With Landeskog Out, Should The Avs Pursue Alex Killorn?

As we all have read by now, Gabriel Landeskog will not be playing the entire 2023-24 season because of a recurring knee injury. The captain is finally getting surgical repairs done for injuries from the Edmonton bubble of 2020 through the Stanley Cup run of 2022. He is receiving a knee cartilage transplant that could take anywhere from 12 to 18 months to recover.

Landeskog to the locker room, may have gotten cut by Makar's skate here.. pic.twitter.com/UuNOWQ4S16

— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) September 3, 2020

The Colorado Avalanche will use long term injured reserve (LTIR) to recover the $7 million cap hit Landeskog has. But who will they use it on? I have one player in mind: Alex Killorn.

Gabriel Landeskog, The Player

Landeskog was missed the entire 2022-23 season, both on and off the ice. As a player, he charges the front of the net and holds screens. He has provided countless goals with his tip-ins and pressure on the defensemen. Landeskog can set the play up on the left side of the rink and brings a very Val Nichuskin style of play to the first or second lines. The Swede can be your classic power forward, but also brings some grit to the game as well — he has dropped the gloves from time to time in defense of his teammates. He is the type of player that leads by example. In fact, the 30 year old has worn the captain’s “C” the second longest behind Joe Sakic — 11 seasons to Sakic’s 13.

Gotta See It: LANDY HATTY 🎩🎩🎩

Gabriel Landeskog completes his fifth career hat trick to cap off the @Avalanche scoring six straight goals.

Presented by @Charmin | #EnjoyTheGo pic.twitter.com/ZOp4KUzFjM

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 26, 2022

#Gabriel Landeskog fights Schenn after his hit on Mikko Rantanen! #hockey #nhl #nhlplayoffs #Avs #hockeyfights pic.twitter.com/2KlKPHXBp0

— All3Zones (@all3zones) May 18, 2021

The Injury History

The only thing that has been a genuine concern for the captain in recent years is his health. In his last two full seasons played (non-COVID years), he has hardly scratched 50 or more games together. This last season, he did not play a single game and he has already been ruled out for all of next season.

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Alex Killorn, The Player

Killorn is a player that you can depend on in every situation. He plays on the penalty kill, the power play, and in the top-six. His role as a defensive forward has been overlooked in the past. He maintains a strong forecheck through all three periods of the game and is put in during high-pressure situations. A good example of this is if the Lightning are on the penalty kill at the end of the game, head coach Jon Cooper will put Killorn out. Cooper will deploy Killorn with a very aggressive forecheck, often pushing the other team back to their own zone. Offensively, the 33 year old loves to plant himself in the mid-slot. He waits for a pass or a rebound and pounces on it from there. 

Have a night, Brandon Hagel (@Bhags9). 😋

A quick drop pass from Alex Killorn (@Akillorn19) finds Hagel, who nets his second of the night.

🇺🇸: @espn ➡️ https://t.co/jb5TJdpkve
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet ➡️ https://t.co/lbYVXi7516 #NHLonSN pic.twitter.com/OCJymNE40c

— NHL (@NHL) February 10, 2023

Killorn and The Experience

Killorn has a reputation for staying healthy, as well. According to NHL.com, he has only missed 13 total games from 2012 to 2019. He is not lacking in the experience department, either. As a 2007 third-round pick, the Canadian opted to go all four years to Harvard, earning himself NCAA First Team All-American honors in 2012. Later that season, he would help the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals win the Calder Cup Championship.

Killorn has played 805 regular season contests and an additional 140 NHL playoff games, earning two Stanley Cups.

Conclusion

The Avalanche could sign Killorn for one year with the hope Landeskog will fully recover from his knee surgeries. Killorn would add depth to the second line, and could be an option to replace Andrew Cogliano or Darren Helm on the penalty kill units. He would be a great addition to the power play that was lacking for the Avalanche last season. Killorn would also provide the experience that the Avalanche are always looking for. It would not be a stretch to think about using $5 million of the available LTIR pool to sign him. In the end, it would be worth it.