Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog dropped the gloves in his team’s preseason opener Sunday, taking on Utah Mammoth forward Sam Lipkin after he elbowed defenceman Cale Makar.
Landeskog is gearing up to play in the regular season for the first time since 2021-22 after making his NHL return in the playoffs last spring.
“In that moment, I wasn’t thinking about whether it’s preseason or not,” Landeskog said of the fight. “You see one of your players go down, honestly, it doesn’t matter if it’s our best player or not, someone’s got to do something.”
Makar left the game in the third period, though head coach Jared Bednar said postgame he’s expected to be fine.
The Cap setting the tone. pic.twitter.com/GgmDIFR537
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 22, 2025
Landeskog had an assist was plus-2 in the 5-1 split squad win in addition to the five penalty minutes.
The 32-year-old winger had one goal and four points in five games in the playoffs earlier this year, his first NHL action in three years.
Lipkin, 22, had 10 goals and 15 points in 56 games with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners last season with 27 penalty minutes. He was a seventh-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2021.
