Fans celebrate Gabriel Landeskog's return to hockey after injury with Colorado Avalanche
It may have been the hottest ticket ever to a minor league game as fans found their way to the Blue Arena in Loveland Friday night for the return of Gabriel Landeskog to professional hockey.
Out nearly three years due to a knee injury, Landeskog has not been in a pro jersey since the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022.
But fans have remained devoted, hoping the Avs captain would be back.
Upon hearing he would be going to the Avs farm team -- the Colorado Eagles -- and resuming play Friday night, they flocked to their computers to seek tickets.
"Three minutes after they announced he had been reassigned, I jumped online and got two box seats for $150," said a woman taking her nephew to the game.
Prices in the resale market listed for well over $1,000 at times in the days ahead of the game against the Henderson Silver Knights, the minor league team of the Vegan Golden Knights.
"You can't miss Landeskog's first game back," said a man who paid $250 for a ticket and drove up from the Denver area to Loveland for the game.
The Eagles defeated the Silver Knights 2-0, and Landeskog did not register a point but did get tagged with two minutes in the penalty box for hooking. It brought groans from the faithful.
"I don't think the penalty was legit. You know he's trying to play safe, he's not trying to get hurt," said one fan.
Overall, they were there to endorse Landeskog's return to the NHL.
"He's ready. He's so ready. I can't wait to see him in the playoffs for the Avs," said a woman in a Landeskog jersey. "I'll talk to Bednar about it if I need to. He's back, he's so back."
