landeskog has hardly been a slouch; he hasn’t gone more than two games without a point and has contributed 12 points (six goals, six assists) in the past seven games.
"Mack and Mikko, they’re probably a little more dynamic, so they have the ability to beat guys 1-on-1 and put defenders in tough situations so the duplication of coverage has to happen,” Bednar said. “Landy’s got the intelligence and the wherewithal to find pockets of ice or go to the net and read what those two guys … he’s got good instincts to know what those two guys are going to do with puck and he’s getting himself in areas where he’s getting open.
"Just a smart player and he’s shooting the puck and getting around the net really well to score some goals.”
Landeskog’s game-winning goal Saturday was his league best sixth of the season.
“What builds a strong team and what builds character is how you fight through a late comeback like they had,” he said, referring to the Avalanche squandering 3-0 and 4-2 leads. “It’s important for the group to realize that you need to keep playing and you can’t just let your heads hang low just because they score a couple quick goals.
“So, nonetheless, it’s two big points for us and a lot of character. There’s things we obviously want to get better at and clean up, but there’s always going to be some.”
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