The next time Gabriel Landeskog plays hockey, he might be donning the Tre Kronor. If that’s the case, the Colorado Avalanche are perfectly OK with it.

Ahead of Colorado’s win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar reiterated his squad will be without Landeskog for “weeks” after suffering an upper-body injury on the road trip. Weeks could mean almost anything. Two, three, four, perhaps even five?

What’s taking place in five weeks? The Olympic Games in Italy.

Landeskog was one of the first players named to Sweden over the summer, but his status is now in question as he recovers from the injury he suffered last weekend. That doesn’t appear to be the case for Devon Toews or Joel Kiviranta. Both of those guys are week to week, but Bednar said he expects each of them back in the Avalanche lineup prior to the Olympics.

With Landeskog, there’s more uncertainty.

“Gabe is going to be interesting,” Bednar said. “He’s a little bit more serious of an injury. He’s going to miss some time, but I’m really hoping for him that he’s able to get back and get playing.”

So who makes the call if it gets close to Olympic time and Landeskog is on the edge of being able to play?

“That will 100% be his decision,” Bednar said.

As it should be.

Unlike the other Avalanche players named to their Olympic teams, Landeskog has worn his country’s colors on the biggest stage. He was an alternate captain for Sweden during the 2014 Olympics when he took home a silver medal. That shouldn’t take away from the fact this is a rare opportunity — perhaps Landeskog’s last — to represent his country on the Olympic stage.

That year, 2014, was the most recent time NHL players were allowed to take part in the Olympics. They’ve been itching to get back there. For Landeskog to have not only worked his butt off to get back to the NHL, but to be named to Team Sweden, is an incredible accomplishment. You know he’s dying to play for his country again. If he’s feeling good enough to do so — and that may end up being a big if — he should be the one to make that call.

These guys are adults who can be trusted to make the right call. They’re also professional athletes who know their bodies and what they’re capable of. Landeskog, maybe more than anyone else, fits that description after what he’s gone through the last three years. If he’s feeling good enough to go, he’s probably good enough to go. And if he isn’t, he’ll shut it down because he knows that’s what needs to be done.

But it should be up to the player, and Bednar making that clear shows why, in his 10th season with Colorado, he’s never lost the players in the locker room.

“If it’s something they want, it’s something I want,” Bednar said. “I know that can make you nervous a bit, guys going in (the Olympics) that have some injuries that rest would do them good. Yeah, I get it, but this is the Olympics and this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some of these guys.”

With words like that, it’s easy to see why the players in the Avalanche locker room are still so willing to battle for their coach.