NEW YORK – Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog is the 2025-26 recipient of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, presented “to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey.”
Messier solicits suggestions from team and League personnel to compile a list of potential candidates for the award. However, the selection of the winner is Messier’s alone.
Landeskog registered 14-21—35 across 60 games in his first full season since 2021-22 to help the Avalanche (55-16-11) set a franchise record with 121 points en route to capturing their fourth Presidents’ Trophy as well as their 15th division title (and fourth in the past six campaigns).
A finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for the second straight year, Landeskog became the first player to return to the NHL after undergoing knee cartilage replacement surgery (an operation completed in May 2023) when he rejoined Colorado for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Landeskog also suffered a pair of injuries this season that forced him to miss a combined 22 games, with the Avalanche going 10-9-3 (.523 P%) in his absence compared to 45-7-8 (.817 P%) with him in the lineup.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, Landeskog became the fourth player in franchise history to win the Calder Memorial Trophy during the ensuing 2011-12 season before Colorado named him captain on Sept. 4, 2012 – making Landeskog one of the youngest captains in League history at just 19 years, 286 days.
Since taking that leadership role, Landeskog has spearheaded Colorado’s transformation into one of the NHL’s most competitive franchises – highlighted by an active nine-year playoff streak, tied for the longest current run in the League (w/ TBL).
The organization also ranks among the NHL leaders in division titles (t-2nd; 5), playoff wins (5th; 63), regular season wins (6th; 591), regular season points (6th; 1,288), playoff appearances (t-6th; 10), playoff games (8th; 108) and playoff series wins (t-10th; 10) since 2012-13. Landeskog battled through knee issues (that ultimately forced him to miss nearly three years) during the Avalanche’s 2022 postseason run while guiding Colorado to its third championship and first since 2001, making the Stockholm native the second Swedish-born player to captain a team to the Stanley Cup (following Nicklas Lidstrom, 2008 DET).
Off the ice, Landeskog has been an active member in the Denver community and beyond. He has been an advocate for growing youth participation in hockey, donating game tickets and street hockey equipment while supporting local organizations. Landeskog also has focused on various anti-bullying efforts, including Friends Colorado and You Can Play.
Click here for more information about the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, including a list of past winners.
