Gabriel Landeskog signs eight-year deal to remain with Avalanche

Gabriel Landeskog isn't going anywhere.

On the eve of NHL free agency, the Colorado Avalanche captain has reached a deal that will keep him in Denver for the next eight years.

A walk through memory lane with our beloved Captain!

.....Did we already say 8 MORE YEARS OF LANDY💙♥️#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/DQaRPybblM

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) July 28, 2021

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the contract has an annual average value of $7 million per season, running a total value of $56 million.

Friedman reported earlier on Tuesday that Colorado had extended an offer of seven years and $49 million to Landeskog, so it appears that he and agent Peter Wallen were able to squeeze an extra year out of general manager Joe Sakic.

Retaining Landeskog is a major victory for the Avs, as it keeps the team's core intact. The second-overall pick of the 2011 NHL Draft, Landeskog's 687 games played are the most of any active player in an Avalanche uniform. Colorado now has Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar and Landeskog all under contract for the next two seasons.

The Swedish forward has been the squad's captain since 2012, when at the time he was named the youngest captain in NHL history at 19 years and 286 days old. He's now the second-youngest player ever to be named captain, only behind Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers.

In his career, which has been spent entirely in Colorado, Landeskog has recorded 218 goals and 512 points.

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