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Gabriel Landeskog’s latest honor feels less like a ceremonial award and more like a quiet acknowledgment of everything he’s endured—and everything he still brings every night to the Colorado Avalanche.
The Colorado Avalanche captain has been named the 2025-26 recipient of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, presented annually to the player who best demonstrates leadership on the ice, in the room, and in the community.
The winner is selected solely by Mark Messier, who gathers input from team and league personnel before making the final decision himself.
On the ice, Gabriel Landeskog delivered a steady season in his return from years of injury trouble, finishing with 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in 60 games as Colorado pushed to a franchise-record 121 points and another Presidents’ Trophy.
This was his first full regular season since 2021-22, following knee cartilage replacement surgery in May 2023—a procedure that kept him out of the league for nearly three years and made his return one of the more closely watched comeback stories in recent NHL memory.
But even after returning, the season never really settled.
In early January, Landeskog broke several ribs after catching an edge against the Florida Panthers on January 4 and slamming into the net. The injury cost him the final 14 games before the Olympic break, though he still recovered in time to represent Sweden at the Milan Olympics.
Later in the season came another setback in a moment that summed up just how unpredictable things got. On March 6, he was struck in the groin area on a shot during a sequence involving teammate Cale Makar—an incident Landeskog himself bluntly described as hitting him “the nuts.” He required surgery, missed additional time, and still managed to return before the end of the year.
Even through all of it, his impact didn’t really dip. Colorado went 45-7-8 with him in the lineup compared to 10-9-3 without him.
Drafted second overall in 2011, Landeskog became one of the youngest captains in NHL history when Colorado named him leader in 2012 at just 19 years old. Since then, he’s been the constant through every version of this Avalanche core—from rebuild years to a Stanley Cup run to sustained contention.
Around the team, his leadership rarely gets framed in big speeches or dramatic moments. It’s more routine than that. He shows up, stays late, and doesn’t disappear when things get difficult.
Whether it’s after a win or a loss, Landeskog is often still around the rink signing autographs, talking with fans, or just taking a few extra minutes with the people who’ve followed his journey from the start.
Off the ice, that same presence shows up in youth hockey initiatives, anti-bullying work like Friends Colorado and You Can Play, and broader efforts to grow the game at the grassroots level.
Since taking over as captain, Colorado has become one of the NHL’s most consistent contenders, stacking division titles, playoff appearances, and deep postseason runs.
For a player whose career has been tested more than most ever are, the Messier Leadership Award doesn’t feel like a finishing touch—it feels like confirmation of something that’s been clear in Denver for a long time: the standard has been set, and he’s been the one holding it there.
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Landeskog Recognized For Leadership At Every Level
The Colorado Avalanche captain has been named the 2025-26 recipient of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, presented annually to the player who best demonstrates leadership on the ice, in the room, and in the community.
The winner is selected solely by Mark Messier, who gathers input from team and league personnel before making the final decision himself.
On the ice, Gabriel Landeskog delivered a steady season in his return from years of injury trouble, finishing with 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in 60 games as Colorado pushed to a franchise-record 121 points and another Presidents’ Trophy.
A Season That Rarely Stayed Calm
This was his first full regular season since 2021-22, following knee cartilage replacement surgery in May 2023—a procedure that kept him out of the league for nearly three years and made his return one of the more closely watched comeback stories in recent NHL memory.
But even after returning, the season never really settled.
In early January, Landeskog broke several ribs after catching an edge against the Florida Panthers on January 4 and slamming into the net. The injury cost him the final 14 games before the Olympic break, though he still recovered in time to represent Sweden at the Milan Olympics.
Later in the season came another setback in a moment that summed up just how unpredictable things got. On March 6, he was struck in the groin area on a shot during a sequence involving teammate Cale Makar—an incident Landeskog himself bluntly described as hitting him “the nuts.” He required surgery, missed additional time, and still managed to return before the end of the year.
Even through all of it, his impact didn’t really dip. Colorado went 45-7-8 with him in the lineup compared to 10-9-3 without him.
The Captain Who Never Really Leaves the Ice
Drafted second overall in 2011, Landeskog became one of the youngest captains in NHL history when Colorado named him leader in 2012 at just 19 years old. Since then, he’s been the constant through every version of this Avalanche core—from rebuild years to a Stanley Cup run to sustained contention.
Around the team, his leadership rarely gets framed in big speeches or dramatic moments. It’s more routine than that. He shows up, stays late, and doesn’t disappear when things get difficult.
Whether it’s after a win or a loss, Landeskog is often still around the rink signing autographs, talking with fans, or just taking a few extra minutes with the people who’ve followed his journey from the start.
Off the ice, that same presence shows up in youth hockey initiatives, anti-bullying work like Friends Colorado and You Can Play, and broader efforts to grow the game at the grassroots level.
Since taking over as captain, Colorado has become one of the NHL’s most consistent contenders, stacking division titles, playoff appearances, and deep postseason runs.
For a player whose career has been tested more than most ever are, the Messier Leadership Award doesn’t feel like a finishing touch—it feels like confirmation of something that’s been clear in Denver for a long time: the standard has been set, and he’s been the one holding it there.
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