Avalanche getting back two key players after significant absences
Jan 24, 2024, 11:32 AM
The Colorado Avalanche will have winger Artturi Lehkonen and defenseman Bowen Byram back on the ice on Wednesday night against the Washington Capitals.
Head coach Jared Bednar shared the good news after morning skate, with both returning after lengthy absences.
Lehkonen hasn’t played since Nov. 9 against Seattle when he suffered a scary head-first collision into the boards. Bednar warned his absence would be weeks and weeks, and it was, eventually spanning 2.5 months.
He’s a huge piece to Colorado’s top-6 forwards, especially with Valeri Nichushkin in the Player Assistance Program. In 12 games this season, Lehkonen has three goals and five assists. Last year he put up 21 goals and 30 assists, and was a key trade deadline addition during Colorado’s Stanley Cup run in 2022.
Byram has missed the Avalanche’s previous eight games due to a lower-body injury. He last skated against the Stars on Jan. 4. Because it’s hockey, we didn’t get much information on what specifically was bothering the young defenseman, but he should be good to go.
In 39 games this season, Byram has six goals and six assists, good for 12 points. While he’s not as important as defenseman like Cale Makar or Devon Toews, he’s still a very solid piece for the Avalanche, averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game.
Elsewhere, captain Gabriel Landeskog skated on Wednesday morning at Ball Arena. It’s the second time the captain has been spotted, but he was again moving gingerly. After multiple knee surgeries the last couple years, Landeskog hasn’t played since the 2022 playoffs. There’s an outside shot he could return for the postseason this year.
But in the immediate future, it’ll be good for the Avalanche to get Lehkonen and Byram back. After a long road trip, they’re finally home for two games before the NHL’s All-Star break.
