Colorado Avalanche Left Winger Gabriel Landeskog Wins Top Rookie Award

Sports is all about ups and downs, and as a Colorado sports fans we have had plenty of both over the last few years. Seems like yesterday the Rockies were in the World Series, and now they are about as bad as it gets. The Nuggets traded their best player and still can't get out of the 1st round of the playoffs. The Broncos are on a high right now signing Peyton Manning, but who knows how he will do. Then there is the Avalanche, a team who used to sell out the Pepsi Center for every home game has struggled lately, and you would struggle to name one or two players. That may be changing as Av's left winger Gabriel Landeskog won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie.

There was high hopes for Landeskog who was the 2nd overall pick in last years NHL Draft, and he didn't let anyone down. The former Ontario Hockey League forward had little trouble adjusting to the NHL grind, being the only Av's player to play in all 82 games. He also led all rookies in goals and points. The Swedish scorer had 22 goals and 30 assists.

Landeskog, who's father was a defenseman in the Swedish Elite League, beat out Edmonton's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and New Jersey playoff hero Adam Henrique for the award at the NHL's annual postseason ceremony Wednesday night. He is the first Colorado player to win the award since Chris Drury in 1999. He dedicated the award to his grandfather, who died in February.