"We've grown a lot," Landeskog said on Monday morning, the eve of Game 1 against Nashville. "Another year has gone by where that hunger is that much more and we've learned that much more about ourselves in the regular season. We're looking forward to a deep run here."
Landeskog hasn't been in Colorado's lineup since March 14 after undergoing knee surgery, but it's expected to be able to return for Game 1 and confirmed that he feels "good." In the captain's absence - which took began a week before the NHL Trade Deadline - different players stepped up and the team rallied around its depth as a group to minimize the void.
AVALANCHE VS PREDATORS
AVALANCHE ARTICLES
First Round Schedule of Avalanche vs. Predators
First Round Series Preview: Avalanche vs. Predators
Colorado Avalanche 2021-22 Regular Season By the Numbers
GAME EXTRAS
Avalanche Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub
Avalanche 360
Avalanche Tickets
For Landeskog, it was reassuring to witness as he was out of the lineup. It was a testament to not just the strength of this year's squad, but their unwavering commitment to each other, trust in the process and desire to achieve results.
"We kept finding ways to win with different guys stepping up at different times," Landeskog reflected. "The depth and some of the pieces we brought in, I really liked watching that part of it. Seeing how reliable these guys like [Trade Deadline acquisitions of Nico] Sturm, [Andrew] Cogliano and [Josh] Manson are.
"The depth of our team is going to have to be our strength," Landeskog continued. "That's going to have to be the best part of our team. Everybody accepting their roles, playing to their abilities and just doing their job. That's going to be the key. Obviously, this is going to be as healthy as we're going to be all year. It's exciting, let's see what we can do here."
While the end goal of hoisting the Stanley Cup come late June serves as the ultimate motivator, this level-headed group has carefully learned from past experiences and this time, are maintaining a narrow focus on the immediate task at hand. It's a reflection of their maturity and an aftermath of knowing that last year's disappointment of falling 4-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Second Round was a result of their own lack of execution.
"It's been the growth of our team," Bednar said. "It's where we're going. It's where we've gone. Our team has done a really good job of getting better every year and making ourselves relevant. A lot of our discussions about being contenders and all that, now, it's up to being able to go and play our best hockey at the key time. That's what stings about last year's playoffs. Some of the other ones there was some tough circumstances, but last year it was on us. We have to make sure we're getting over that hump."
And the benefit of having a core group who has endured and bonded over roughly or just under 40 playoff games together, plus the additions of long-time veterans in Andrew Cogliano and Darren Helm - who have one Stanley Cup win and just under 2,000 regular season NHL games combined - the Avalanche understand that part of competing in the playoffs is embracing the journey itself and every challenge, frustration, triumph and moment that is presented.
