If Gabriel Landeskog had needed a night off at any point over the last two months, no one would have batted an eye. If anything, most likely expected it.

And yet, here we are: the captain of the Colorado Avalanche has played in all 32 games this season after having missed three full seasons. That’s not what his coach expected to happen.

“I would say yes (it is a surprise),” Jared Bednar said. “Going into it, you’re always open to ad-libbing along the way and figuring out if he was to get sore, tired. With the busy schedule and travel, is there days that we want to give him rest and manage it a little bit? So I’m surprised nothing’s popped up and pleased with that.”

It’s gone even better than Landeskog thought it would.

“I think maybe my expectations were that it was going to be a game (off) here or there, maybe. I wouldn’t have been surprised if that was the case,” Landeskog said. “I feel like when you’re having days where you’re a little bit sore and stuff like that, come puck drop, you don’t really think about it and then you’re able to bounce back quickly for the next day.”

“That’s been a pleasant surprise, how quickly I’ve been able to come back off of being a little bit sore post-game.”

Not only has Landeskog played every game, he seems to be getting better each and every night.

Although his production has slowed over the last 10 days, his game hasn’t really taken a step back. He’s been strong on pucks and making plays every single night. That’s also meant an increase in ice time every game.

Over the first 19 games, the most he played in one game was 16 minutes, 38 seconds. He’s played well over 18 minutes in seven of the last 13 Avalanche games. The compact schedule, which has included a handful of back-to-back games where a third game in four nights is also thrown in, has meant Colorado hasn’t practiced much. That’s when Landeskog has been able to refuel for the next one.

“We’ve found a really good routine in what we’re doing with the treatment in between games,” Landeskog said. “That aspect’s been really good that we haven’t practiced much, right? That’s been good, selfishly. Feeling pretty good.”

There’s no denying the last three years for Landeskog have been a grind, constant hard work for the opportunity to return to the game he loves.

If anything, the first two months of the season are a sign that all the hard work he put in the past three years is paying off.

“To come back and play for a few games and then have to take a week off or whatever, probably would have meant that there’s some more work left to be done,” Landeskog said. “There’s still work left to be done, don’t get me wrong. There’s always maintenance and still lifts to be done during the season and treatment and offseason stuff once we get to that point, but I feel like I’m in a good spot.”

Yes, there is still work to be done. The season doesn’t end after two months, and Landeskog plans on playing well beyond this season. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

This is also the guy who defied all odds, coming back from a surgery no NHL player has ever truly come back from.

So while most are surprised by what he’s doing, maybe we shouldn’t be.

“I’m also not surprised, knowing Gabe,” Bednar said. “He’s doing everything he can off the ice to make sure that he’s ready to go for the next day. It’s just second nature. He’s going to play, wants to play, and feels good enough to play, so he’s going to continue to do the work.”

Notes from practice

• Gavin Brindley’s stint on the top line was short-lived, as he was back on the third line with Ross Colton and Victor Olofsson on Monday. Martin Necas assumed his usual spot next to Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen.
• It was a quick practice on Monday, but most of the time on the ice was spent trying to figure out the power play. Brock Nelson is back on the top unit, replacing Lehkonen, and the Avalanche are moving Necas to the middle of the ice when the team is set up to give it a different look.