Playoffs Buzz: Landeskog 'an option' for Avalanche against Stars

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz. With the postseason beginning on Saturday, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.

Colorado Avalanche

Gabriel Landeskog will be an option for the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference First Round against the Dallas Stars.

"He's getting close. Obviously, every day I feel like he's getting a little quicker and a little bit more confident, a little more sure of himself," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said on Friday. "He'll be an option for us in this series."

The Avalanche captain hasn't played in an NHL game since June 26, 2022, when he had an assist in a 2-1 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final to help Colorado win the Cup.

The 32-year-old forward completed a conditioning assignment last week with Colorado of the American Hockey League, where he had a goal and an assist in two games.

"Anytime we can have him back around the room is awesome. He's been on such a long journey, so it's great to see him back with the group and practicing full speed with us," defenseman Cale Makar said. "Obviously, he's such a key part for us, being a captain. I think it'll be a big moment for him to come back.

"He'd be a huge addition for us at any point."

Selected by Colorado with the No. 2 pick of the 2011 NHL Draft, Landeskog has 571 points (248 goals, 323 assists) in 738 regular-season games and 67 points (27 goals, 40 assists) in 69 playoff games.

Game 1 is at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET; Victory+, MAX, truTV, TNT, ALT, SN360, SN, TVAS). -- Ryan Boulding

New Jersey Devils

Ondrej Palat will return to the lineup when the Devils play at the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Sunday (3 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MSGSN, ESPN, SN360, SN, TVAS).

The forward missed a 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday with a lower-body injury sustained when he blocked a shot in the first period of a 5-4 overtime win at the Boston Bruins one day earlier.

Palat took line rushes with center Justin Dowling and right wing Nathan Bastian at practice on Friday.

"I feel good," Palat said. "It was a good practice today with the group, so I'm happy about that. The players need to embrace the challenge (of the playoffs), playing against [a] very good team. We can't be stressed out; enjoy it. We're playing for Stanley Cup and don't take it for granted."

Coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed after practice that Palat would play on Sunday.

Palat had 28 points (15 goals, 13 assists) in 77 regular-season games. A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning (2020, 2021), Palat has 101 points (51 goals, 50 assists) in 150 playoff games. -- Mike G. Morreale

Toronto Maple Leafs

Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and David Kampf are expected to be available for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN2).

"Fairly confident," coach Craig Berube said Thursday. "I think they're all in pretty good shape. I feel pretty good about it."

McCabe and Ekman-Larsson, each a defenseman, and Kampf, a forward, are each out with an upper-body injury. None of them played in the Maple Leafs' final regular-season game against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.

McCabe, who has 23 points (two goals, 21 assists) in 66 games, missed his seventh straight game, and Ekman-Larsson, who has 29 points (four goals, 25 assists) in 77 games, missed his fourth straight game.

Kampf, who has 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 59 games, missed his seventh straight game. -- Dave McCarthy