The Daily: Hopeful Sign for Landeskog; Kane-Pudge Link

The Colorado Avalanche have offered no update about Gabriel Landeskog’s ongoing recovery from his 2023 cartilage transplant surgery. The 31-year-old Swede hasn’t played an NHL game since 2021-22.

But Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now wrote this week that there is a hopeful sign for Landeskog coming from another sport.

The Chicago Sun Times reported that NBA point guard Lonzo Ball, who also had a cartilage transplant surgery, is now participating in full contact five-on-five scrimmages. Ball had his surgery in March 2023, two months before Landeskog had the same procedure.

“Hockey and basketball strain the knee in different ways,” Rawal wrote.  “But this has to at least be encouraging news for anyone following the Avalanche. We won’t know for a while if Ball will be able to play in an NBA game again, but no setbacks is great news. The last time we spoke to Landeskog, he noted that he had also not dealt with any setbacks for a while.”

Even on one leg, 2022 Gabe Landeskog did it all.

Removes his man from the puck in the d-zone creating a rush, goes to the net, wins a battle for the puck, tips shot off the crossbar, another recovery. pic.twitter.com/eKerMVqhXL

— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) August 7, 2024

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

It’s clear Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde will place heavy emphasis this season on lowering the team GAA.

Patrick Kane says higher expectations is a good sign for the Red Wings.

Bob Duff writes that Kane’s decision to return to the Red Wings is similar to when Ivan Rodriguez signed with the Tigers. They had other options, but liked the feel of Detroit’s situation.

Red Wings Offseason

This is the fourth year the Red Wings have participated in the “Street Hockey in the D” program. Coach Derek Lalonde is a natural for this program.

“I have a teaching background,” Lalonde said. “I was gonna be a teacher back in the day. I’ve got an undergrad in education. I like kids, I enjoy kids. This is a really good even that I’ve gotten to enjoy over the past couple of years.”

The Red Wings are hosting “Street Hockey in the D” this morning here in Detroit — helping teach kids about the sport!

Derek Lalonde is here to help coach 👀🏒 pic.twitter.com/JoQ1IczpzU

— Natalie Kerwin (@NatalieKerwin1) August 7, 2024

Hockey Now Network

Buffalo: Jason Moser ranked the Sabres’ offseason moves. He believes their drafting was their best move of the offseason. Buffalo Sabres.

Detroit: Marc Dumont offers his take on the three Habs who need to stay healthy this season. Montreal Canadiens.