Avalanche's Gabriel Landeskog Wins 2025-26 NHL Bill Masterton Trophy After Injury Comeback

Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for the 2025-26 season, the team announced Tuesday.

Landeskog was also announced as the winner of the Mark Messier Leadership Award, becoming the first player in NHL history to win both awards.

The Masterton Trophy is given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Prior to the start of the 2025-26 season, Landeskog hadn't appeared in a regular-season game since his 2021-22 campaign due to knee issues.

After helping the Avalanche capture the Stanley Cup in 2022, he underwent knee surgery that caused him to miss the entire 2022-23 season.

Landeskog also underwent cartilage transplant surgery in 2023. He missed the 2023-24 season as a result and was also sidelined for the 2024-25 regular season, eventually returning to appear in five playoff games.

While Landeskog dealt with an upper-body injury as well as a lower-body injury this season, Colorado's captain still made an impact when available.

The Avalanche owned a 45-7-8 record in the 60 games that Landeskog was in their lineup during the 2025-26 season compared to a 10-9-3 mark in the 22 contests that he missed. Colorado's 55-16-11 overall finish allowed the team to secure the Presidents' Trophy.

Landeskog ended the regular season with 14 goals and 21 assists. In the playoffs, he tallied 11 points in 13 appearances as the Avalanche advanced to the Western Conference Final.