Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog left Sunday's game against the Florida Panthers with an upper-body injury and did not return, contributing to a 2-1 defeat for his team. The Panthers relied on depth players to secure the win amid their own injury challenges. Landeskog's status remains uncertain as the Avalanche face ongoing roster issues.
The Florida Panthers edged out the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 on Sunday at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, a game marked by key injuries on both sides.
Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog suffered an upper-body injury during the contest and was unable to return, as reported by multiple outlets. This comes at a challenging time for Colorado, with defenseman Devon Toews also sidelined by an upper-body injury. Despite the setback, the Avalanche showed resilience, though they couldn't overcome the Panthers' defense.
For Florida, the victory highlighted their depth, especially with defenseman Seth Jones listed as week-to-week after being hit by a puck in the first period of the recent 2026 NHL Winter Classic against the New York Rangers. Head coach Paul Maurice provided an update on Monday, stating, “We expect him back before the Olympic break. We’re hopeful for that. We think it’s going to be that, but he’s going to be a couple weeks away.” Jones, selected to the USA Olympic roster on Friday, leads Panthers defensemen with 6 goals, 18 assists, and 24 points, while averaging a team-high 23:29 minutes of ice time per game.
In the Sunday matchup, Latvian defenseman Uvis Balinskis stepped into Jones' spot on the second pairing alongside Niko Mikkola, logging 17:05 of ice time and blocking a shot. "Balinskis stepped up into a bigger role tonight, played a lot more minutes, and he handled it extremely well," said teammate Aaron Ekblad. Donovan Sebrango returned to the lineup after nearly a month, playing 11:23 minutes to ease the load on the top-four defenders. Additionally, blueliner Tobias Bjornfot was recalled from the AHL's Charlotte Checkers, where he has recorded 1 goal, 6 assists, and a +6 rating in 22 games this season.
Looking ahead, the Panthers face a demanding schedule with 10 of their next 13 games on the road. Maurice emphasized preparation, saying, “We’ve worked really, really hard here – by we, I mean everybody else – on developing a road game we all understand.” The win keeps Florida in the playoff hunt as both teams manage injuries ahead of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
