Avalanche Captain Landeskog Wins Messier and Masterton Awards

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award and the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, the league announced Tuesday. The Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award is 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.

The award receives input from team personnel and those around the NHL, with the winner selected by Mark Messier.

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. The Masterton is voted upon by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Landeskog, a left winger, is the third-longest-serving captain in the NHL behind Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Washington's Alexander Ovechkin.

The 33-year-old has spent his entire career with the Avalanche. Landeskog missed the 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 regular seasons recovering from a chronic knee injury. He returned to playing hockey in April 2025 as part of a conditioning assignment with the Colorado Eagles before joining the Avalanche ahead of the 2025 playoffs.

In the 2025-26 season, Landeskog scored 14 goals and 35 points in 60 games. He sustained an injury that led to him missing time in January and February, but he returned to captain Sweden's national team at the Olympics. With Landeskog back, the Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy with a 55-16-11 record and 121 points.

Colorado swept the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, beat the Minnesota Wild in five games in the second round, and were swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference finals. ESPN reported the dual award announcement.