Colorado Avalanche forward will miss the start of the regular season due to an injury. Although this news isn’t unexpected, his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery will keep him sidelined a bit longer. Head coach Jared Bednar shared the update, as the Avalanche prepare to kick off their regular season in Vegas against the Golden Knights.
A follow-up appointment at the end of the month means top forward will likely be out for the entirety of October. The Avalanche have 11 games scheduled before November, so he’ll miss a significant chunk of the season. Lehkonen underwent shoulder surgery in late May, which revealed substantial damage that needed repair, according to Coach Jared Bednar during the team’s first media availability in September.
This is a challenging start for Colorado, as they’ll also be without Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin. Landeskog remains sidelined, recovering from a cartilage transplant in his knee after not playing for two years. Nichushkin is currently serving a six-month suspension that ends mid-November as part of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
While stars like Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar are set to lead the team, the Avalanche’s depth will be tested until Lehkonen, Landeskog, and Nichushkin are back on the ice. For Lehkonen, the return appears to be weeks away, rather than days.
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